Closing the Loop

Setting out at 7:15 am

Today's training schedule called for an 8 mile walk.

Earlier in the week I mapped out my route and decided I'd get started as early as possible as the heat was going to be brutal today.

The first two parts of that plan were on track, but right around mile 6,  when there was nothing to be done about it, I realized my 8 mile route was actually a 9 mile route. Sigh...

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I set out from Gravelly Point, the parking lot right off the GW Parkway by National Airport. My plan was to walk the Mount Vernon trail to the Key bridge and then cross into Georgetown. From there I was going to walk down M Street to Pennsylvania Ave to 15th Street and then back across the bridge to the trail and my car.

Things started off fine, though I was definitely hot. I was slightly questioning my sanity during miles 1-3, but kept pushing along. I had never been on the section of the trail between the Memorial and Key bridges before, so that was nice. There's definitely a lot of shade in the area leading up to Roosevelt Island and I had a nice view of a huge white bird (heron? osprey?) hanging out riverside in the mud. They trail was pretty crowded with bikers, runners and a few others walking like me.

I crossed the Key Bridge into Georgetown and once I got there took my first break, for about 10 minutes in the shade at Francis Scott Key Park. I filled up my water bottle (20 oz consumed) and then made my way through Georgetown to Pennsylvania Ave and past the White House. At this point I veered off my original plan and headed two blocks off route to my office. I needed to grab my FitBit charger and figured cold water and an A/C break would be good too. (60 oz consumed)

When I got into my office I re-mapped my route, just to check and see exactly where things stood and that's when I realized I had a problem.

original route

Actual route

When I finished mapping it I discovered I was pretty much exactly at the 6 mile point (yay!) but instead of 2 miles to go I had 3.1. Um... what? I knew I added four blocks to my total by stopping at the office but that wasn't enough to make a difference of 1.1 miles! Then I pulled up my original route and realized my mistake. When I was drawing it out I had closed the loop, but hadn't kept going in tracking the part I had to walk twice, the distance along the Mt. Vernon trail from the 14th Street Bridge to Gravelly Point. Oops!

With no way to shorten things at that point, I headed back out to wrap up, where the actual temp had reached the high 80s and the feels like was 102. I did a mile and a half to just past the Jefferson Memorial, took one last 10 minute rest in the shade and then headed back into full sun for the walk over the bridge and much of the final stretch back to my car (80 oz consumed).

I returned to my car 3 hours and 55 minutes after I set out. Feeling hot and miserable, but glad I accomplished what I needed to!

Smiling once I was back in the car. Probably
just because the A/C was on full blast!

Touristing & Training

This weekend the training plan called for a six mile walk on Saturday and a five mile walk today.

The weather forecast called for temps that felt like 100 degrees and thunderstorm on Saturday. So, I shifted things and got the six miles in on Friday after work. The weather was pretty perfect - mid 80s with a nice breeze and DC wasn't actually completely overrun with tourists, so that was a plus too!

I left the office and headed towards Union Station and then over to the Capitol Building and down along the National Mall past the Washington Monument, up into Foggy Bottom and then back over to the office past the White House. After living here for 7 1/2 years and working downtown for over 2 years the fact that these are place I can walk by whenever I want still has not gotten old!

Today I ended up breaking up the five miles, doing 3 1/2 in my neighborhood this morning and then getting the rest in while playing tourist again, this time in North East DC at the National Arboretum. It was my first visit there and there is SO much to see! Despite the lower humidity it was still pretty toasty in the sun, so the visit to the Arboretum was a mix of exploring on foot and by car but I have no doubt I got another 1 1/2 miles in. 

While sometimes I'm still questioning why in the world I'm doing the Avon Walk again, I am enjoying the opportunity it provides to get me out of the house exploring the great things the DC area has to offer!

Plans Are Coming Together

The fact that I'm doing the AVON Walk in New York City this year instead of DC means there are some added logistics that have to be taken care of.

First up, and most exciting, I found a friend willing to tag along and cheer for me during the walk! My friend Nicolette is going to travel to NY with me which makes me very happy. I don't mind doing the walk on my own, but I really like the idea of having a familiar face at some of the rest stops and at the finish line! Also, in the worst case scenario of rain she can meet me with dry gear to change in to. (Yes, I'm me, so of course I already have a rain plan worked out.)

