Short update

Hey, everyone!

I only have a second to post this - I'm at work. I haven't updated in a while though.

First, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who has donated so generously! If anyone has additional fundraising ideas, please e-mail them to me!

I think I've figured out what's going on with my phone, and should be able to get pictures off of it now. You'll be regaled (is that a word?) later today with pictures of 11.5 miles, 11 miles, and a couple of ice baths. (Yep. Exactly what it sounds like.)

Talk to you soon!
Jen

Not just an Eminem song...

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated to my fundraising effort and who has promised to donate per mile after I finish the race. I really appreciate it and the impact that you are making is HUGE!

This week was an awesome mileage increase. 8 miles! We started off with a clinic that was very interesting (and included tidbits such as "you can train your body to do a "two-zer" on command", and "body glide is your BFF"). We all had a blast. That meant that we started our walk later than usual, which is usual, which was fantastic. It was the first really warm day we've had for a while. I think it was somewhere in the high 50's or possibly even 60's during our walk. It was sunny, and there were TONS of people out!

We started at David Lipscomb, and headed on a route that I've done before. It was funny to see hills that I thought were big before, and are now nothing, but a little daunting to know that I was going to be going PAST Belmont, turning around, and walking back again! I passed Candice's apartment, the water stop, then we were really on our way.

Sadly, I didn't remember until about 3.5 miles in that I had my camera with me in my fanny pack. (That's right - my fanny pack. I have no shame and no pockets!) Luckily I remembered it in time to take a picture of the 3.5 mile marker... Bongo Java!

Right up the street is Belmont University, and much to my surprise, the debate signs were still up! I did a little dance and squealed for a while. It was so exciting!

Here we are walking along. I think this is right before the conversation we had about how we've both heard stories about bloody nipples from marathons, and debated on if it would be an issue since it hasn't so far.

I noticed a little bit of blistering on my toes after about 4 miles, but readjusting my socks and reapplying my glide seemed to help. I'll have to remember to bring it with me! I noticed when I took my socks off that despite the wicking fabric they were a little damp from sweat in the warm weather. Since I'm prone to blistering anyway, I'll have to also remember to have a couple of pairs of extra socks along the way on the big day. Blistering tends to lead to changes in my gait, which puts added strain on my joints that I don't need.

This week, I also tried two new gels. Since I won't be drinking the Cytomax that is offered at the stops, I'm looking for other options to get my electrolytes in. I've tried a strawberry banana PowerBar gel, and although I didn't love it, it was tolerable. It had a snot-like consistency though after being carried for only a half hour, so I'm afraid of what it would turn into after 12 miles in April. I tried an orange flavored Gu at two miles, and really liked it! It gave me plenty of energy, tasted good, and had an almost caramel-like texture. At 6 miles, I tried an organic raspberry Clif gel, and didn't love it as much. It tasted really good, but I didn't find that it gave me the energy boost of the Gu. I know that it was later in the walk, but I hardly noticed a difference at all.

Oh! I forgot the picture of my new favorite piece of pavement.

We finished in about two and a half hours, and made it back with strong posture, which made me very happy. I was pretty sore afterwards and for the remainder of the weekend - my ankles swelled up pretty badly in the joints. I had noticed a lot of stiffness during the week, probably due to the cold weather, and I think the sudden weather change then an added two miles, mixed with my not walking last week was a shock for them. I was back up and moving by Sunday though, and back to normal on Monday. However, if anyone has any tips on how to reduce swelling in joints after exercise, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks again for reading!

A long overdue update!

Hi, strangers!

It has been a long time since I've posted anything. Apparently I was a little busier than I thought I would be over the holidays! However, that didn't stop me from training!

I've walked in the cold, walked in the rain, walked in the mall, pretty much everywhere it seems! I think that no matter what April 25th throws at me, I'll be ready!

Since my last update, thanks to everyone on my team, I've blown past where I thought I would be at this point. In fact, I've gone over 6 miles! (Not quite to 7 though... Next week...)

I'm now a card-carrying member of the YMCA, and my roommate and I have become quite the gym-rats. I'm not very good at walking on a treadmill yet! I keep walking into the emergency stop. The machines actually have televisions on them! TELEVISIONS! You can exercise and watch The Biggest Loser at the same time! (Bob and Jillian would be so proud.)

As far as the blisters go, I think that thanks to runner's glide, they might be under control! That is, if I remember to wear it... Today, I put it on under my sports bra to prevent chafing, but didn't put it on my feet! I realized that I was an idiot about 2 miles in, and you can't change anything then.

My new favorite place to walk is Percy Warner park. The hills are killer (I kept reminding myself that if I keep doing it, my ass will look great in jeans...), but it is a BEAUTIFUL walk! I can't wait until spring to see everything in bloom!

The only bad thing that I've learned is that Cytomax (the sports drink they're providing at the race) and I... shall we say... don't get along. So I'll have to stick with my beloved orange Gatoraide.

This girl needs a nap! Talk to you soon!