Road Block #1

After my last walk, I noticed that the arch of my foot was really hurting me.   It became hard to walk, even around the house.  I took a day off and that helped a little bit, but it was clear that something was hindering my ability to keep going.  So, I scheduled a podiatrist appointment.   When I got there, he poked around for a few minutes and diagnosed me with Posterior Tibial Tendonitis.    Bummer.

He takes a look at the new shoes I just got and tells me he thinks I should return them and get ones that have a more solid support structure.  He then tells me I need to tape my foot up for two weeks and stay off it as much as possible.  I can still do kickboxing, but limit it to upper body movement only.  And no walking for at least two weeks.

Once I get the tape removed then we will start working on some exercises to strengthen it.  The good news is that this isn't serious.  I had really been worried because my mom has had so many foot issues and had to have surgery.  The doctor says my situation isn't the same and that I should be fine and that doing the walk in November should be fine.

So, in the big picture, all good news.  I am slightly bummed to have to be incapacitated for two weeks.  Then I have to have an eye procedure done on February 15th, so I will be out of commission for a bit then too.  I have plenty of time between now and November, so I'm not worried about not having enough time to train.  No, it's more the 'an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion" thing.  I have been really energized by what I have been doing lately.  When I kickbox or walk, I burn at least an extra 1000 calories a day and have lost 5 pounds.  I have also had more energy and felt good about having this goal.   I like the feeling that I am getting stronger.  More importantly, I was feeling like I was moving toward making the changes.  I had moved past the uncomfortable "newness" of it and was starting to get into a good routine.  Routine is critical when making any change.  Now I have to revert back to no activity and do is all over again.

Thankfully, this is where having something like this walk is really helpful.  I still have that external goal that I am working toward.  Even if my internal motivator starts to dim or get too comfortable with a routine that doesn't involve getting off my butt, I have that external goal.   I have something that I am working toward and it has metrics and deadlines.  That will help a lot.  Also, life is about interruptions.  If this is truly a healthy lifestyle change, then I will have to  integrate into a lifestyle that comes complete with interruptions.  My motivation and passion should not be so fragile that a few weeks off destroys it.

So, all in all, it could have been a lot worse.  It will be around March before I can really get hardcore, but it's okay.  I'm looking forward to it.

Planning

My first order of business was to get myself organized and to create a plan.  Their is a RoadRunner Sports right next the kickboxing gym, so I stopped in to get some good sneakers.   They offer a service where they do a complete fitting for you.  So they measured my feet, examined my pressure points, and videotaped me walking on a treadmill so we could analyze my walk.   It was all really informative and helpful.   I talked with the knowledgable shoe expert and walked away with two new pairs of sneakers and some custom made insoles.   Goodbye to my old crappy Payless sneakers.  

Next order of business is an appointment with a podiatrist.  A few years ago I rolled my right foot playing soccer and it bothers me when I walk a lot.  I can tell that it also causes the pain to travel up to my right knee, which is the one I sprained a few years ago.   Short of a whole leg transfer, I'm not sure what he can do for me, but I want to cover all my bases to get my physical stuff sorted out.  

I then set up my diet and physical regime.  I have been keeping my diet to under 1600 calories and only eating natural and fresh foods, with lots of veggies.   I am doing the kickboxing classes 2x a week and walking for three.  I have taken the past two days off to give my body time to recover, as my foot was causing me to limp. 

For now, I am keeping my walks to doing loops around the neighborhood, rather than doing one long linear walk. This way I can get home quickly if I need to be there for the girls.  Chris and my mom are incredibly supportive and generous to give me a bit of time each day for this.  Eventually, the girls will be big enough to fit into a stroller and I can take them with me, but they are still a bit too little for that. 

I started off with 2 miles a day and am now up to 3.  Every week I will add a little bit more length and speed.  I started off doing 22 minute miles and was able to bring it 16 minute miles on my last walk.   Every time I feel like copping out, I make myself add a little bit of length.  For example, on my last walk, I had done one loop and was really tempted to just call it day because I was feeling sore.  Instead, I pushed myself to one of the bigger loops for my second loop and to walk faster. 

I know that the physical changes I want will only come from a mental change.   Allowing myself to cut workouts short or giving myself an out is a slippery slope.  

In addition the physical and mental impact, there is also the emotional motivators.  Knowing that I am also doing this for a good cause is an excellent motivator.  As Tina says, when I'm feeling tired it helps to remember why this walk is so important.  Yes, I have my own personal goals and demons, but there is also the big picture of the fact that it is for such a good cause.  I am grateful to be healthy and capable enough to walk.  That as hard as it was to spend so much time in the hospital and to worry about my baby girls, we got out okay.  There are so many people who don't survive or endure long term suffering.   Keeping that at the forefront of my mind keeps me in the bigger picture and to not take my body for granted by being lazy.  

