80 Days To Go

Just 80 days until The Walk. And I'm halfway there with the fundraising! If I include the one donation I know is on the way, I'm just over $1050.

I walked six miles yesterday despite the huge blister on my left heel. There was pain, yes... there is always pain when you have a blister. I did the walking on the treadmill so I could control the speed better (and to go easy on the muscles in my right leg that were suffering on Sunday). When I finished, I took off my shoes and as I took off my left sock I saw blood. A lot of blood. I started to panic, then I realized the blood was at the toe, not the heel, so it wasn't related to the blister. It wasn't hard to find the culprit. I've mentioned before that my finger- and toenails are growing out much faster, apparently thanks to (*CENSORED*)... well, one of my toenails had grown out long enough and strong enough to jab itself into the toe next to it, making it bleed. There was blood in between the toes and on the toes, but the jab was so superficial that I didn't even notice it while I was walking. It's already healed up. Annoying, but harmless. I trimmed my toenails after showering, and I'll have to keep an eye on them so this doesn't happen again.

I went in for my annual physical this morning, and when I showed the blister to my doctor she suggested I try a blister bandage that Band-Aid makes. When I went to refill my prescriptions I got a box of the bandages, which are long, oval, and waterproof. I put one on and already I feel more confident about walking four miles today. I've got mixed feelings about adding moleskin, but I might put some around the bandage just to see if it makes walking less painful.

Energy-wise I'm well below normal levels at the moment... but then I walked 18 miles over the last two days. Eric pointed out to me that, although I came home exhausted after the 12-mile walk on Sunday, just a few weeks ago I would come home just as exhausted from a five mile walk. I'm improving, and steadily. And I've got 12 more weeks to go. Plus I've got a burning curiousity to see for myself just how far the mileposts go on the Burke-Gilman trail. Do they go to the end? I know there used to be a "Mile 0" marker in Marymoor Park. Maybe next Sunday Eric can drop me off at Marymoor and I can walk the ten miles home.

If you can, please donate... I only need 70 more people to donate $15... or 42 people to donate $25... or 21 to donate $50... I'm so close now, I can almost taste it. Please help me go on this walk.