This random idea has taken on a life of it’s own.  I just thought the idea of starting to walk outside at the WRONG time of the year in three races was kind of funny.   Walking outside…three times…this is what I was thinking about.  Some novel fun sprinkled through the cold winter months to carry me into the warmth of the sun that I do so love…that’s all.

Instead, I found that I was not the only one who needed a shift, a little something different.  I found someone else ready to get out there January 1…and start walking – cold as it was…colder than it has ever been!  At first it was just funny.  My initial hope, as written here, was to walk 3.5 miles each day. 

This is so interesting to me.  It is February 3rd.  We have not missed a day.  In January we walked 142.94 miles.  We average 5.5 miles a day.  Our pace is steadily improving.

What puzzles me more, though, is the reaction of my body.  I keep waiting to get tired.  To need to stop, and rest.  Instead, it is as if I have woken this ravenous shewolf who CAN NOT STOP.  Our walk is only the tip of the iceberg.  I am pacing all day…looking for something to do, thinking, crunches, chi machine, it is insane…and yet…I am not tired…or hurting.  It is as if 8 years of relatively sedate living had this IRA of my energy growing exponentially – waiting for me to remember.  And now – holy shit…the only thing worn out is my brain.  Last night as I was waiting in such an antsy way for the boys to FINALLY go to sleep, I was actually contemplating a quick mile run on the treadmill…seriously?

It will get better, I know it will.  The momentum, the new pace, all this, will find harmony in here somewhere, surely?

My friend and partner in adventure and I were talking about this the other day.  She is experiencing something similar.  There are so many layers of benefit and shift that it is all just a bit unsettling, but mostly in a good way.  We decided that if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, we will certainly walk into the equillibrium we seek.

That helps…talking with someone else in the same spot.  It is one of my favorite layers of all of this…the friendship we have built, one step at a time, miles adding up to much life shared, and comfortable common ground.

one foot

in front of the other.