Bumps in the Road...

Well the 3 Day is FINALLY almost here! It's 10 days away and I am ready...I hope! The past few weeks have been a little on the bumpy side, but I think things will be ok. Regardless, the event is coming and I will be there and I will walk my heart out!

The bumps: my Achilles are yucky! I went to a foot and ankle specialist and learned that I have some really nasty bone spurs on the bottoms and backs of both heels because my Achilles tendons are way too short and tight. Hmmm.... Not the best news for someone about to embark on a 60 mile walk! Well, I am doing a lot of funky stretches and I go to Physical Therapy a few times a week so that I can hopefully complete my walk.

The event info is out and about and cheering station locations are available...email me and I will get you the info. It will be great to see some familiar faces cheering us on, so if you have any time to spare, come on out and be a part of something great.

Here's to 60 miles of fun...
Traci

Time for an Update...

Well, this weekend proved to be pretty good as far as 3 Day training goes...I walked 12 miles on Saturday and 6 on Sunday and I'm feeling just fine today! Woo hoo!! My plan for the week is to walk Tuesday and Thursday at least 6 miles each day and then Saturday and Sunday I would like to get 10 miles in each day...we'll see how that goes because I have a really busy weekend scheduled, but I'm gonna try!

As far as fundraising goes, I am really excited about exceeding my original goal and I am moving towards my 3K goal...sure hope I make it! Hopefully selling Jeans Day Passes and Afghan Raffle Tickets will push me over the top! I am super excited to report that one of my parents (thanks Terri!!) donated and is applying for a matching gift from her company!!! I am ecstatic about that for two reasons: first, it's cool to have the support of my school parents and second, the matching gift is the only milestone sticker I was struggling to earn!! Yay!!! My Pink Ribbon of milestone stickers will be complete!!

Still truckin',
Traci

PS: If you haven't taken the opportunity to contribute to my effort to eradicate breast cancer, click the "Donate Here" link and spare a few bucks! Every little bit helps find a cure!

Training Plan Modification??

Well, I did not walk my 17/13 this weekend. Instead I walked 5 miles today. LOL!!! Not too impressive, huh? Ah well.

After chatting with my sister-in-law and fellow walker, I have decided to adjust my training schedule to better suit my life schedule for these last 6 weeks. We'll see how that goes. After looking at my calendar, it just doesn't look realistic for me to commit all of my weekends to super long walks between now and the event, so my plan is to keep putting daily miles on the feet and keep gearing up for the event, just at an adjusted mileage schedule. I think I'll incorporate some new trails and I am even going to squeeze a hike around the Wichita Mountains in I think.

Tara....I typically walk starting out at Bob Eden Park in Euless and it winds through to Bear Creek in Euless...there is a nice 5 mile loop that is not painful to repeat for longer distances. Thanks for the tip on the Keller trail...I might try that out this week!

Still trucking,
Traci

Catch up...

Just a little post to catch everyone up on how things are going these days...

I am finally settling back into my routine for both training and work (oh and WW), so that is great news. Last weekend I held my fundraising garage sale, and it was a HUGE success! Thanks to all of you who donated your items, time, and just general support...we had a great sale!

There are 7 weeks of training left, so it's hard to believe that the event is just around the corner! I am glad about that because the training sure is a beating!!! On the agenda for this week: 41 miles! Whoa!!

Andi walked 3 miles with me today, so that was fun. She loved the trail and was super excited to be out on a walk with me...but then I was reminded of how I have let her training go! She's not the most obedient little thing on a leash!

Upcoming events for me: afghan raffle, jeans day passes for the teachers, and t-shirt sales with the official Rack Pack logo! Oh...and also a few more miles of walking!

Thanks for checking in...
Traci

Miles on my feet...

Today I walked 10 miles!! It was pretty decent and relatively pain free. Basically I just get bored after anywhere from 5-7 miles and then things have to start getting silly for me to push on through. Thankfully Jennifer is a good sport and indulges my silliness, however sometimes there is a price to pay for silliness on the trail...and that price involves too much distance between port-a-potties!!!!!!!!! I will leave it at that....ahhh good times.

