I'm the walkingest girl around. She who limps is still walking!

Let me first start by saying, I am feeling an enormous sense of satisfaction. Emotionally I feel GGRRRReat!

Physically, not so much.

What started as a nice casual 15 mile walk, turned into a rather painful 18 mile death march. Okay, maybe "death march" is a little dramatic. But just barely.

Oh, did you want to go back and read that? Yes, I said 18 miles. BigBro said to me after the walk and after we had "stretched" for a couple of minutes, that I was walking like he was after the 60 miles. Which only means to me I have a long way to go. I'm complete stoked that I was pushed to do it (note I didn't say I pushed myself - I'm not good at that), but think perhaps I did too much too soon.

Let me start at the beginning and while I can feel my fingers.

Blueberry and I started our adventure at O'dark O'clock (6AM for those who want to know) - stopped at Starbuck's - of course - and headed to meet BigBro at his house. Our "plan" was to walk with the Warming Hut Hotties who was a team BigBro had done training walks with last year. According to their email they were doing a 7 mile walk starting at Greenlake. Our "plan" was to take off from BigBro's house, walk to Greenlake (4 miles he said), walk with the Hotties for 7, take a quick little break and change our socks, then head home (4 miles).

Sounds easy enough. BigBro did give us the option of just meeting at Greenlank and only doing 11. Blue and I decided to push ourselves and try the 15. Plus BigBro promised the Hotties stop on a very regular basis and therefore we'd have plenty of resting opportunities.

So, off we went. It was a perfectly crisp morning in Seattle. The sun was already up and getting ready to warm the earth and us. It was a nice time to be out and about. The first part of the walk was, you guessed it, up hill. Why? Why does he torment me so? I know he's trying to get me in shape for 60 miles, but my god. This hill went on and on and on and on...and on. I may be exaggerating slightly, but it felt like 50 miles of up hill.

Cresting the hill and down into the "valley" to Greenlake. Stopping every so briefly at Starbucks for a potty break and water filler upper station. We still have a half mile or so to meet the Hotties.

Meeting the Hotties was a blast. Very energetic, fun loving team. All shapes and sizes showed up for this "7mile" walk. They are an extremely organized team and has a team leader who knows her stuff. Off we went.

Our first stop was a stretching stop, then up the alleged 64th Monster Hill. I had already walked up a couple of monster hills, so I was sure I was well ahead of this lot who had just started training. Pulling out my billy goat personality, up we went. I almost got light headed from the massive elevation change that took place, but I survived (again, maybe a little over exaggeration - maybe). The hill was broken into two long blocks. I marched up the first block at full speed, determined to not be the caboose of the bunch. Hitting the half way point, I couldn't breaths and decided being the caboose wasn't such a bad idea. One foot in front of the other, I made the top. Ahhh, a resting point, a Starbucks.

Catching my breath we stood out front and I realized I had been here before. This was the Starbucks near the Italian restaurant we had celebrated Blueberry's and The Groom of the Newlyweds birthday two years prior. Wait? What? I'm there! How'd I get there? Seemed to me it was miles away from Greenlake.

We look so fresh don't we? By this time we had walked just about 5 I think. I had no idea I'd be dead in 4 hours! I'm the cute one on the right - Blueberry and BigBro make up the rest of the photo.

A 15 minute stop there, and off we went. I noticed suddenly, (since I wasn't really paying attention to where we were going because we had a leader who was, well, leading) that we were in Ballard. What? Now for those of you who aren't from around here, Ballard seems like 50 miles away from Greenlake, when it's only like maybe 4 or so, but when you drive the traffic makes it seem longer. We were at a Safeway, "resting" and I kept thinking, "I've walked from Lake City (where BigBro lives) to BALLARD!" Whodathunk!

But we walked on. Next thing I know we're stopping at one of my favorite Starbucks in Freemont! Again, I'm like, "What? Freemont? That's like 40 minutes driving from Ballard." Well, it feels like it. I'm constantly stunned at how close things really are.

Our pedometers were, again, all different. We tried to fix mine so my stride was closer to Blueberrie's and BigBro's but it didn't reset like we had thought. Either was we were off again. This particular stop at Starbuck's was too long in my opinion and I was starting to cool down too much and freeze up.

Let's where was I? OH yes, Freemont. I suddenly realized that we were in a "bowl". We had come down a good size hill into Ballard, which only meant one thing. We had to hike our way out. Oh Lord! Turning left onto Wallingford Ave, BigBro says to me, "We have to get to 45th".

WHAT?

Holy Crap. How was I going to do this. I was already dead tired, now you want me to hike a half mile up hill? Right! One foot in front of the other. Breath! Breath!

BigBro stayed back with me and we chatted our way up the hill - cancel that - he chatted. I was having a hard time catching my breath let alone talk. Then before I knew it, we were at the top of the hill at a QFC! We were almost there.

Finally, we made our way back to Greenlake. BigBro had told Blue and I to bring a change of socks since at/about 10 miles you should change your socks. We took the shoes and socks off and let the cool air pass by our warm, sweaty tooties. Man, it felt soooo good. I never would have thought just switching socks would make such a difference, but it sure did. I moleskinned up as I was showing signs of blisters on the bottom of BOTH my feet. The left foot was more swollen and sore than the right for a change.

But we marched on. I was very tempted to let BigBro and Blue to head home and come back to get me. I'd just sit in the sun at Starbucks and wait. But now, I decided to be a big girl and walk with him. Hindsight, it might have been too much.

Thankfully, home meant only one relatively small hill in the beginning, and two relatively small hills to the house. Plus I could see the Stang at that point, so I knew I'd survive.

Though at a certain point, BigBro mentions there's a 7-11 on the way home, and we KNEW Hot Dogs could be found at 7-11. Oh glory day.

By this time we had been walking for 6 hours and only had a few snacks here and there. Then, there in the distance, I could see the sign. The beautifully, welcoming, recognizable sign for 7-11. It was heaven.


It's possible our theme for this adventure to walk 60 miles will be Starbucks and Hot Dogs. But OMG did it taste good.

But like I said, we made it home and ultimately, I made it home. It was a b*tch to drive a standard car when the balls of your feet are so sore that just thinking about touching them almost brings tears.

I'm sure you are all too aware that I don't do pain very well. And when it's the bottom of your feet, it's impossible to not hurt. I drugged up when I got home, took a shower, then sat my butt on the couch and soaked the tootsies (iced the left foot first as per directions from Dr. BigBro!)

The muscle pain I don't mind so much. Did you know your butt is actually a muscle? I had no idea. (kidding). The list of pains: My right hip muscle/butt muscle ached like the dickens. The back of my left knee had a crampy sore feeling to it. Both feet were sore to touch. Neck hurts due to looking down as I walk.

Oh did I mention that the Hotties walk was 8 miles, and it was closer to 5 both ways from and to BigBro's house? Yah! Do the math! Blueberrie's pedometer said 20+ miles. My pedometer said 17+. BigBro's said almost 5 because he reset it at Starbucks in Greenlake. So averaging it out and knowing what the Hotties said, we figured 18 miles. And just for the record, I take about 2900 steps per mile. That means I went around 52,000 steps.

OH.
MY.
God.

Today I feel very tired. Feet still sore as all get out. Walking is a challenge to be sure. If I could find a way to not walk on the balls of my feet I'd be fine. All the while I've been thinking, if this is what I feel like after 18 ... what will 20+ feel like. Because I tell you what? There is NO WAY in hell that I could be out walking today. I only hope that in the next 20 weeks I can build up enough endurance to not feel like this.