Finding New Motivation

I know I have not been to the surgeon yet but I am feeling really optimistic on the health front. I took the "take it easy" advice this weekend as planned. The doctor decided I shouldn't do more than 10 miles at a time until the walk or until the surgeon tells me otherwise. My plan was to do 7 or 8 miles each day this weekend depending how I felt. I felt great! It doesn't even hurt when I laugh anymore. So I was able to do almost 10 miles both nights.

Saturday was definitely an enjoyable walk . The weather was so perfect, I was feeling good to be back on track after more than a week off. It didn't feel as boring as some of the long ones I've done. I also walked in the evening, which I rarely do and as it started getting dark it was just so peaceful. I usually walk in the morning before the day gets away from me or the couch gets the best of me, but I managed to dig deep and found some surprising new, end of day motivation to keep me walking. Sunday, I did the same route at around the same time. Again, I was feeling good and the weather was beautiful but this was after a long day out with the family and being up late the night before so I was dragging a bit. I may stick to mornings unless I can find that afternoon motivation again.

I can't believe that after so many months of training and blogging, we are less than 2 weeks away from the real thing. I was starting to get really sick of walking but I think I can find enough new tricks to keep things interesting for the next 2 weeks. Maybe I will try changing the route I walk. That may be too much effort though as I finally have a route I like that has sidewalks the whole way. Some of you may recall I had a couple of poorly planned routes that left me perilously hanging to the shoulder as speeding motorist forced me knee deep into prickers, PI and people's rhododendron.

Maybe I will start singing on my walks or reciting Shakespeare. Then the people of Metrowest will really think I am the nutty walking lady. I could always play the alphabet game - you know, like you do on long car trips...finding the letters of the alphabet on license plates. I also have about 3 hours left of the audiobook I am listening to and maybe I will download some news songs onto the iPod. (I only use one earphone so that I can still be alert to traffic...no headphones is another 3-day rule like the no phones rule. Always pushing the boundaries of right and wrong...that's me!)

Anyone have other suggestions to get me through these last couple long walks? Feel free to join me. We can meet at my house. I'll even feed you! Hell, I can send you a map and some times and you can just pull up along side me and hop out of your car if you want! I'll take the company any way I can get it.

Maybe bragging will be a good motivator. Below are some pictures of the evil hill at mile 7 of this weekend's walks. I rock the hills!

from the bottom:


from the top:


Don't forget that you are a big part of my motivation during the real thing! Send those letters, make a poster, and head to a cheering station. Knowing that you are in this with me is what makes this all so exciting. I am never really sure who is out there reading...send me a sign!

Thanks for being out there! More later...