Intervals with a pack???

First...it has been a few days since I wrote, so a recap on what has been going on.

Last week was miserable weather, hurricane Zena, tornado alley, snow storms, flooding, rain-it was unreal. Coupled with the return of my guys from Afghanistan-came in at 230 am two nights in a row. It kind of put things on hold with the pack. But... that didn't stop the plans to do a 10K on Sunday.

Note-people think I am crazy. Then when I have Kevin with me, they think-over achievers, show offs. We lined up in the back of the crowd with the stroller, packs on our backs. Kevin got a new pack for the civilian category they don't need to be all military. LUCKY!!! He has so many cool pockets and stuff. So a few people understood what we were training for, others just stared at us. We aren't circus freaks, I don't have a beard like the bearded lady-just ask us-hey what are you guys doing. But, we said-oh well, let's do this. Oh and we are also putting signs on our packs....

We were hauling ass. I mean speed walkers may not have kept up. But, the walkers that were with us in the start only did the 5K. We continued on the 10K and we were apparently the only walkers for the 10K. It was a 5K/10K walk/run....but, I guess hauling a 50 pound pack on your back wasn't a category. So, with that being said, for the first time ever- we won not only our age group, but, the race and the category-IF there was a category for walkers with pack and stroller. Realistically, with all of that excitement, we were in dead last place. They were tearing the finish line down. The water stations were closed. We were last and that wasn't fun. We deserved a little-hey, great job. Nobody noticed or appreciated our true achievement, but us. We averaged 16-18 min mile pace. We won't do the pack in an organized race again unless of course it is one with the carry a pack race-which presently I only know of one-the Bataan Death March.....

I ran 6 miles on Friday
I ran 5 miles on Monday
I worked on Saturday
Sunday-10K

Due to the storms our lunch time walk, about 2.4 miles has gotten a little muddy. As if it isn't enough of a challenge with the pack, we had 5 pounds of mud on our boots. Ryan and I went on Tuesday. He went to a hiking store and got some tips on the pack. We made some adjustment and it is a lot better. It is all about the weight distribution and where the weight is centralized for your body to carry it better. It is so much better now.

Tuesday night-I did my stairs and pack. I tried a new thing to try some strengthening exercises-I stood on one leg with the pack on. Ummmm, yeah. I looked like a flamingo standing on one leg in a hurricane. My leg was so wobbly. Am I really that weak? I think I can get stronger. I imagine it is funny to watch. Cecilia commented that my butt was jiggling. Thanks for the support....

Today I thought of a brand new challenge. Intervals of running and walking carrying the pack. Holy crap. It has a hard element and a free feeling element to it. My course I did is a 1 1/2 mile route, I did the first one with the pack, took the pack off and ran 1 1/2 miles. I repeated the set-so in total I did 6 miles-3 miles pack and 3 miles running. The goal of a runner is to feel light on their feet. I felt like I was floating when I took the pack off. It is an amazing feeling. My legs felt strong, my stride felt right. If the burning sensation in my feet of potential new blister area wasn't there-it was perfect. I feel like I have unlocked a secret in the pack intervals. Olympic marathoners should do this. Biggest Loser should do this.

Another thing I discovered. I have finally been able to test the audio book. Perfect. I spent 2 hours doing my workout and didn't even realized the time. I didn't feel the weight of the pack-it is the best distraction. I laughed out loud, I enjoyed the book so much I just wanted to keep moving and listen to it. Part I laughed at which I will share from Dean Koontz-Velocity, it is a thriller/suspense. This character in the book hated his neighbors so much he peed on their living room window while they ate dinner. The wife didn't appreciate it and made a gnome molded/painted after this character-he had two beers in his hands, he was exposed and was a drunk. The character didn't appreciate it and smashed it to pieces, she put another out there and told the neighbors if they wanted one she was selling them. There were some more incidents and the husband took the neighborly rivalry to a new level. He went up on his roof and decided to pee on the characters windows while he was eating dinner with his mother on her birthday. Well, he fell and hit his head on the gnome and died. His mother said, God works in mysterious ways....it was such a random way to start the story and full of humor. That part of the story line carried me almost a mile. Amazing invention the audio book.

Almost forgot, the asshole has a new name. It is Bessie. Cecilia named it. It slid across the backseat and ran into her like a cow. I was in a wheelchair for some time with one leg in a cast and the other ankle sprained, I named the wheelchair Bessie. Funny how in less then 2 1/2 years since the first Bessie and I am carrying one on my back.

Bessie is getting some maintenance tonight too. A plastic part rubbed my back raw tonight. Duct tape and washcloth should do the trick....

Happy Marching....13 mile group hike on Sunday....