I had a chance to meet a really neat gal on the trail today (but I didn't get her name unfortunately). She and her husband were out for a walk and we happened to mention the 3 Day training and I gave her my card. Really neat...she told us that her daughter's boyfriend's mom is fighting breast cancer right now. We'll add that special woman to our "Why We Walk" list and keep pounding the pavement for a cure.

I love how this 3 Day experience just keeps getting better...it's great to meet new people and share the excitement for a cure.

Walking on (10 more miles tomorrow),
Traci

A Cool Encounter...

Just wanted to blog this real quick...

Today has been a neat day for me as far as 3 Day stuff goes: I met some folks that I pass on the trail frequently (see post below) and actually chatted with them a bit and then this afternoon Cory and I were at Fry's Electronics and I was trying out a massage chair (my leg muscles are in need!!) and I met a neat gal named Maria. She was shopping for a toaster and happened by the massage chairs. We struck up a little conversation about why we both needed a massage, and I learned that she is courageously battling with Fibromyalgia and has also been through a biopsy on her breast! Wow...what a trooper!! Anyway, we chatted for a few and I passed on my card.

Maria, hopefully you stop by and keep up with our team. Thanks for being a part of my 3 Day experience!

Traci

The Weekend Walks...

Well this weekend's mileage was scheduled to be 10 for Saturday and 6 for Sunday. My team mate Carisa joined me first thing Saturday morning and we headed up the street to knock out a few miles. Jennifer joined us (along with her sister-in-law, Kristen) for 0.6 miles, so that was pretty cool. Despite injury she made her way out into the heat and hit the trail to support the team....way to go Jennifer!

After about 6.5 miles Cory brought us a pit stop, complete with water, Gatorade, and snacks! Then, unfortunately, at 7.4 miles I had to call it quits due to some intense pain in the Achilles. It was really hard for me to make that call for the Bra Brigade to come pick me up...but Carisa was totally supportive and Cory was relieved to hear that for once I paid attention to pain instead of pushed through it...so he came on back and picked us up.

Today Carisa and I were scheduled to hit the trail at 6 am and I called her around 630 to check in and lucky for her, she was sacked out!!! So, I flew solo this morning and knocked out my 6 miles at a great pace..I even had one mile that was 17 minutes! My pace averaged out to be right at 20 minute miles, which is what the 3 Day folks like you to maintain, so that was pretty cool for me.

Since we walk mainly the same trails each week, it's fun to start seeing familiar faces along the way. Today I was encouraged by a really cool gal who runs the trail, and when she came up to pass she said, "there's my 3-dayer....keep it up girl!" That definitely gave me a nice little boost. Towards the end of my walk today I passed the Weenie Dog Brigade...two great gals walking 3 really cute dogs! We chatted for a few and I gave them my card...sign up and join the fun ladies!!!

Walking on and on and on!!!
Traci

Monday...ahhhh...My Day of Rest!

After putting some miles on my size 10 (eek!) tires this weekend, I am happy to report that I had a rest from the trail today. Saturday I knocked out 8 miles and then followed that with 6 on Sunday. Cory joined me for those miles and that was a fun way for us to spend some time together. After the insanely hot walk, I decided to spend the remainder of the day lounging over at Mom's pool....and boy was that nice!!! I got some sun and totally pruned, enjoyed a nice dinner with friends and then came home and crashed!

Today was busy at work and tomorrow I will be hitting the trail early in the A.M. It's just 3 miles, so no big deal. I'll be flying solo this week since my team mate and training partner is on the Injured List, so that will be a bit of a challenge because walking alone is not so much fun for me!

I'll keep you posted on how the trail goes tomorrow...

