Tonight I crossed into the state of Kansas on the TransAmerica trail. My total mileage is 1536.7. See you in Colorado!
Archive for the ‘TransAmerica’ category
Welcome to Kansas!
February 11th, 2009Two Doctors
January 7th, 2009
I somehow misplaced a hundred miles! Hmm. Anyway, I’ve walked 200 miles since I last posted about my trip across the country on the TransAmerica trail, just crossing the 1500-mile mark tonight. Here’s the view with .48 miles to go to Ash Grove, Missouri. It’s a lovely day on the trail – not frozen and windy like it is here in the ROC.
Eleven days til Houston! I know I haven’t even crossed the start line yet, much less the finish line, but I’m already starting to think, What’s next? I’ve been planning on doing the Rochester Half in the fall with Gilda’s Gang, but then I found this: the Maine Coast Half Marathon. The course runs right along Long Sands Beach. Sign me up! And don’t you think it would be a good idea to sign my mama up, too? 
The title of this post comes from a quote by G.M. Trevelyan:
I have two doctors, my left leg and my right.
Which is also a good excuse for this:
Show Me Now
August 29th, 2008
Earlier this week I crossed into Missouri, the Show-Me state, on the TransAmerica trail. Goodbye, Illinois! In other walking-related news, I picked up a new pair of trainers: the Brooks T5 Racer:
Yup, these are racing flats. I’m sure my marathoning friends/readers will having something to say about that, but what I have to say is: These are fantastic! They feel like I barely have anything on my feet. I wore them on a five-miler this morning, and I felt like I was flying. In fact, I logged one of the fastest miles I’ve ever done. I chalk that up to three things:
- The new kicks.
- The mental boost I needed from the new kicks.
- A new method of walking that I adopted from watching racewalkers, and which enabled me to log a 12:30 mile. Seriously!
I feel like I have a new lease on my walking life. About time!
In non-walkng news, Monday is not only Labor Day, it’s the premiere of season four of my favorite ridiculous (non-British) show, Prison Break. Suspend your disbelief and join me!
The Trials and Passions
August 18th, 2008
This gorgeous photo (if I do say so myself, which I do) was taken in Bussey’s garden on Saturday afternoon. Sunshine and a ripe tomato – a lovely image of summer. The title of this post is from a quote by Benjamin Disraeli:
How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.
Bob, Mabe, Howard, Grace, and Alec came for a visit, so of course we had a family picnic on Saturday. I have a bunch of pictures to post, but I’m having some connection issues with Coppermine and might migrate to a new photo application. As soon as I get the new photos up, I’ll post a link.
Meanwhile, here’s the requisite shot of Chavo, sandwiched between a pillow and comforter that I neglected to put away after Leah spent the weekend with us:
Speaking of trials and passions, training is going so-so. It’s only four Sundays until the Rochester half, and I’m having trouble adjusting back to the power walking. My knee has been acting up again, too, so that hasn’t helped. However, I did cross the 1200-mile mark on the TransAmerica trail. Here I am, 12.08 miles to Chester, Illinois:
I’m nervous not just about my finish time here in Rochester, but my chances of being able to complete the 26.2 in Houston. Can I really do it in under six hours? Some people have told me there’s no way. Others have told me to keep the faith. I’m going to keep training, barring my stupid knee issues, and see what happens. Most of the time, it feels like a mental game – if I believe I can do it, I can do it. But then I had to go and fall on my knee. Blast! Well, as John “The Penguin” Bingham says, I’ll waddle on!
GF5 Correspondent
May 27th, 2008
My friend and fellow Bradford alumnus, Chris Clark, has a website called Geek Force Five. The site is subtitled, “The Five Most Notable Manifestations of Awesomeness in One Geek’s Universe,” which basically means Chris uses the site to talk about his obsessions Kevin Smith, Lost, Nine Inch Nails, Apple products, and Marvel comics. When he first launched the site, he asked his friends to post their personal Geek Force Fives, and here is what I submitted:
- MacGyver
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- my family and friends
- Beverly Hills 90210
- movies
Chris gave me some (admittedly deserved) grief about including 90210 on my list, but c’mon, what’s better than a super cheesy nighttime teen soap from the 1990s? Chris invited me to become a “Guest Geek” on the site, so today he posted my first contribution, “Beverly Hills Breakdown: The Donna Martin Top Five.” You can check it out here.
In other news, I hit the 1100 mark on the TransAmerica trail. Here’s a photo of my current location on the map, 11.91 mi to Eddyville, Illinois:
And this is really exciting: Today my friend Paul from Element K asked me to help him and some other people train a group who will be walking their first half marathon in the fall. I’m so honored! And excited. Who would ever believe that I would be asked to coach someone in an athletic capacity?!
Goodbye, Virginia
May 4th, 2008
After four sweaty, humid miles on the canal path yesterday, I logged my miles on the TransAmerica site and… crossed out of Virginia and into Illinois. Whee!
Also yesterday, I treated myself to a “Congratulations, You Got a New Job” present: a new MacBook! I went from a 40gb hard drive to a 160gb drive, and from a turtle-slow processor to a core 2 duo. My first action now that I have so much room? Downloading both series of Torchwood from iTunes!
First day of the new job is tomorrow. Wish me luck!
A Thousand Miles from Home
March 31st, 2008Well, I finally crossed the thousand-mile mark on the TransAmerica trail! One thousand miles. Holy cow. I started logging my miles on this site in July 2006.
Spent most of the weekend in Syracuse, helping Leah pack up her apartment. She’s movin’ on up to a gorgeous three-bedroom in a beautiful neighborhood in the ‘Cuse. We laughed so much and so hard, I felt like I did hundreds of sit-ups. Good times! Here’s a picture of Hayner hanging out with a massive pile of clothes:
So what did I learn this weekend? Don’t spend several hours hauling heavy boxes down a flight of stairs and out to the parking lot and then come home and walk 8 miles. Not a good idea! The race is one month from Saturday, though, so the miles had to be done. And they were. Now pardon me while I go sleep under my desk!
