Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Mid West Afterschool Science Academy in Kansas City, MO - it was an excellent STEM conference and we brought back many new ideas. My day started last Monday at 3:30a to catch an early morning flight into Kansas City where we prompted gained an hour with the time change. After a full day of sessions and dinner with colleagues, I honestly didn't think I could tell you my name let alone get a walk in because I was so tired. However, one of my colleagues who is also walking the Go Far 5K and said...'c'mon, let's hit the fitness room'. The NCAA championship game had just started and I thought I could at least watch some of that while I was walking.
I arrived in the gym a little later and all four treadmills were taken. Hmm...what to do? Seeing that I know very little about fitness and what the other machines do, I found my way over to the big screen tv, turned on the game, and pretended to 'stretch'. I think I looked pretty convincing.
Soon, someone vacated a treadmill and I hopped on. The treadmills were pretty swanky and made our treadmill at home seem pretty lame - these had televisions built into them. Course, it took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to work them and I didn't have headphones to actually 'hear' the television, but I figured, who needs to hear a basketball game. The only problem was I couldn't actully get the game on this little television. So I watched Guns 'n Roses bio - with no sound, and then gave up and put the Disney Channel on to some lame children's program that at least kept me occupied.
I started out at a pretty good pace and was feeling pretty good about myself. The little light up track was moving and grooving and I did two laps with little effort. I thought to myself, 'WOW! I must really be improving, barely worked up a sweat'. Course, then I realized that I'd only gone 1/2 a mile! I found I had another track option - over the ridges and dales and across country on a 5K track. This seemed like a better option, but the little runner really didn't move that fast at all.
I got to about the 4K mark and was pretty beat when my colleague had finished up and was heading out. I asked her if I could just quit too an she said, 'heck no, keep it up - we've got less than a week'. So, I kept going. Just shy of the 5K mark, my sock was really working it's way down into my shoe. I kept trying to think how I would hop on one foot on the treadmill while I tugged on my sock to pull it back into the ankle comfort zone. After thinking that hopping may not be my best option, I put my right foot on the side of the treadmill and tried to tug at my sock on the outside of my other foot - interesting position I was in!. It took quite a bit of tugging to find a comfort spot again and all of a sudden the treadmill shut down. I stood there in disbelief looking at the blank dash board and stopped belt. I just didn't know what to do and felt pretty embarrassed as the two guys next to me were in their sprinting phases. So, I pretended I was finished and hopped off - so close and yet no proof.
Later in the week, once back at home, I hit my own treadmill with full force and decided to try for the 5K mark again. Just shy of a 1/2 mile into my walk I turned to answer a question from one of my children, lost my balance, and pulled the cable from the treadmill shutting the whole thing down. After a few grumblings, I plugged it back in and of course, the dash board reset itself. Great!
I worked through my set list with a small jog during one song when I realized I was just over the 2 mile mark. 2 miles added to my reset 1/2 mile and I was pretty close to the 3 mile mark, which lets face it, if you are walking a 5K - once you hit the 3 mile mark, the rest you could really roll through. I made my husband do some quick math as to really how far I needed to walk in this new set, which takes him no time at all, and then decided I was going to go beyond his recommendation and try for a full 3.5 miles.
My husband turned on a little AC DC to get my adrenaline pumping and I was good to go. I was in the last 1/4 mile stretch - I was feeling good - I no longer felt like I was going to hurl. My feet were no longer tingling with numbness. I could feel my legs again. I was smiling from ear to ear - I was singing along to TNT...because yes, I AM dy - no - mite! I called to my husband to come and celebrate with me as I gloriously crossed well into the 5K and beyond range. As he came up to the treadmill, the last light was about to light up indicating the completion of the 1/4 mile mark. I waved my arm in a grand gesture to show him...and...you guessed it....I accidently knocked the cable, pulling the plug from the machine and shutting the whole thing down.
I stood there in disbelief. Denied the celebration again. I looked at my husband, and yes, did a totally girly thing....cried! Not a big cry mind you just a couple of tears - after all, it's just walking!
So, today has been my day off. Tomorrow we are in the last week of training. I am hoping to get a couple of good walks in this week and a little weight lifting. (I have started to combine that with my walking - ssh - don't tell my trainer). Then once in Florida, we'll do a little light walking on the actual route to get the feel of the concrete.
Who knows maybe it's better this way to not celebrate on a treadmill that way we can celebrate on the concrete? Or pass out - not quite sure which at this point.
Keep walking -
Alycia
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