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!
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
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!
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!
Saturday, May 9, 2015
The Recap
It's taken a full week for me to sit down at the computer and write up the recap of our Avon 39 experience.
I've talked to lots of friends and colleagues about the event over the past week and I think it's best summed up by saying - I was prepared, but it was still hard.
There was never a time where I was truly miserable, or wondering why in the world I was out there doing it, but there were plenty of times where I was uncomfortable and hot and sore and just plain exhausted. Sunday was slower going than Saturday. I felt OK, but the motivation was waning. It definitely makes sense to taper down in mileage, but after achieving the 26.2 miles on Saturday it felt kind of anticlimactic to walk 13.1 more.But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
I wrote about the first half of Saturday at our lunch break. The half took up through Georgetown, past the hospital and up to Reservoir Road past the German Embassy and, the reservoir. People kept talking about a big hill coming up and I thought the incline past the hospital was it. I was wrong. After a few more miles of winding around Northwest we got to Sibley Hospital and discovered the hill.
It was steep. And long. They had a rest stop set up mid-way up the hill, in the hospital parking lot. Then we kept going and got to the top, only to discover it wasn't really the top - it was just a plateau. The road flattened out a bit, then went up again, flattened out a bit, then went up some more. I'd say it was about a mile of hill. It was unfun. After that we kept going, winding our way past American University, back to Wisconsin Ave and into Bethesda. From there we picked up the Capital Crescent Trail, crossed Connecticut Ave and wound through some neighborhoods before getting to Rays Meadow, which was really pretty, and finally ending up in Meadowbrook Park.
We crossed the finish line on our 26.2 at 5:30 pm,, 10 1/2 hours after we started. My FitBit registered 566 active minutes that day. Amazing.
We wandered around Basecamp 39 a bit, and each bought new t shirts to wear for day 2, and then headed to the hotel shuttle. Neither Mary or I camp, and after walking a marathon was not going to be when I decided to start!
Even at 6 pm on a Saturday evening the shuttle ride to the hotel was long and traffic filled. Once we got there we ventured a block away for yummy pizza - of both the regular and dessert varieties. We had planned to go to the hotel pool and jacuzzi, but the lure of our beds was too great and we ended up staying in the room.
Both Mary and I felt pretty good at this point. A little sore, but not really hobbly at all. We each ended the day with just over 60,000 steps on our Fitbits and both earned the "Blue Suede Shoes"badge for the first (and likely last) time.
Sunday morning came early and we boarded the shuttle bus back to Basecamp 39 at 6:30 am. The course re-opened at 7:30 am and we were ready to add 13.1 miles to our totals. We were both feeling ok, Mary had a few blisters causing her problems, but otherwise we were in good spirits and decent walking shape. But it was still slow going. The group stayed pretty bunched together until the first rest stop, and while I was expecting it to be mostly downhill on Sunday we still had more to walk up.
The course took us back through Ray's Meadow and the Capital Crescent Trail and into Bethesda. down Connecticut Avenue and then through some neighborhoods into Cathedral Heights, past the Cathedral and Naval Observatory and then back down Massachusetts Ave into downtown. We wound back through Foggy Bottom and by that point we were moving pretty quickly as we headed back to the Washington Monument and the finish line.
We were both so happy to cross that line. Proud of our accomplishment, and just happy to be finished!
I've talked to lots of friends and colleagues about the event over the past week and I think it's best summed up by saying - I was prepared, but it was still hard.
There was never a time where I was truly miserable, or wondering why in the world I was out there doing it, but there were plenty of times where I was uncomfortable and hot and sore and just plain exhausted. Sunday was slower going than Saturday. I felt OK, but the motivation was waning. It definitely makes sense to taper down in mileage, but after achieving the 26.2 miles on Saturday it felt kind of anticlimactic to walk 13.1 more.But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
I wrote about the first half of Saturday at our lunch break. The half took up through Georgetown, past the hospital and up to Reservoir Road past the German Embassy and, the reservoir. People kept talking about a big hill coming up and I thought the incline past the hospital was it. I was wrong. After a few more miles of winding around Northwest we got to Sibley Hospital and discovered the hill.
It was steep. And long. They had a rest stop set up mid-way up the hill, in the hospital parking lot. Then we kept going and got to the top, only to discover it wasn't really the top - it was just a plateau. The road flattened out a bit, then went up again, flattened out a bit, then went up some more. I'd say it was about a mile of hill. It was unfun. After that we kept going, winding our way past American University, back to Wisconsin Ave and into Bethesda. From there we picked up the Capital Crescent Trail, crossed Connecticut Ave and wound through some neighborhoods before getting to Rays Meadow, which was really pretty, and finally ending up in Meadowbrook Park.
We crossed the finish line on our 26.2 at 5:30 pm,, 10 1/2 hours after we started. My FitBit registered 566 active minutes that day. Amazing.
 |
| 26.2 Miles Complete! And still smiling! |
 |
| Can you read the fine print? "What's the matter? " You don't want to camp?" You've got that right! |
Even at 6 pm on a Saturday evening the shuttle ride to the hotel was long and traffic filled. Once we got there we ventured a block away for yummy pizza - of both the regular and dessert varieties. We had planned to go to the hotel pool and jacuzzi, but the lure of our beds was too great and we ended up staying in the room.
