Having second thoughts

I've been worried about the time and the miles walking. With my knee feeling so good I'm thinking about running more and more. My friend sent out a schedule for those of us who can't run for more than 3 minutes without falling over. It looks very do-able. I set out today to start the schedule. Walked 2 minutes, ran one for 30 minutes. I felt like I hadn't worked out at all. I think I can really do this.

10 miles

Yep I walked 10 miles today. I got up early and stepped out the door. I walked into the park around and back. I feel great! My knee doesn't hurt anymore. I love my normal looking running shoes which took two days to dry from my last walk. And I was back in less than three hours.

Rocky!!!

Now I know what Rocky felt like. We didn't have Team training today so my friends and I decided to meet and train together. This time they picked me up and we drove into the park. It was sprinkling but rain or sun we have to go on Oct.21. What's a little water right? So we decided to walk 6 miles. My friends walked a way quickly and I was o.k. with it this time. I was going to take it easy, my knee was starting to feel better and I had on my new running shoes. Funny I went to the store to get running shoes whatever they had was good with me. Some ladies were fussing over the colors, I decided I was excited to have some whacky color. Finally it's my turn and the guy hands me a white, silver and pink shoe. I just started to laugh. Anyway back to Rocky. I walked about 5 miles in the rain laughing because I could wring my sweatshirt out every 5 minutes. I decided I'm not going to get a ride home I feel great. I'm already wet what's 3 more miles. By mile 7 it starts to downpour and I laugh even harder. Rain or shine. It was when I turned into my driveway that I decided to run on the deck and be Rocky while my husband and kids looked on. It was the best feeling!!! I walked 8 1/2 miles in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

A New Day

Walked 5 miles today. It was windy and cold. I wanted to stop and turn around so bad, but I kept going. I made it in 1hour and 18 minutes

First Team Training

Walked into the park to meet the Team for our first Team Training session. Yes that's right I walked. I hurt my knee like I thought I would and so I'm thinking I have to walk to whole marathon. Anyway once there we walked an "easy" mile followed by a timed mile. I was dying at the "easy" walk. Then the timed walk was fast 14:00 not bad I thought. Then we kept walking for 2 more miles. Half way through the first mile I couldn't keep up with my friends. By the end they finished at least .25/mile ahead of me. That was very humbling. Then they gave me a ride half way home. I think I felt worse for not walking home. My knee still hurts.

Here we go!

A Page from Kristie’s Journal

11:26 pm. Thursday May 10, 2007

Well I did it. I finally stopped preparing for something and just did it. I got up, got dressed and out the door to run. Yes that’s right, to run; anyone who knows me knows I would rather get wet in a down pour than run from the car to the store. What’s a little water anyway? I’ll dry. Well I’m not quite sure what to call it, peer pressure, or call it a lapse in judgment. Whatever it was, I, Kristie Nowicke signed up for a marathon. That’s right a full 26.2 mile marathon. Oh sure, I got to the meeting thinking that we were going to walk the whole thing only to find out that’s not an option. And there was no way we, even I, wanted to walk just a half marathon. So I signed up to RUN a full marathon. We walked away from the meeting talking about how we could still walk it and finish under the 6 hour limit. I have to say I was scared to death. What did I just do? WHAT did I just do? No really, what did I do? I think I was more scared walking out of that meeting than I was on my wedding day. Sure I could just walk away and never look back, just forget the whole thing happened. No one would think twice right? Wrong, I would. I would know that here’s another thing I say I’m going to do or even start and I’m never able to finish. So with the help of my conscious and my husband I was able to walk out the door tonight and go for my first run. I may not have run the whole time, but even that I was on myself about doing. I’m going to run/walk a 26.2 marathon this October 21st.
As I run to prove that I can do this, I’m also helping someone else finish their race. Whether it’s a researcher, a doctor, or a patient, I’m raising funds to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In the end I know how scared I am about running, but if it helps just one person fulfill the dream of being able to cure, help, or even just sleep in their own bed, that it will be worth the full 26.2 miles. So as I sit here typing the letter I ask you to help, help to kick me out the door everyday and raise the funds needed to help others. I plan on telling every person I come across about my quest so that there is no way I can just walk away and never look back. But I want to take the steps in the right direction and keep on running.