And the beat goes on,
Traci

Bittersweet

Tales from the trails for today were, as the title says, bittersweet. On one hand I am very happy to report that I completed my walk of 7.5 miles today, but on the other I am bummed to report that my team-mate and training buddy is injured and was unable to complete the walk today. Jennifer gave her best effort, but I flagged her with a safety ticket and told her that I thought she needed a rest. It was a tearful parting actually but Kristen (Jennifer's sister-in-law) and I continued on and Jen called when she was safely back to her car.

In other good news...after the walk Cory, Jennifer, and I visited Dana Askew, my massage therapist, and Cory and Jen both got full body massages, and I had my legs checked out post-walk to make sure they were not inflamed (I had a full massage yesterday!). My legs, although sore, are not injured, so that is a BIG praise!

So, tomorrow I have a 6 mile walk and then next week begins...only 12 more weeks until the 3 Day! We'll see how it goes with me walking solo. Please add Jennifer to your prayer list that she may have a healing touch and be back on the trail soon!!

Walking on...and strong,
Traci

Our Sunday Stroll...

So, this past Sunday we were scheduled for 6 miles and we decided to do those 6 miles starting at 5 am. Well, I called Jennifer at 430 and asked for a post-ponement because I was completely pooped and totally not ready to wake up! So, we decided to do the miles later in the day...starting around 6 pm instead. Well, it started raining and Jennifer called and was willing to accept my earlier proposal of actually doing our walk on Monday...but I held firm to her earlier action to push me to get the miles in on Sunday, so we went!

Well...I was totally not in the mood for a training walk, so it proved to be a bit on the entertaining side. First off, we got a really late start (it was 640 or so!) and secondly I ended up with an upset stomach. Anyone who knows me realizes that "going #2" in public is NOT my thing...and this was an extreme case!!! I had to use the port-a-potty!!!!!!!! EEEEEEK!!!

I survived the potty episode, Jennifer's singing trail walk chants, and together we survived a few foliage wars, some mud, and a dark trail by using not only a flash light but some good ol' fashioned laughter to push us through our 6 miles!

And here we are in all our glory after reaching my house at the end of our walk:

Walking on,
Traci

Expo and Training Walks Abound!!!

Today was a great 3 Day day!!!!! Jennifer and I completed our 7 mile walk this morning...we hit the trail at 615 and after the walk, I iced my left achilles and then hit the shower to get ready to head of to Expo!! Jennifer, Carisa, Cory, and I headed off to South Arlington to attend the 3 Day Expo. Once we got there, we had the opportunity to shop with some outfitters, attend a workshop or two, as well as meet with the medical team, learn how and what to pack, and just enjoy a few hours with hundreds of fellow crazy 3 Day walkers and crewers.

Yet another neat 3 Day experience...I love this event!!!

We'll be hitting the trail bright and early in the morning for a little 6 mile walk...so look out!!! That will make our total mileage for this week hit 21! Cool stuff!!

Walking strong,
Traci

Tales from the Training Walk...

Well, Jennifer and I have been completing training walks like crazy over the past several days! It's really been a blast and I must admit to now enjoying hitting the pavement. We like to walk on a nature trail that eventually turns into a concrete path with some jaunts out onto the city streets, but the fun really happens on the Bear Creek Nature Trail.

Today's fun included a run in with some wildlife (a large snake smack in front of my feet) that nearly caused me to have an accident, some serious foliage wars (I seem to always be getting attacked by random sprigs of foliage here and there), and a lot of laughter. It was a really great 5 mile walk this morning that left both of us looking forward to our 6 mile hike on Saturday followed by another 5 on Sunday.

Here's a fun little pic of Jennifer and me just before heading out last Sunday evening...

Thanks for reading...and for being supportive of a world without cancer.

Traci

Back on the trail!

Just a quick little update to let everyone know that the training is going great! I am officially on the 16 Week Training Plan that the 3 Day folks provide. Last week Jennifer and I got a late start to the mileage for week 16 but we managed to fit in 11 out of 15 miles!! This week we are off to a great start as we completed the scheduled 3 mile jaunt for today.

