aches & pains

I am tired. I am achy. But I feel good!
Last night I participated in the first ever Arkansas Komen Race for the Cure Fitness program. You should have been there! (where were YOU, anyway??!)
A few hundred of us gathered at War Memorial stadium at 6:30, where, after meeting the volunteer chair and fitness leaders, they took us out on the field where we stretched, warmed up, and started walking. and walking. and walking. That was just the warm up! Then we did 8 minutes of walking, 2 minutes of fast walking (well, some people RAN, but that's another story), then back to 8 minutes of walking, 2 minutes of speeding up, etc.
I did okay during the warm up! But I, who have not been able to walk for quite some time for any length of distance, just kept a slow pace and kept at it. Yep, I got passed up by quite a few folks several times, including my minister and her daughter, but I fell in step with a fitness leader who was walking with an older lady. Marty, the leader, and Betty, were just as nice as they could be. And I just about fell over when Betty told me she was 84 YEARS OLD, had had a double bypass and a mastectomy. I thought, my gosh, if an 84 year old can get out there and walk, well, then, I just couldn't let her outdo me! So the 3 of us walked around the field a few times, then Miss Betty had to go sit down for awhile. I continued slogging on, and then I eventually had to go rest myself. But I have to pat myself on my back--I made it almost all the way thru the training session! And I as creakingly got back in my friends' car, hot, sweaty, stinky, I felt good about what I'd just accomplished. And you know what? YOU can do the same thing! They still have spots open for the fitness program--and it's **free**. You just have to show up Mondays & Thursdays at War Memorial stadium at 6:30, and join in the fun! Go to the Komen web page, www.Komenarkansas.org, for more info or call them at 202-4399.
Happy Trails!
Judi