as I took my walk the other night I, as often I do, started thinking about all the reasons I am walking. "What am I walking for, what is my motivation, and what results do I expect?" Of course the immediate improvement in my personal health is on the forefront, the desire to be healthier and promote healthy living. I have 3 small children... they deserve to have a healthy vibrant mom. I don't want to be the "old mom" too tired to get out of the car to greet the kids at the school gate.
I want to increase my energy level and improve my whole body strength.
There are members of my family who have type 2 diabetes, and have a "salad bar" of medications on a daily basis.... So far, So good for me... I'm not on any daily meds... and my only complaint is the occasional common cold and congestion... If I can eat healthy to get my vitamins and minerals, and enjoy cooking good food, and eating fresh fruit.. then that's the direction I'm going to take.
So, If I'm on a mission to walk... for myself... to raise awareness for???? Women... Women's Health... Women's Health Awareness.... I am a woman, I am 36... oops, I'm 37.... I have 3 children. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter. My girlfriend Melissa is just a year older than me and just over a year ago endured a double-mastectomy. She has survived, but isn't out of the woods yet... and to add to her stress, her mother went through the same surgery just a few months later. I'm so grateful for my own health and good fortune, and my heart goes out to Melissa and her mom... what can I do? I can get out and promote AWARENESS FOR BETTER HEALTH... EARLY BREAST CANCER DETECTION AND EDUCATION... and truly honor Melissa, and others like her....
So for many reasons I am putting one foot in front of the other... taking steps in my life to be healthy, and perhaps encourage others to do the same...
Women
On a
Mission to raise
Awareness for Healthy Living
NOW
I thought about where I want to walk... I enjoy the outdoors, the beach, hiking in the mountains, being outside where the air is fresh and the scenery just allows me to enjoy the world around me. When I was in college I remember walking through San Francisco... I started off on the area Metro and rode to Fisherman's Wharf... then I walked back home... I ventured up and down streets, just randomly taking turns up the hills, down steps, through parks, neighborhoods, around the marina.... and eventually back home. I managed to walk 10 miles by the time I was done... my only mistake, I wasn't wearing the best walking shoes so I had a big blister and my arches hurt. Lesson learned... have the right shoes, and take a camera...
What's familiar: I walk down by the beach a lot as it's close by and once the kids are dropped off at school it is a logical place for me to get a workout. I also walk around the park when I get the opportunity. Nearby is a running/walking track that is always busy, with soccer and other sports on the infield, and it's well lit at night... sometimes when I want to get a basic circuit workout in I'll head over there and get between 2 and 4 miles in. If I'm going to take a longer walk, then seriously, I'm going to plan a map and not walk in "ovals".
I then started thinking about other motivations for walking... walking to make a difference in my life and the life of others. I've participated in 10k walks, Aids Walk... Walk for Life... and always enjoy that type of journey... and the causes... I haven't had the time to do some of the longer 3 days (yet)... and hope that I can do one in the near future. But what about my cause? Hmmm... not that it's ME... that's not the reason... but I am the one walking...
How far do I want to walk? Well... I dream about seeing all across the country... so what's stopping me from walking across the USA? What? Are you kidding? I've had a lot of initial resistance in discussing this with my family... when? When I turn 40... that was the original idea, however, that's now only 3 years away and my children will be in pivotal point in there formative school years... to embark on such a journey that soon would result in a lot of dependence on the rest of the family, caregivers, and to be away from them for more than a week would be way to difficult... So, waiting another 5 years would put their ages at 15, 13 and 11... they would be better understanding of MOMMY'S CRAZY JOURNEY... They wouldn't need babysitting as much and perhaps they could join me on the journey at some point (if not the whole way)... there's a lot of planning to be done...
So yes, Walking from California to New York... is still the long term goal... 2017 is the year that this will happen... I expect to be walking UNDER the St. Louis Arch on my 45th Birthday (I think)....
So what about taking a pivotal step on my 40th birthday? JULY 19TH 2012!!! yes.. I am going to WALK A MARATHON on that day... and to train for that I am going to walk CALIFORNIA... California State Parks, National Parks, Local Neighborhood and so much more...
Next up: Our family road trip... some walking and some good family hikes.
Routes and Treks will be posted on my MapMyWalk Link... (as I do them)...
Thanks to everyone who has listened, read, and supported me so far... there's a long way to go!!!
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