Chickens for Haiti 5K Run and Walk

It has been a while since I've done a 5K race so when this particular opportunity arose, I jumped at it.  I was the second person to register.  That's how fast I jumped!

Not only was this a great time for me to get back to walking for health and well-being, but it was a chance to contribute to a worthwhile cause.

Raising funds to build chicken houses in Haiti.

I knew the cause was legitimate (sometimes I wonder just how much of the money raised actually goes to the cause) because my cousin has been involved with missions in Haiti for 35-40 years and his business was a co-host of the race.  So I felt really confident about that aspect!

Not so much in the walking part.

As I said, it has been about 2 years since I walked in a 5K race.  I walk several miles a week on a regular basis, but not with much intensity so I've lost a lot of ground, so to speak.

Anyway, here are some pictures of our team...



Pre-race
Photo by Dan

Me being a goof with the guy who lead the pack.
  He's another cousin!
Photo by Becky

Post-race
Photo by Dan

Another Post-race
photo by Dan

My time was 47 minutes, 12 seconds.  Not the 45 minute goal I had set for myself, but a big improvement from the 58 minutes of my first race.  It may not be an impressive time by racing standards but I am just thankful that I can walk without excruciating pain in my ankles now.

It is like my husband said... "5 years ago you couldn't walk from one room to another without pain.  Now you are doing a 5K race.  That's something to feel thankful for.  And proud of!"  And he is right. My progress can only be measured against my own beginning. 

I still have discomfort in my ankles most of the time and real pain on occasion, but it is so much of an improvement that I am more than grateful!

It was a beautiful day (a bit chilly at the start) and I am already planning to register for next year's race.

If for no other reason than to place and receive this as a reward...

Yes, folks, that is a tiny RUBBER CHICKEN on a lanyard!


My friend, Kristin, wrote about her experience of the day HERE in her blog.  Check it out.  I love her approach to goal setting!

Another friend, Jodi, wrote about her experience of the day HERE in her blog.  Check it out.  I love her attitude in overcoming an obstacle!





Here's a link to Christian Fellowship Mission if you'd like to learn more about the work going on in Haiti.

31 Days of October: Day 22... Fringe Benefits

One of the things to do around here in summer is visit the beach. Ocean City, MD, is a very popular vacation spot for, if the traffic increase tells the whole story, people from "across the bridge", meaning from the other side of the  Chesapeake Bay Bridge... Washington, D.C., Baltimore, etc.

 

But this is October. Why am I talking about the beach in October? I'm glad you asked! The only time of year that I genuinely enjoy going to the beach is in fall. The summer crowds are, to me, suffocating!   That makes October the perfect time for a beach trip. Many October days are cool enough to keep the crowds away but warm enough to enjoy a stroll up and down the boardwalk.

My husband and I only make the trip to Ocean City 2 or 3 times a year but we always enjoy it. We usually spend about 2 hours walking and chatting and observing the few other humans who are taking full advantage of the season. This last trip we decided to do something we've never done before.

We had only been home from our hiking trip a few days (you can read about the trip beginning here), feet aching from the beating they took, so we rented a 2-person bicycle. Not the front and back kind but the side-by-side with a bench seat kind. We. Loved. It. It took about an hour to ride the whole length of the boardwalk and back with neither of us feeling like we were doing all the work. We were leisurely with our pace and able to talk without difficulty. So relaxing!

Here is me in our chariot... Notice the top... I kept thinking of that song from the musical Oklahoma... "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top". And it was orange, so I matched. (Yes, I do wear tops other than plain boxy t-shirts!) 

 

Here are some picutures I took along the way...

 

 

It was a gorgeous morning and we talked about having a picnic on the sand but by the time we were ready to eat lunch the sky had turned dark and the wind started picking up so we decided to head home. That and we were both starting to feel the discomfort that comes when you participate in a physical activity that you don't ordinarily do. I'll spare you the details because, well, frankly, it isn't all that interesting! But I will say that we were sore the next day and ibuprofen was taken every 4 to 6 hours.

Typically I would've under-appreciated this kind of day but I saw something a year or so ago that really makes me think..."The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for."  I don't know whom to credit with that quote but I'm sure glad they said it.  And I think I will just leave it at that!

 

31 Days of October: Day 16... Last Day of the Trip

You can read part 1 of this post here. You can read part 2 of this post here.

Our second morning at South Court Inn started out much the same way as our first except that the breakfast menu was even more decadent and we would be checking out after we ate.

MENU

Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins

Port Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce

Sage Sausage

French Toast Croissant

Apple Syrup

Maple Syrup

Cream Puffs with Raspberry Coulis and Bitter Chocolate Sauce

After we left the Inn, we went to Luray Cavern. I'm not entirely sure what drove me to want to explore the cavern since I had just recently had a mishap in the cavern at Silver Dollar City. There was a sign at the entrance to the SDC cavern with a list of dos and don'ts, which included a description of both safe and unsafe footwear. I was wearing walking shoes... appropriate. Others were wearing sandals, flip-flops and dressy flats... not appropriate. Who was the ONLY person on that tour to slip and fall? You guessed it. I was! I fell on my keester for the whole group to see.

