Tales of a Training Walk weekend

I'd heard tales of the "18/15" training walk ... it's mentioned on blogs and it's talked about in Getting Started meetings. It's a "must" on your training schedule -- you must find the time to get in two long, back-to-back walks before the real thing. And now I know why.

Stef and I signed up for a group training walk each day. Saturday we went to Stoney Creek for three six-mile loops, and Sunday we went to Metro Beach for a 15-mile walk (which became 16!).

After the walks, I realized that the purpose of the big back-to-back weekend is not just about the distance. It's more than making sure you can physically walk for 18 miles, and then get up and do it again the next day. What I took away from this weekend: 

1. Training with a group is fun!
Stef and I have really enjoyed training together. It's been fun, and we spend our time talking about everything and nothing. We're never short on things to chat about, and when the conversation lulls, we're content to listen to music from our portable speakers. But walking with a group is also fun!

Our Saturday training group at Stoney Creek, breaking for lunch.

We walked with a dozen ladies each day, and met some wonderful people. It was great to chat with them, get to know them, and learn about the myriad of reasons people walk. Some of those stories will stay with me as I'm on the walk.We met women in their 60s who were walking for the first time. We met a woman who was trying to train with an 11-month old at home. And we heard Sharon's story about walking for a friend who had a double mastectomy in January. She told us how the friend was struggling through treatments this spring, but told Sharon that she wouldn't give up because she knew about the walk and didn't want to disappoint her.

2. Music is a must.

Stef and I have a portable speaker that I strap to my hydration pack (known outside of the 3-Day walk as a gigantic fanny pack). We load up the iPod with some tunes, and go. We're working on building up a "walk-friendly" list of songs (some of the Black Eyed Peas just won't make the cut), and tested out our initial list on Sunday's training walk at Metro Beach.  

I was a little worried that the noise might irritate the other women walking. It's one thing when it's just Stef and I. But did other people want to have the music going while they're trying to have a conversation? I needn't have worried — it was perfect.

The great scenery at Metro Beach on Sunday.

At one point in our walk, we had maybe 5 miles left to go. It was incredibly hot (in the 90s) and very humid. After walking 18 miles the previous day, the last five miles of that walk were going to be hard. After stopping for a hydration/stretch break, we were plodding along when "Fins" came on by Jimmy Buffett.  We must have looked like idiots, walking down the path, waving our arms in the air. But it was fun. And it helped stretch our fingers (which swell like sausages), so we killed two birds with one stone.


The music is motivating too ... in the last stretch of the walk (one mile to go!), Stef and I were in a smaller group that had moved ahead a bit. There were four of us, and the conversation had really started to lag. We were quiet for a little bit, when "Lean on Me" came on the radio. It was the perfect song at that moment, and it buoyed us as we walked that last hot stretch in the sun.

3. It's more than just "walking a ton of miles."
Even though Stef and I have racked up a lot of training miles (300 miles walked since the 24-week training started in late February!), and we've done a fair number of "long" walks (10- and 12-mile walks), there were some things that were different this time. Whether it was the heat, or the humidity, or just a difference in where things fit, we both ended up with some raw spots where clothes rubbed the wrong way. Neither of us changed out socks on Sunday and wished we would have.

I also got to experience the "Komen Mile."  I've heard stories about a Komen Mile being a bit different about a "real mile." How you'll see a sign that says "1-mile to Pit Stop 2" and it's really 1.75 miles. This walk helped me realize you can't track the precise mileage, at least not if you want to enjoy yourself.  We set out with the plan to walk 15 miles. The training walk leader had it all in her portable GPS, but late in the day (after her GPS shut off for a bit, for some reason), we realized it was closer to 16 miles. One of our co-walkers was NOT happy about it (she was having a rough day, after doing the 18-miles the day before). For another walker (Judy), this was her first long walk. She had the slowest pace, and finished 20 minutes or so after the rest of us. When she rolled in and heard that it was closer to 16 miles, she responded: "Sweet!"

More important than the physical (for me, at least), was the mental training. At no point on Saturday or Sunday did I think, "I can't do this." At no point did I wish it to "just be over." At no point did I ask, "Why the heck am I doing this when I could be at home on the couch drinking coffee and surfing Facebook." I was ready for it. And I enjoyed it.

I can't believe I can say this: I really enjoyed the training walks this weekend. And I can't wait for Aug. 12, 13 and 14!