Both Mary and I felt pretty good at this point. A little sore, but not really hobbly at all. We each ended the day with just over 60,000 steps on our Fitbits and both earned the "Blue Suede Shoes"badge for the first (and likely last) time.
Sunday morning came early and we boarded the shuttle bus back to Basecamp 39 at 6:30 am. The course re-opened at 7:30 am and we were ready to add 13.1 miles to our totals. We were both feeling ok, Mary had a few blisters causing her problems, but otherwise we were in good spirits and decent walking shape. But it was still slow going. The group stayed pretty bunched together until the first rest stop, and while I was expecting it to be mostly downhill on Sunday we still had more to walk up.
The course took us back through Ray's Meadow and the Capital Crescent Trail and into Bethesda. down Connecticut Avenue and then through some neighborhoods into Cathedral Heights, past the Cathedral and Naval Observatory and then back down Massachusetts Ave into downtown. We wound back through Foggy Bottom and by that point we were moving pretty quickly as we headed back to the Washington Monument and the finish line.
We were both so happy to cross that line. Proud of our accomplishment, and just happy to be finished!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
We Crushed It!
A more thorough wrap up will come in the next day or so, but in the meantime....
Two days, 39.3 miles complete! Mary and I raised $5,576 and the event raised $4.6 million!
Thank you, thank, you, thank you for all of the support and encouragement!
Two days, 39.3 miles complete! Mary and I raised $5,576 and the event raised $4.6 million!
Thank you, thank, you, thank you for all of the support and encouragement!
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Woah We're Halfway There!
We've made it to the 13.1 mile point, also known as halfway for today. The weather has been gorgeous - getting a little warm but a nice breeze and sunny.
The route so far took us from the Washington monument, around the Tidal Basin up past the Capitol and into to Capitol Hill neighborhood.
My wonderful friend Katherine came out to cheer us on and walked with us for awhile near union Station. We continued on through Chinatown and Penn Quarter, past the White House and in a roundabout way through Foggy Bottom and DuPont before getting to Georgetown. We've had some big hills already and I know another is coming shortly after lunch.
We are feeling good and will be continuing on our way soon!
The route so far took us from the Washington monument, around the Tidal Basin up past the Capitol and into to Capitol Hill neighborhood.
My wonderful friend Katherine came out to cheer us on and walked with us for awhile near union Station. We continued on through Chinatown and Penn Quarter, past the White House and in a roundabout way through Foggy Bottom and DuPont before getting to Georgetown. We've had some big hills already and I know another is coming shortly after lunch.
We are feeling good and will be continuing on our way soon!
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tracking our Trek - FAQ
As the walk quickly approaches I've had a lot of questions from friends and family about tracking our progress, cheering stations and just how long it will take.
Here's a bit of an FAQ to help provide those answers:
Does the Avon Walk offer tracking like most marathons do these days?
Nope. But, if you have an iPhone and you really want to be able to see how I'm doing I'll turn on the "share my location" service with you for the weekend so you can follow my progress.
What is the route?
They don't tell us the specific route, there is a general map but it is missing lots of detail. But basically, we begin near the Washington Monument and make our way to Meadowbrook Park in Chevy Chase, MD, but in a pretty circuitous fashion to cover 26 miles. On Sunday we walk from Meadow Brook Park back to the Washington Monument, but it a more direct route.
Are there places where people can come out to cheer the walkers on?
Absolutely. Supporters are welcome to be at opening ceremony, "Base Camp 39" where we'll end on Saturday evening and at the finish line on Sunday. Opening ceremony and the finish line on Sunday are next to the Washington Monument. In addition, there are lots of "Cheering Stations"along the way.
Well, if you are an iPhone user you can ask to track me. Or, just use the general formula that we'll be walking 3 miles an hour, and stopping for roughly 10 minutes to take a break every 6 or so miles. Plus probably about 30 minutes for lunch at mile 13.1.
The first cheering station is near Union Station and is 6.5 miles in to the walk. I expect we'll be going by there around 9:15.
We'll probably hit the Starbucks in Tenleytown (mile 18.4) around 2ish. I will probably be making that my own rest stop and getting a yummy drink from said Starbucks.
What time do you think you'll finish the 26.2 miles and reach Base Camp 39?
I'm guessing Saturday will take us about 10 hours, putting us at Base Camp by 5 pm.
What about on Sunday, when will you cross the finish line?
Accounting for perhaps a slower pace on Sunday, I expect we'll cross the finish line between noon and 12:30.
Are you camping?
Nope. I don't camp under other circumstances so I'm certainly not going to walk 26 miles and then sleep on the ground. And then get up and walk 13 miles. Nope, nope, nope. We will be staying at the event hotel and taking a shuttle bus back and forth between Base Camp and the hotel on Saturday evening/Sunday morning.
