Walking my socks off!

The Weekend to End Breast Cancer 60-km walk is this weekend.

My training sucks lately. Really - I did a grand total of 15 miles in August. Ugh! That’s less than half of my mileage from way back in January, when we had snow and wind-chill feeling like -30C. But the extreme heat waves and humidity absolutely derailed my summer training plans. And in this last week we’re supposed to cut back and not do much. Hmmm... how do you cut back from zero?

I was really starting to panic about it last week, but after several days of growing apprehension, I examined the anxiety and realized it was simply fear of pain. Once I accepted the fact that I will experience some pain, probably during and definitely after the event, and that's okay, I will get through it, my anxiety level dropped significantly.

At least I can be happy that I covered well over 200 miles since mid-winter! I figure that I walked all day several days in a row when I was singing & traveling in Italy (1999) and I didn't train for all that walking. This can't be a lot worse.

Whatever happens to me this weekend, it's nothing compared to what hundreds of thousands of women face every year. And increasing numbers of men are being diagnosed with this disease as well. I am walking to show my solidarity with these men and women, to help raise awareness and to support the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

So I am going for it. I'm just going to go and have fun sharing this experience with a few thousand like-minded persons. What's not to love?

I'll be in touch early next week - once I can move again. Meanwhile, keep those Campanula pix and good wishes coming. They will inspire me when the going gets tough!