Becoming a Walk Aholic

So on September 12, 2009 Nathan and I did our first official 5k walk together. I was very excited about this. I am not sure if Nathan was too thrilled to be up at 7 am just to go walk 3.1 miles. This walk was the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival 5k. We got there early and walked up to register and some nice man handed us to already paid for registrations! Sweet our first walk and we didn't even have to pay to participate. I wasn't sure what to expect. There were all sorts of questions running through my head. I mean I walk 3.5 miles on the treadmill all the time. But to me this just seemed different. Plus I was doing this would my hubby! So the nation anthem was sung, there was a nice little speech, and then we were off. The sun was shinning and there were runners and walkers everywhere! I was so glad. I didn't want us to be the last ones to cross the finish line, but really did it matter? Not to us. We were just so glad we were there doing it and with no major issues. I will tell you this... I could not have done this last year. Well probably could have, but not with the ease that we did. We were trucking along and having a great morning. We did slow down for a little bit, Nathan's hips start bothering him when we walk on pavement. We kept a pretty steady pace and ended the race in 48 mins. For our first walk I think that was pretty darn good! We now have a goal that we can beat for the next ones to come. I am already looking for other 5k and 10k walks to take part in.

Where the walk aholic part comes in is that about 2 months ago a friend of ours asked me if I would walk the half marathon with her. I looked at her like she was crazy and thought I will never be able to do that. I went home and checked out the website and thought...."I can do that." This is an annual marathon here in the Dayton area. The USAF Marathon. They have the full, half, 10k and 5k walks. I thought to myself as I was registering...why am I not just doing the 10k or something. Wow... was I really going to walk 13.1 miles in one setting.
The week was finally here. I had the shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, and had stayed in shape and was ready. Since Nathan and I have started working out as of January 14th I have lost 45 pounds and I am ready to take on a new challenge.

On Septemeber 19, 2009 at 5am I am up, awake, and getting ready for the USAF half marathon.
There were three of us that I walked with. Myself, Toni, and Libby. This was the first half marathon for all three of us. We ate breakfast and then headed to the base. This is a very big event in Dayton and there were over 1o,000 people that were just involved in the walk not to mention all the spectators. We were in traffic for over an hour and we needed to be to the start line by 7:30 am our race started at 8:30 am. We finally made it, parked, and then had to ride the shuttle to the museum where the start/finish line was. Well what they don't tell you is that there is a 2 mile hike to the start line before you even get the whole thing started. It was crazy. By this time the butterflies in my stomache were fluttering and I now know why they say that the porter potty is a runners best friend. You should have seen the lines. Then we waited and prepared for what we thought was going to be a 4-5 hour journey for us. Just standing there in that crowd was overwhelming its self. The parachuters with the American Flag attached to their backs, the Nation Anthem, the flyovers by two amazing military planes, and then this masive canon to start the race. All I can say is WOW! What a feeling. Just amazing.
We started off great. All together and pretty much staying on the pace that we had set for ourselves. We wanted to get done in 4-5 hours. So you head out the base and up the road. Was totally weird to be walking on the road I drive everyday to and from work. How often do you get to walk up route 444. Only on marathon day. So we hit mile one in 17 minutes...a little longer than we wanted it to be. So we all start to drift apart and go our separate speeds. Walking through this nice little path and thinking this is going great. Then I pass the station where people are holding out vasaline and I start thinking to myself...what in the world could this be for. No way are they holding out globs of vasaline for your lips. I mean carry chapstick people. Mile 2 passes and I feel great....I caught up on some time and did that one in 14 minutes. Going great...until I felt the small little bump forming in my shoe. Really...3 miles in and my feet are going to do this to me. I am just going to keep trucking along. Mile 4 there is the hydration station, gel station, and the medical tent. I keep going. It is not really bothering me at the moment. Why stop? Okay come mile 5-6 where there was no medical tent it was really starting to hurt and I couldn't tell if want started as a little bump was now this ginormous blister. I was pretty sure it was not going to be pretty. Come mile 7 and over they half way mark I made it there in under 2 hours!!! I was so proud and thought no way did I just accomplish this. I am going to keep right on going now. There were crowds everywhere cheering you on and it was just the most amazing atmosphere. I was really lost for quite some time and then we came out by Hope Hotel and walked across the interstate on 844 and down the off ramp behind Wright State University. By this time I knew I needed to stop and was about 10.5 miles in. So I walk up to the medic and ask "Blisters? Do I stop or just keep going on?" He says lets take a look. He takes my shoe off and it is already busted and I told him " that's a good one" He looks at me and says "well what do you want to do" I looked and him and said "if your asking if I want to quit NO WAY" he goes and gets another guy and looks at it and then gets the stuff and puts some sort of ointment on it and bandaid and I am on my way. I was there for probably about 10 minutes or so. Really messed up my time. Once I got started again I realized I should have just kep going. Now I could feel one forming on the other heel and the balls of both my feet. These last 3 miles were going to suck. I spot Toni ahead of me who has passed while I was seeking medical attention and jogged about a mile or so to catch up to her. We walked the rest of the half marathon together. I will be honest there was never a moment where I thought I was not going to be able to finish this. I just kept going. I enjoyed every minute of it and as we turned the corner at the 13 mile marker it was just like a slight and I mean slight burst of energy that surged through me and while all the festivies around and what I was about to accomplish just kept me going. The smiling faces cheering you on and telling you that you can do it was the best feeling ever! And when they say that .1 of the 13.1 kicks your butt...it truly does. Who would of thought that it would be so far, but it really is when you just walked 13 miles already. But we did and we crossed that finish line in 3hrs 48mins!!! We beat our own goal!!! Whew! I was beat and could barely walk. Okay I couldn't walk. But what I had just completed took over everything in me and helped me get through it. Each participant received a medal and I was so thrilled to have a 3 star general put mine around my neck. Absolutly amazing. Now remember that hike to the start I told you about. Well there was the same hike after the race back to your cars. I mean really couldn't they have had the shuttle pick these marathoners up right at the finish line. But I guess for those that actually train for this they probably were not as tired as I was and their feet I am sure did not look like mine. Throughout the day there was so much that I thought about and will always remember. So much I overcame that day and was so honored and proud to be an American that day and realize what I beautiful world we live in. There were so many touching stories and goals achieved that day. With all my heart I can truly say I Could Not Ask For More!