Now here we were at the entrance to Luray Cavern. No warning signs. No safety precautions. I should be safe, right? Wrong! Have you ever done a cavern tour? Number one rule... Don't Touch ANYTHING other than the rails. The oils from our skin will transfer to the formations rendering it impossible for deposits to attach themselves to the previous deposits. Stone steps and ramps. Metal handrails perched precariously close to ledges. Water dripping everywhere. Disaster waiting to happen. Who was the only one to slip and fall? You got it. I was! This time I managed to stay off the ground by catching myself... hands flat against a stalagmite, forever stunting its growth. What a klutz!

The photos below are random ones taken throughout the cavern...

 

Fortunately the portion of the group behind me had stopped to take pictures and didn't see the whole embarrassing ordeal. Almost needless to say, I was a nervous wreck for the rest of the tour.

Here are a picture of the stalagpipe organ and the plaque for its dedication.  Notice the quote at the bottom of the plaque.

After leaving the caverns we went to the Carriage and Car Museum there on the grounds. Cars and carriages aren't of particular interest to me, but in we went. Not as uninteresting as I had anticipated. I especially liked the child's goat cart. How fun!

Okay, whose idea was it to go through the garden maze? My feet were killing me but I tried to be a good sport. Tried. It was unseasonably hot outside but I tried to be a good sport. Tried. I sometimes get panicked when I am lost but I tried to be a good sport. Tried. Stewart can start his own blog if he wants to tell you his side of the story!

One last sight on our sights-to-see list. The Page County Museum. I love these little museums, especially seeing the items that people used in everyday life. So while my husband was checking out all the guns and Civil War paraphernalia, I was looking at the kitchen tools, children's toys, etc. There was also a one-room schoolhouse and an old Mennonite meeting house and about 3 or 4 other buildings that were being assembled for future tours. Worth the stop!

We decided to spend an extra night away from home so we stopped near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. No sight-seeing, no schedule, no nuthin! Just relaxing before heading back to reality. 

Me and my hubby....

I've loved the break from real life and I've loved telling you all about it. My husband and I haven't gone away from home, just the two of us, for the sole purpose of vacationing since 1992. I sure hope we don't wait another 20 years before doing it again! I definitely want to walk more parts of the Appalachian Trail even with the aching joints and muscles, the bruised toes, and the heaving breaths! I just plan to be in much better shape by then!!!!

31 Days of October: Day 15... Trails and Trials

You can read Part 1 of this post here.

After getting to know our fellow lodgers a bit and eating a hearty breakfast, Stewart and I packed our gear and headed out. We had originally planned to start at a certain trail but upon talking to a park ranger, we changed our course. He pointed us in the direction of Mary's Rock.

We had a very informative guidebook that was provided by the Innkeepers where we were staying. Each trail in the area is mapped out and described so we felt confident that we could climb to Mary's Rock summit without too much problem. The informative guidebook describes the challenge of the trail this way... "sometimes level, sometimes steep, but always exciting."

On the way up to Mary's Rock summit, I stopped quite a few times to enjoy just how exciting it really was. We're talking throat tightening, heart pounding, chest gripping, sweat dripping excitement! Wait. What? That wasn't from excitement? Um... No! I have never before welcomed a seat made of jagged stone in my life until today! Despite losing quite a bit of weight and semi-regularly walking 5K, I am woefully out of shape.

If I hadn't been committed to reaching the top, I would've quit about a quarter of the way up. My backpack, which weighed about 10 pounds, was digging trenches into my shoulders. My neck was aching. My lower back developed a kink. One of the times I stopped to avoid a cardiac event take a break, a man, quite a bit older than I, walked toward us and asked if I was okay. I put on my cheeriest grimace smile and said "Oh, yeah, just catching my breath." His reply was "More power to you! The view is worth it!" He had obviously hiked this trail before. He practically flew past us, too. But I was encouraged!

We finally reached the summit! There were about a dozen or so people already up there, eating lunch, taking pictures, enjoying the view. The plateau where we stood was gravely and safe. The last bit to the peak was craggy rock and not safe. After seeing several people coming back down that part, I decided that the almost certain face plant at the base wasn't worth the risk. Everyone had a different approach to their descent, from coming down backward on all fours to terrified tripping to one little boy who did this chimpanzee type run down one of the sharp edges. I gave him a "10" for creativity!

Now it was time to go down the mountain. The easy part! The hardly informative guidebook said "To return to your starting point, simply retrace your steps." Simply? Again... Um... No! The climb was difficult but the descent was painful! Hips, knees, ankles, toes. All took a severe beating. On the way up I had plenty of opportunity to choose my next step. The obstacles were there but I could see where sure footing was possible. On the way down, not so much! At times I felt like I was free-falling, my weight propelling me much faster than I was prepared for.