I'll post a fun little picture of Jennifer and I just before we started out on our 6 mile adventure on Sunday soon...

Thanks to everyone for being supportive. It's really great to be back on the training path and getting all geared up for the big event...which is officially 15 weeks away!!!

Happy trails,
Traci

Back on track.

Well, admittedly I have been off of my training schedule for the past little while, and now it seems that I am back on track. Many thanks to my new friend and team mate Jennifer for helping me be accountable to the training schedule. After a great training walk yesterday I am fully ready to be back on track and get this training and fundraising going. Whew! That is GREAT news!!!

Look out folks...The Rack Pack is on the move!!!

Thanks for all of your support and encouragement. Oh, and as a side note, I joined Weight Watchers last week, so that's exciting. My meeting is Monday night, so I will post about my results on The Church Lady Blog if you want to follow my progress in that adventure. It sure is refreshing to be making these life changes. It actually feels really good to be doing good things for me and my hubby!

Back on the trail,
Traci

An update....

Well, my training is not going nearly as well as I had hoped, and my team number is dwindling a little bit, but there is still good and hope and there is still the 3 Day and its' amazing cause...which means that there is still The Rack Pack!

So, I need to ramp up my training, get on the fundraising, and make this a priority. I keep thinking about the people battling cancer who have no choice but to make the fight their priority and to get up and get going each day...so really, there is no excuse for my lack of training and devotion to this phenomenal cause.

On my list of un-excusable excuses:

1. Work...I am there really early in the morning until really late at night sometimes. This leaves little time for long walks and time with the husband. Plus, 95 kids all day every day just makes a gal tired!!
2. Life...May and June turned out to be insanely busy months for me. My Grandma passed away and that was really tough, school was ending, summer camp was beginning, and life was just very chaotic.
3. Desire...Walking is boring. There. I said it. I don't like it. It is really boring and I walk kind of slow, so that makes it take longer, which equals a longer period of boredom. This does little for my motivation to get out and hit the pavement. Any suggestions???

Well, I am working on that list and I am working on being a better team captain. It's definitely time to re-commit and get a move on. So, to start out I have set up two fundraising events...get those calendars out and mark these dates:

• July 13th and 14th -- 2 Days for the 3 Day Garage Sale. If you have ANY items that you would like to donate, please let me know and I will come and pick them up.
• August 8th -- Homemade Gourmet get together. A nice chunk of the proceeds go directly to my 3 Day Fundraising! Come and have some tasty meals and buy a little kitchen convenience. RSVP to me and come on over at 7!!!

I am hoping that this will be my week...that July will be my month. I am trying to see myself back on track, back on the trail, raising money, and getting the excitement out to my team, my friends, my family, my community, and MYSELF.

Thanks for checking in...drop me a comment, an email, or a call anytime!

Traci

Still here..

Hey everyone... I figured it was about time for me to have a post. Check The Church Lady Blog for an update on my busy life and you might catch a glimpse into why it's been so long since I have posted!!

I am still doing my training, in fact the Official 24 Week Training Plan has started!!! We have 23 weeks until the actual 3 Day Walk! Woo hoo!! I have been walking on the Bear Creek Trails, and I absolutely love it. Last week I accomplished 9 out of my 12 scheduled miles, so that is mediocre...better than nothing, but not 100% like I want. So, this week my goal is to hit the training plan 100%...and I know I can do it.

For me the toughest part is making the time committment. I know that I need to just put pen to paper and create a pretty rigid schedule for myself because with summer camp just around the corner, my busy level is about to sky rocket! I'm working on it though...and it is a priority, so I know it WILL happen!

I am not having much pain in my legs anymore, so that is a tremendous blessing. I did notice that I was pretty stiff and sore over the weekend, but I have not been diligent about taking my Cod Liver Oil supplement or doing my stretches, so I have to get back on track with that as well.

Well, there's a little update. Be sure to click over to my Official 3 Day site and check on me and my team mates. Please donate if you are able...it's a great cause!

