Team Leah Bean Rett 5K Walk

It is October again, when people walk, run, or crawl, even, to support research on Rett Syndrome with the Team Leah Bean Virtual 5K.  I think this is the fifth year since it was initiated by Maren.  It has been my joy to participate at least three times...twice on our mission.

This year's performance on my part was a bit more difficult as the old pounds have added up since last year.  Having made that awful confession, I will also note that I am now down ten pounds from the mission high of a few months ago.

So last Friday I decided was the day. I have been walking to the office a couple of times a week for a while.  This week is the fourth week of walking.  Week One was twice walking to the office which is about a half mile or more away.  Week Two was three times (two zone conferences made it impossible).  Week Three was three times, with the 5K in there.

To get the 5K in, this year it was not all at once. I walked over a mile and a half to the office, buzzed around in the office all day (on a very small amount of broccoli to support my health!), then walked home more than 2 1/4 miles.  I used my stroller on all these walks to give me confidence.  When I returned to the apartment on Friday I barely managed to lift the stoller over the board and locked it to the crossbar then dragged myself and backpack up those stairs.  The top of both feet were rather screaming at me but I managed the trip up the stairs and sat down in the chair in a state of semi-collapse but with the most wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and love for Leah and her family and all the other children  and families with this impossible diagnosis.

I am not much of a selfie-taker but here I am about 30 minutes after arriving home.  Thankfully to a crock pot full of fabulous vegetable soup.  As it happens I was down for the count and did not eat any until much later.  It was great soup.  Even Dear One liked it.  Not enough to have a second bowl, but then, more for me!  No problemo!

Here I am the next day.  Don't I look like I had a fantastic walk?!  It makes me so happy to be able to support good causes, even if it is in just a minuscule way.  Dear One took this picture for which I am very grateful.

On Monday I walked again.  I thought I would find a shortcut to the top of the hill so I walked down 185th until I got to Whole Foods then turned left up the hill to find a way through the residential neighborhoods.  Nope.  No shortcut.  Fences everywhere.  So I got in another very long walk to the office.  It took me over an hour each way.  The good news is that my pace has improved by 4 minutes per mile. I won't tell you the actual pace because you will fall down laughing so hard had hit your head on the rocker and be out cold.  I cannot have that.  Just smile knowing that I am feeling pleased with progress.

Now, if I can get those tendons to stop shouting and keep up this walking...