Once that was decided, Nicolette and I both booked our train tickets and I booked the hotel. Well get to New York City midday on Friday, October 14 (and hopefully see a show that night) and then I'll walk and walk and walk Saturday and Sunday. Nicolette heads home late Sunday afternoon and I'm staying on until Monday so I don't have to get on a train just after finishing a very long walk!

The other thing that happened this week in terms of preparation is I got new sneakers. It's recommended you get new sneakers every 300-500 miles and I'll put 295 miles on mine just during training. The AVON Walk also recommends you wear different shoes Saturday and Sunday, so I'll begin to break in this pair now and at the beginning of September I'll get another new pair and then keep rotating them during my walks and for the big walk.

And, that's where things stand. This weekend will bring a six then five mile walk and hopefully cooler temperatures to complete them in!

Summer Training Woes

DC's heat wave meant my 12 week training plan got off to a slow start this Sunday. And by slow, I mean non-existent. :(

I started the day with paddleboarding at the beach instead of the 3 mile walk I was supposed to do and the temperatures never dropped enough for me to make an outdoor walk feasible once I got back to town.

But, I'm not letting the rocky start be a precursor of things to come! Paddleboarding counts as cross training and that's good for me too, right? :)

My plan for this week's Tuesday and Thursday training walks is most definitely going to be on the treadmill before work!

I'm hoping Saturday and Sunday's 4 mile walks can be done outdoors, perhaps early in the morning both days.

I'm also looking at my travel plans over the next few months and figuring out how I'm going to bend the training plan to work for me. Heading out of town on a Saturday that's supposed to have a 12 mile walk means I guess I'll be spending that Friday evening strolling through DC. I'm also scheming times when I'll end up leaving super early and walking to meet friends when we have plans, or taking a long stroll back to the house from the beach late this summer as well.

This time of year it seems harder to get the training in - between the heat and a busier schedule - but I know how important it is, and that following the plan last time led to success so I'm committed to making it work!

Wish me luck! And please, support my fundraising efforts if you can!

Playing Tourist = Lots of Steps!

Training officially kicks off this Sunday (7/24), but I got a head start getting back into lots of walking last weekend when I went to New England.

Between wandering downtown Boston and exploring small towns along the southern coast of Maine, my FitBit tracked me at 12,000 - 16,000 steps each day of my 4 day trip. Those are daily numbers I haven't seen in ages. Numbers I'm sure to start seeing more frequently pretty soon!

In fundraising news, I am a lucky girl with generous friends! My first fundraising goal was to be at 12% of my needed total by the time my 12 week training program begins. As of today I'm at 20%.

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated so far!

Of course I'd walk a lot more if these could always be my views!

Both shots are from the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, ME

Gearing Up for the 2016 Avon 39

Gearing up to take on this challenge again in 2016!

With the Avon 39 just over 3 months away it's time to kick things into high gear and get my fundraising going!

This time I'll be doing the event in New York City, October 15 & 16. I was in NYC last week and it was hard to imagine that in just a few short months I'll be returning and seeing so much more of the city and in a very different way than I ever have before!

Last year to prepare for my inaugural Avon 39 in DC I diligently followed a 16 week training program. Since I have some experience under my belt, and it's completely gross hot out of these days, I'm going with a 12 week plan.

Just like last year I'll have training walks on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with the Saturday and Sunday distances gradually ramping up to get me ready to walk 26.2 miles on day 1 and 13.1 on day 2 of the big event.

My training plan kicks off in 15 days, which is 12 weeks out from the event and I'd love to have 12% of my required funds ($216) raised by then. 

Donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated and can be made on my personal fundraising page.

Like last year I'll be tracking my progress during training and fundraising with this blog and hope you'll follow along as I prepare for this huge challenge a second time!

That thing I said was never happening again....

is happening again.

Officially registered to walk 39 miles again in 2016, this time in NYC this October.

Much more to come this Spring and Summer as I kick off training and fundraising!