Walking on,
Traci

Step it up.

Well after a very exciting weekend with a Focus Meeting for the 3 Day, I am pumped up and back in training. I met some really great people at the meeting and recruited four people to join The Rack Pack! Super exciting!

I have been back in the gym this week and back on my training plan which makes me feel great. I also am all set to be a Training Walk Leader, so that is great! I can't wait to start planning fun and challenging training walks for my team and the community. This 3 Day adventure is really turning out to be more than I thought it would be.

I'm definitely on a high right now...and want to keep it that way. The ladies I have met so far are inspiring and fun and I just look forward to all of the miles that we have ahead of us and meeting so many more people who are also SICK OF CANCER!!!

Walking strong,
Traci

Slump.

Well, I have officially hit a slump. No bueno.

I'm not super motivated to go and workout, and that is bad news. Plus, after a few training sessions the old knee is hurting and that makes me cranky. Add to that a wicked case of allergies/cold and what you end up with is me...not feeling like hitting the gym.

So, I have decided to give myself permission to feel crummy and permission to rest my knee so that in a week or so I can continue my training plan pain free. Who knows if this is the best plan, but everything that I have read and heard from my trainer is that pain (unless it's ouch I just worked out pain) is a bad thing.

I'm bummed and cranky....but want to make sure that I don't injure myself seriously, so rest, ice, and elevation is on the agenda for the ol' left knee.

Trying to walk on strong,
Traci

Training Report

Well, I have had three sessions with my personal trainer, Anetra, and that has gone very well. She is great and I sort of wish I had the funds to continue on with the training sessions, but I feel very confident that after one more session I will have several great tools to build my own very effective fitness plan. It has been nice incorporating her plan with my 3 Day plan...and all seems to be going well.

I am excited to be walking in the Race for the Cure this weekend...that will be a nice 5k to kick off my Saturday work out! I think I will have to put in a few extra miles to stay on track with my plan, but the 5k will be fun.

I seem to be struggling with my Sunday walking...and that's annoying! My schedule is about to get even busier with summer approaching, so I have got to get my workout schedule solid and make it a normal part of my days with high priority or else things will be really rough for the summer and I don't want that!

Still walking,
Traci

What a day!

So the weather stinks so I can't walk outside and today I was a bum and didn't find my motivation to go and walk at the gym. Luckily it's a cross train day for me, so I didn't miss my miles this week. But still...I need to be at the gym. I'm making a commitment: tomorrow I will cross train in addition to my walking miles.

So what a day it has been! I made the decision to go ahead and send out a round of emails letting my friends and family know that I am doing the 3 Day, and already I have had 3 donations. It's amazing...and just what I needed to help me over the huge fear hurdle about raising this much money.

I have the greatest family and friends....I am so very blessed.

Deep thanks to all,
Traci

A New Training Endeavor...

So we joined the gym and I signed up for personal training, and that started today with my introductory session. Yep...I had to stand in the gym and get measured and weighed and all that good stuff with this super fit person. I was a little self conscious, but I just reminded myself (out loud) that I am here to watch all of the numbers go down and to make some serious strides towards a more physically fit me.

It's going to be an adjustment at first I think. I told my trainer that I am working on the 3 Day training plan, and she is going to work that into the workout plan that she is developing for me, so hopefully it all melds well. I go back tomorrow for my first official workout with my trainer, Anitra.

Since I only did a few sets this morning in my session and only 10 minutes of cardio, I am going back to the gym this evening to walk my scheduled 3 miles for the 3 Day Training.

Here's to my health,
Traci

Training Update

So I managed to have a week where I ALMOST made all of my training walks. I am a little frustrated because as the walks start getting longer, I am going to have to make sure to invest the time to get this training in. I am still struggling with the first 1.5 miles in each walk due to tightness in my lower legs. I have talked with a few people about how to work on and through that, and I am really hoping that trying some new stretches and mental games will help with that this week.

