This year we reunited with an event we participated in when we lived in Florida, so many years ago. Back in those days my son was getting into a healthy life style, working out and building a power body. He really got us all started with his 5Ks. I would go to support him, you know that motherly thing - be there for your kids. I began to feel all the energy of the races. It was awesome and I came alive walking around watching everyone else. The problem I had was creating this energy so I could get myself out to walk or run during everyday moments. At that time I did a better job than I do now. The longer I go without a job the harder life seems to be getting and the stress levels are through the roof. These factors seem to keep me tagged to a chair. I am one of those feeling people. What a bummer, it means my entire life moves by the energy I am in. I have tried different jobs, different homes etc etc but have not succeeded to create the atmosphere that best fits me as a person. Maybe that is why I want to walk the Camino.
Anyway back to the story, for several years we would walk the Turkey Trot in our local area and then head home to enjoy our Thanksgiving meal. It felt good to do something for others before giving ourselves a gift. It was an accomplishment of giving and on a perfect day. I wondered why more people didn't do the walk. It is not hard and all types are there so everyone fits in somewhere in the vast field of human bodies. I would start in the front because I knew I would finish near the end and I figured this would delay my inevitable decline to the back of the pack and allow me to walk over the finish line with others. Of course the others were there because they started there, it did not reflect a lack of physical fitness, just a choice of crowd they walked within. And now, now I start 15 minutes before everyone else hoping I will finish before the end of the pack. Hummmm!
This year we decided to return to the Turkey Trot (to earn our meal as we put it) and my 3 year old grand daughter came with us. We as a family have been working all year on healthy eating and weight reduction. Bright and early we rose to eggs and bacon, a good protein boost, Lord knows we have enough stored carbs, no need to stock up on them. Off we went, my grand daughter was all excited to run the race. She said she was going to win and that she was faster than anyone and she would beat them all. God bless her, she was riding on my shoulders before we completed the first of the four miles. She has a bit of her grand mother in her, that bit that thinks' I can do anything' and then reality sets in to slap me up the side of the face to let me know that I think bigger than my abilities. Chuckle Chuckle
So, with some coaxing she managed to walk about 2+ miles, here and there and rode on my shoulders the rest of the 4 miles. It was a long walk. All the coaxing took time as she would sit and mope. The long and the short is we took one hour and 40 minutes to walk 4 miles. WOW! That was a slow trip but we got it done and she finished the walk. Next year we will try it again and I am sure she will do much better. She is beginning to learn that she has to work at things to become good at them.
My daughter had a super trip, she has been working out with a personal trainer for about 4 weeks. She finished in 58 minutes. So awesome, go girl. My son in law finished a bit later and then came back to meet us stragglers. Truth be told he was ready for some good Thanksgiving food and it was home in the oven warming up.
As a side bar: I used to do this in 45 minutes, what a change. I would like to get back to this. Maybe next year. I hope to meet all of you out on the road turkey trotting one day. Hurray for us all!
Happy Holidays to one and all
buen camino
b