On that note, it's time to wrap this up and get going with my day!

Click HERE to sponsor me for the Susan G Komen 3 Day Walk

So it Begins...

The first time I mentioned participating in the Susan G. Komen 60 Miles in 3 Days, I think my family thought I was crazy.  I rarely even walked 60 feet, let alone 60 miles.  Not only that, but this past year has been filled with physical limitations for me.

In March 2015, I found out I was pregnant with twin girls.  After trying for 5 years, we were finally pregnant! To say we were thrilled would be an understatement.   However, we quickly discovered that this would be a challenging pregnancy.  The first trimester was filled with terrible morning sickness that made it hard to leave the house for extended periods of time.  The second trimester brought a bigger challenge when complications presented the risk of giving birth at 20 weeks, something our girls would not have survived.  After 3 weeks of home bedrest, a speciality doctor was able to do a procedure that would buy us more time, but I was put on hospital bedrest for 6 weeks.  This meant a total of 9 weeks of limited movement.  I was allowed a five minute daily shower and a 5 minute walk around the hospital floor.  The rest of my time was spent lying on a bed, on my side.

Our girls were born at 29 weeks via c-section. Thankfully, they are doing wonderfully and we averted a major crisis!  However, the experience had a profound impact on me.  It was one of the hardest things I have had to go through and it made me realize I am stronger than I thought.

I have never been "fit".  I have been plus-sized since I was a kid and have tried every diet known to science.  Weight Watchers, Nutri-System, Atkins,  etc. etc.  I have tried all sorts of work out and exercise routines like personal training, soccer, joining a gym, joining a private gym, and so on.  I have been able to maintain it for awhile and then it peters out.

So what is different now?  When I said my pregnancy experience changed me, I meant it.   I realized that if I can endure that, I can do anything I put my mind to.  That I have the strength and power to do this.  I also want to do it for my babies.   During my pregnancy I spent a lot of time thinking about all of the things I want for them.  I want them to love themselves, their minds, hearts, and bodies.  I want them to be proud of who they are and the choices they make.  I want them to take good care of themselves.   Then I realized that if I can want those things for them, then I should want them for myself.  Not only that, but by wanting those things for myself, I set an example for them.   How can I encourage them to go outside and be active, if I am not?  How can I expect them to eat healthy foods if I don't?  How can I expect them to strive to meet goals, if I do not do the same?

Each year my father-in-law and stepmother-in-law participate in the 60 Miles in 3 Days walk.  They are inspiring to me and I marvel at their commitment and dedication to this.   When they announced they were doing the walk in San Diego again, it planted a seed that maybe I could participate with them.   The thought intimidated the hell out of me and I thought it would be crazy for me to do and I would be getting in over my head.   Still, it kept bouncing around in my head.  I mentioned it to my husband and my mother and they both looked at me like I had two heads.  Still, the idea kept growing.   When my father-in-law and stepmother-in-law came to visit us, I mentioned the idea to them.  They were very supportive and I thought that maybe I could do it and just do the best I could.  That even if I just did five miles a day, it would be okay.   However, I told myself to wait a few days before making a decision.  That I would possibly regret committing to this because I would surely be in over my head.   I have ever walked more than 10 miles in a day, and that was probably from walking all over DisneyWorld.   How on Earth would I go from being in the worst shape I have ever been in and still feeling the physical effects of 9 weeks on bedrest and then recover from a c-section to walking 60 miles?  I'd be out of my mind to think I could do that.

Then I realized I was letting myself cop out.  Of course this was going to be hard.  Of course this was going to feel like I was in over my head.  That's what change feels like.  That's what it feels like when you're out of your comfort zone.  That if I didn't feel uncomfortable about the whole thing, then I wouldn't be pushing myself and I would never meet my fitness goals.  The whole point of making a change is to push yourself to do it.  So did I really want to achieve fitness or not?  It was time to put my money where my mouth is.

So, here I am.  I have 300 days and 42 weeks before this walk.  I need to raise $3000 ($2300 minimum) to do it.  My plan is do kickboxing 2-3 times a week and then to walk 3-4 times a week.  I have started with two miles a day and am working up to 3 and then to 4 and so on.   Once every 3-4 weeks I will do a power walk where I will walk 10 miles, then 15, then 20 in a day.

I am sharing this journey, in part so I can be held accountable for this.  I am determined to not lame out on this.  Writing and sharing my process is a motivator for me and helps to keep me focused and engaged.

So, that's the plan. To go from being in the worst shape of my life to the best shape of my life in the span of a year (ok, technically 14 months).   I am motivated, determined, and ready to go.

Let's do this thing!

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2016/SanDiegoEvent2016?px=7391589&pg=personal&fr_id=1956