30 Training Miles and Still going

Tonight, I passed a milestone. That sentence makes it sound like I passed a stone. If you know what i mean? And somehow I have the song 500 Miles in my head. Stop laughing PMDude!

Why 30 training miles was a milstone? I have no idea. 30 was my favorite birthday. 30 was the number of dollars Blueberry owed me last week. 30 was a nice round number that 10, 3, 5, 6, 15, and 2 go into easily. (There are probably more that go into 30, but I'm too tired to think about it).

So some type of motivational monster has a strong hold of me. It's shaking me to my core. It's rattling cynical Jenn right out of me. I've not had this kind of motivation ever. The inner voice is loud and its shouting. Which is good because when it whispers I never hear it. I'm not going to over analyze where it came from or why. Instead I'm going to take hold with both hands and hold on. Why question a good thing?

I sent a donation letter out a few random folks. Testing the water really just to see. I've been shocked by who has donated already AND who has promised a donation. My friend Gypsy has promised at least $100 and possibly $200 if she gets a job.

Gypsy? Odd name isn't it? Well, in true Jenn fashion it's not her real name. I change the names to protect the not so innocent. I'm choosing to call her Gypsy becasue the first day I met her was Halloween. My friend Kara was dragging me to an infamous "Mansion Halloween Party". In the early years of Geeksoft there was a bunch of boys who rented this kick ass mansion in a ritzy fritzy area of Seattle. They hired security, had bands on every floor, and held one awesome party. Gypsy and a friend of hers were coming with Kara and I. Gypsy shows up dressed as a Gypsy with wings. When I asked about the wings she said, "Well Duh, I'm a Gypsy Moth." Clever girl she is.

She is quite possibly one of the funniest and most animated person I have ever met. She is definitely on the top 5 of Jenn's list of people who should be allowed into heaven. Anyhow, Gypsy walked in the 3-day a couple fo years ago. And sent me an email with "advice" and "lessons learned". I laughed out loud as I read it. Below are some excerps.

"OMG … I did this walk a … handful of years ago. Thrilled I did it once … swore I’d never do it again … but promised I would give at least $100 to the next in line to try. Just about killed me. OH … and it really almost killed one of the women I walked with. Dork refused to drink Gatorade. OK … So … who doesn’t hate to drink Gatorade????!!!! … but if it saves your life … keeps you from getting hauled off to the hospital for dehydration … wouldn’t you drink the damn Gatorade??

DRINK THE DAMN GATORADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I MEAN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are a couple theories going into this …. Only one is sanctioned… I came up with the other.
*Don’t bother with the schedule. If you never do any working out, your body won’t know what hit it for at least a couple days and hopefully you’ll either be done with the walk or on day 3 and almost done before your body figures it out…

Good safety tip…
OH … and it’s probably a good idea to start eating only potato chips, bananas, peanut butter, bagels and Gatorade as your primary diet a week before you head out … so that your body doesn’t freak out and have horrendous diarrhea issues at about noon on day 2. BUT if this happens … I have found that a quick trip into a fast food location for like … “mexi fries” can easily get you back on track … carry some cash…

OK … so here are a couple heads up.

Day one:
*Piece of cake. OK … a 20 mile piece of cake. You’re probably too young to remember walkathons that were actually 20 miles and not … 20K…
*At the end of day one … you will sit down to dinner at a plate of food so large you think you can’t possibly eat it all. And in an instant… all the food will be gone. I actually asked my buddies … “where did all my food go?” … To which they said… “um … you ate it”.
*Day one when you get to camp … there will be crazy people who will… somehow … dance all night. Personally, it was all I could do to shower/shampoo/shine for the next day’s walk … I’m sure I stunk to the high heavens… oh wait I didn’t shower… I didn’t do any of that, because my tent and sleeping bag were like sirens… calling to me. Male sirens… ;+)

Day two:
*This is a horrible day. You have been warned.
*Your shoes will feel 3 sizes too small and if you have blisters it will be even worse. ;+)
*So it’s going to be the same length as day one … but it’s not new. And it’s the same length as day 3 … but your not done.
*This day will suck. If you have any Percocet … alcohol … bring it. I didn’t need it, but I knew I had it. And that made all the difference.
*Take a shower before you go to bed … no matter how much it might kill you. For … tomorrow, they will be taking pictures of you along the way and at the finish. Plus … it’s probably over due.

Day three:
*A lot like day 1 with … way more aches and pains … and probably blisters.
*BUT… there is an end in site.
*I found that when my group sang “I like big butts” it really made the time “fly”. (Learn the lyrics)
*And … I still have yet to feel the sense of accomplishment as I did when I finished this trek.

Good luck to you my friend. You will not need it, but it will be nice to know you have it.

My two best tips?
*Drink something when anyone honks… make it a game.
*Drink Gatorade every 3rd drink.
*You will eat weird food. If you’re not lucky enough to “lose” your tent mate to dehydration … be sure you bring something to help you with boofies… had I had a roommate that first night, I’m sure I would have silently killed her in the night. Tents don’t have gas sensors.

OK … I love you. I pledge a donation … just holding out to double it.
Please let me know your route. One of the nicest.. pleasant wastes of time… was seeing people on the route. And no I promise I won’t deliver you to the next stop. LOL"