Saturday, November 07, 2009

I walked 5 kilometers and lived to tell about it

Okay, I know, It's like three miles. Big Deal. But I haven't walked three miles at one time since I got a car, and I've been sick all week, so it was a big deal to me. Plus, I walked an additional 7 blocks to the Red Line station and then another 3 blocks from the bus stop at 39th and Hill. Sidebar--I saw this drag queen on the train this morning wearing a dress that looked like a cheerleader outfit, but all black, with arms like a linebacker, hairy legs (dude, at least shave the legs) and a long black weave that he twirled in his fingers like a pretty pretty princess. It was 6:45am.

I met Liz at Chano's on Fig and we walked over to register. We got our shirts and some free sunscreen from Neutrogena, not that we needed it. Soon our whole team arrived, donned our team shirts, took pictures and got ready to move. Three of the schools we work with had teams of students walking and the kids made these awesome signs to carry. Our kids are the best.

After a rousing send off from Mark Ridley-Thomas, we were off. I warned the ladies that I would not be power walking today so I brought my iPod in case they left me in the dust. Before we even reached Jefferson, all but Joanne had moved far ahead. Thanks, Joanne, for sticking with me. The route went north on Figueroa, west on Adams, south on Hoover, east on Jefferson, then zigged and zagged inside the USC campus around the museums and back to the Coliseum. Did you know those statues outside are anatomically correct (and he's not Jewish, if you know what I mean)? I never noticed that before. We made it in about an hour and 20 minutes. Unfortunately, it took that long to get out of the parking lot. Joanne was kind enough to give me a ride home, which I appreciated because I had blisters on my heels from my sneakers and my thighs were aching.

So, I just want to say Thank You again to all my friends who gave so generously for this worthy cause. You helped me exceed my personal goal, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Update: My throat is no longer sore and the cough is mostly gone. Walking did me good!

2 comments:

Natalie said...

Good for you on getting out there and walking even when you didn't feel 100%.

In Ayurvedic medicine they believe that mild exercise like walking is one of the best ways to get rid of a cold, which is a build up of excess unctuous material in the body. That and hot liquids like ginger tulsi tea. The excess heat internally and externally burns out the bad stuff.

Keep on trucking!

MonkeyGurrrrrl said...

Impressive. I think I walked 0.005km that day - from my bed, to the couch, and back again. I bow to your determination and chutzpah.