Please tell me you are taking Monday off work.
Yes, I am.
Here's a bit of an FAQ to help provide those answers:
Does the Avon Walk offer tracking like most marathons do these days?
Nope. But, if you have an iPhone and you really want to be able to see how I'm doing I'll turn on the "share my location" service with you for the weekend so you can follow my progress.
What is the route?
They don't tell us the specific route, there is a general map but it is missing lots of detail. But basically, we begin near the Washington Monument and make our way to Meadowbrook Park in Chevy Chase, MD, but in a pretty circuitous fashion to cover 26 miles. On Sunday we walk from Meadow Brook Park back to the Washington Monument, but it a more direct route.
Are there places where people can come out to cheer the walkers on?
Absolutely. Supporters are welcome to be at opening ceremony, "Base Camp 39" where we'll end on Saturday evening and at the finish line on Sunday. Opening ceremony and the finish line on Sunday are next to the Washington Monument. In addition, there are lots of "Cheering Stations"along the way.
It gives general time estimates for "peak viewing times" at each station.
But how do I know when you'll be walking by a cheering station?
Well, if you are an iPhone user you can ask to track me. Or, just use the general formula that we'll be walking 3 miles an hour, and stopping for roughly 10 minutes to take a break every 6 or so miles. Plus probably about 30 minutes for lunch at mile 13.1.
The first cheering station is near Union Station and is 6.5 miles in to the walk. I expect we'll be going by there around 9:15.
We'll probably hit the Starbucks in Tenleytown (mile 18.4) around 2ish. I will probably be making that my own rest stop and getting a yummy drink from said Starbucks.
What time do you think you'll finish the 26.2 miles and reach Base Camp 39?
I'm guessing Saturday will take us about 10 hours, putting us at Base Camp by 5 pm.
What about on Sunday, when will you cross the finish line?
Accounting for perhaps a slower pace on Sunday, I expect we'll cross the finish line between noon and 12:30.
Are you camping?
Nope. I don't camp under other circumstances so I'm certainly not going to walk 26 miles and then sleep on the ground. And then get up and walk 13 miles. Nope, nope, nope. We will be staying at the event hotel and taking a shuttle bus back and forth between Base Camp and the hotel on Saturday evening/Sunday morning.
Please tell me you are taking Monday off work.
Yes, I am.
Friday, April 24, 2015
One week to go!
It's hard to believe the Avon Walk is just one week away!
While training has been winding down, it seems like the past seven days have brought a lot of activity related to the walk. I've received my packet with my wrist band and other logistic details, as well as lots of last minute encouraging and informative emails from the Walk coordinators.
Last Friday I was at Randolph-Macon for an Alumni Board meeting and had two great things happen related to the Walk. First, I found out one of my fellow board members is going to be participating in her first Avon Walk as well! It will be nice to have another familiar face out there for the walk and someone else to chat with as we cover miles and miles.
The second thing that happened was an unexpected donation to my fundraising. When I got to campus I stopped in the college bookstore to visit Barclay. Barclay's official title is bookstore manager, but unofficially she's an institution on that campus and a must visit person for students and alumni alike. When I got to her office another alum was there, a woman who had graduated about 15 years before me and who I was just introduced to by first name, Kim. Barclay told Kim about how I had been training and fundraising for the Avon Walk and Kim opened her wallet and handed me a $100 donation!
That example of generosity got my week going, but was far from the only donation I received. In the past seven days I've raised an additional $573, blowing my $2500 goal out of the water and making $3,000 seem possible. Going into this I thought raising the required $1800 would be manageable, but I had no expectation that I'd be able to raise so much more than that. I am so happy to have so many supportive people in my life, willing to provide encouragement to me and funds to help end breast cancer.
At this point the long range weather forecast is looking fantastic and I'm sure the next week will fly by!
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Just how far is 26 miles?
When the walks started getting longer and I started mapping out routes it was pretty surprising how far 26 miles really is. It really hit me when I discovered that places that take me 20 minutes to drive to, without crazy traffic, are only 5 or 6 miles away.
I never doubted that marathon routes are long, but they are usually in a loop so that makes them seem shorter when you are looking at it on a map. So to provide a bit of perspective, I offer up the following points of reference for our supporters.
26 miles (give or take a few tenths here and there) is...
I never doubted that marathon routes are long, but they are usually in a loop so that makes them seem shorter when you are looking at it on a map. So to provide a bit of perspective, I offer up the following points of reference for our supporters.
26 miles (give or take a few tenths here and there) is...
- The distance from the house where I grew up in Finksburg, MD to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, via Greenspring Avenue.
- From Dewey Beach, DE to the Inlet in Ocean City, MD
- From the National Mall in DC to Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, VA
- From Randolph-Macon College in Ashland to Chesterfield Town Center in Midlothian
- For my colleagues in Kansas, it's from the Overland Park office to the Kansas City Airport
- For Mary's JMU friends, it's from the JMU campus to Staunton Mall
And that's just what we'll do on day one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)