In other news, we joined a gym over the weekend and I am really pleased with that. I know it will be a huge help on my cross training days, and I am super excited to begin incorporating strength training into my plan.

So, last week I walked 8.25 out of 11 miles and I am on schedule for 12 miles this week. I am going to try really hard to make all of those miles. I did a few extra miles on the elliptical yesterday, but can't really count those towards my walking mileage I don't guess.

Until next time,
Traci

No Pain No Gain?

Well, since I had a few weeks of being sick and not making time for my walk followed by the 8K race, getting back to my normal walking schedule is proving to be quite painful. The tight muscles are back with a vengeance, and my 2 miles today was completely a bummer.

I just hate that I have to start over with these silly muscle sheath problems....why can't they just go away? It sure makes this whole training plan a lot more difficult. Just knowing that it's gonna hurt makes my motivation sail right out the window. Ugh! I'm going to try for another 2 miles tomorrow just to see about getting these muscles back in the routine....so pray for bearable pain.

Slow but steady,
Traci

A Competitive Training Walk...

Well, I officially competed in my first race today, and I am happy to report that I successfully finished the Hope River 8K in 1 hour and 40 minutes. I was really apprehensive about doing the event because this one is much more for runners than walkers, but with the encouragement of friends I stayed in the game and finished. I even managed to finish a few people before last place!!!

This was the second time in my training that I have walked 5 miles, and it was good. My legs were tight and sore for the first 1.5 to 2 miles, but after that they loosened up and I was off to the races so to speak. I maintained 20 minute miles throughout the race and although I wish that my speed was faster, I am pleased with my consistency. My goal was to hit 1 hour and 40, and I did that. I am counting on my continued training to improve my times and my endurance.

So, today was a good day. I got back onto my training walks and that feels good. We have had a few whirlwind weeks and eating and exercising has slipped significantly....but I think I am back on the plan and ready to go. Turns out that this race that I was so apprehensive about ended up being a great motivator for me.

Walking on,
Traci

Still frustrated...

After a full week of antibiotics, I am still frustrated and feeling kinda crummy. I managed to walk about 5-6 miles last Sunday which was good since I missed 5 miles last week due to being under the weather. This week I have managed to stay on track even though I am not feeling up to par just yet.

Tuesday I did 2.2 miles and today I did right at 2 miles. The schedule for the weekend is to try and get 3 miles on both Saturday and Sunday. I have been having fun finding different places to walk...it's nice that the parks around here have trails because the track gets a little old.

Trucking along,
Traci

Frustrated

Well I am sick. This makes me very irritated because I just can't go and do my walk for today. I have strep throat, sinus and ear infections, and just general upper respiratory garbage. Grrrrr.

I am really hoping that the antibiotics kick in and I am able to get back to walking by the weekend, and maybe I can even make up the miles that I miss today. We'll see.

Cranky and sick,
Traci

And I'm Off!

So, here goes everything! Last year I wanted to participate in the 3-Day, but I injured my legs right at the beginning of my training plan and I had to call it quits. Well, this year I am back with a vengeance, and I will make it!!!

The 3-Day folks give you a 24 week training schedule designed to get you ready for the event, and I decided to extend that schedule since there are now officially 35 weeks until the walk. I began my walking two weeks ago, and although I have some problems with my legs, I am learning how to help them heal and still continue with my walking.

It seems that the tendons and muscles on the outside of my lower leg are just perpetually tight and because of this, they get really really sore after a short time of walking. The good news is that when I started, they would be on fire after .5 mile, and now I am up to 1.5 miles before they start giving me grief. I have been diligently following the RICE plan: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. Praise the Lord, it is really working because I am ready to rock this walk!

My great friend Loren is committed to doing it with me, and I am working on Lindsay and Kristy to get on the team so we can officially be a Fantastic Four! We shall see. In the next few weeks I will begin raising funds for the event, so your support is greatly appreciated.

I will be posting my training schedule and accomplishments here, so keep checking in for those updates. Any encouragement and nudging is welcome!

Walking on,
Traci