Since I have a condition in both ankles called Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (described to me as much like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but in the ankles rather than the wrists) I am always very aware of the surfaces where I walk. Thankfully I had on hiking boots which offered a slight bit of support. But I still landed wrong a couple times and felt that old familiar stab of pain. My toes were crammed up against the front of my boots as if I had bought them 3 sizes too small.

Finally we made it back to the car. My boots and socks were immediately removed and my feet propped up on the dashboard. There was so much heat coming off my dogs that a large circle of "fog" developed on the windshield above them! Oh, but it was worth it! Every. Single. Step. We ate a few bites of food and, yes, decided on our next trail.

Pass Mountain Trail. Described in the not-at-all informative guidebook as "a fairly easy climb". I looked at the path and thought it seemed easy enough. Look again! Um... No! This climb, though less rocky, was much more steep, or so it seemed to me. To make a long story short (I know, we passed "short" a long time ago. Bear with me.) We reached the top then "simply" retraced our steps back to the bottom. Now back to the inn. I was bathed and back in my pjs by 5:30 in the evening. Charlie horses threatening me with every move I made!

As I was walking the trails, my husband and I laughing at each other periodically for our not-so-reverent observations, I kept thinking of all of the faith applications this trip held. Perseverance? Yep! Preparation? Yep! The majesty of creation? Yep! Overcoming fear? Yep! Bearing burdens? That, too, and many more. But one of the things that kept creeping to mind was that it is our difficulties, not our ease, that reveal what needs to be strengthened. A friend of mine often says "Crisis reveals character". Just like these trails showed me that I need to amp up my exercise program (who am I kidding? I knew it beforehand!) trials and temptations expose where I need to reinforce my spirit. And I'll never get to the point where I can stop training if I expect to meet the next challenge.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you... we hadn't read the entire description of the hike up to Mary's Rock Summit until we got back to our room. At the bottom of the page we read that there was an alternate, more difficult route... the one we were on! So it wasn't the extremely informative guidebook's fault that we were caught off guard, it was because we hadn't read it well enough! Hm....

31 Days of October: Day 6... Beauty in the Brambles

Many years ago when my children were in 4H I decided to participate in the Worchester County Fair (we lived in Maryland at the time) by entering a wildflower collection.  I don't remember how many examples I needed to have an entry but I do remember exceeding that number by far.  I only say that to say this...  My husband wanted me to be done with the project sooner than I wanted to be done with it! 

We drove so many back roads that year.  He didn't mind that part.  He just didn't like driving 5 mph and having me screech "STOOOOOOP!" whenever I'd see a specimen that I didn't already have.  I jest!  He really was a good sport about the whole thing.

That wildflower collection really was fun to do... Everything from building my own flower press to uncovering hard to find information (one flower even stumped the weed guy at the extension office) to assembling the book and winning 1st prize AND Division Champion. 

 My title page contained the verse Matthew 6:28-29 "...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  How true!  So many of these wildflowers are considered weeds, but have you ever noticed how beautiful they really are?  Yes, some of them are invasive, I know, but just take a minute to examine them more closely.  How delicate and intricate!  How diverse!

One thing I learned by doing that project is to notice beauty beyond the obvious.  Sure, heavily cultivated and hybridized flowers can be stunning but the less showy flowers of "weeds" have a simple elegance to them that is inviting to me.

Fall is an excellent time to roam among the weeds... cooler temperatures and fewer bugs!  This morning my ever patient husband went on a short walk with me to gather some of these fleeting beauties to share with you.  Some of my pictures didn't turn out very well (I've GOT to learn how to use my camera!).

I want to start my pictures with this product that I found at the Dollar Tree.  It is a collapsible vase and waterbeads.  I saw it in the store yesterday and thought "Why not?"  I don't particularly like the color of the beads (looks like algae to me!) but I love the idea.  It would be the perfect thing to carry a small bouquet of flowers to a friend.  I often use disposable containers when taking a meal to someone so that they don't have to worry about returning dishes, so why not a disposable vase? 

The waterbeads are tiny!  I put them in the water before I left for my walk and they were almost fully expanded by the time I got home.
  

Two pretty little flowers along my path.

 

Most wildflowers fade quickly after being cut so they don't do well in arrangements, but that doesn't keep me from trying on occasion! This is what I brought home.

This is the arrangement I made.  Notice that there are some dried Queen Anne's Lace stems from last year.  I thought they added good height and texture.

Most of the flowers were wilted by evening but that is okay.  I'll take out the worst ones and allow the others to stay with me until they, too, fade.  So put on your walking shoes, grab your camera and a heavy pair of scissors and head out for a ramble in the brambles!