Time ran 3:44

We are done!!!! 3 hours and 44 minutes!!!! that is 18 minutes faster than our best time. I'm happy to be done and have a glass or two of wine to celebrate!! Thanks to everyone who supported me.

Away we Go! Ciao

Tomorrow we Leave!

Well it has arrived, tomorrow, early morning we leave for the airport! Now I have to quit worrying that I've forgotten something or that we won't have enough money. I'll just have to go and enjoy it. Of course it snowed last night, we've been in the plus temperatures for a while now with no snow....Saskatchewan weather!!!! We may leave tonight and stay over in a hotel if the weather doesn't smarten up, we'll play that by ear. Even with the snow I'm excited, we haven't walked in about a week but I'm not to worried, we'll get out in Italy for short walk abouts before the race. Would like to do a short walk tonight, where ever we end up.
Keep going over in my head how we ended up here and can't believe it still. The Jingle Run is where it started, a 5km walk for Arthritis. Mix in a group of super friends and family and here we are today! I keep saying it but I really mean it, Thank You to everyone. This really is the most awesome thing, I get to help others and get exercise and a vacation! Can't beat that!
My next blog will be from Italy so for now ciao!

The Morning after the night before!

Well Cinco de Mayo is done! and a good time was had by all. Just for the record the women kicked butt over the men in all the games, well except the pinata, way to go Meg! lol We have totally relaxed our walking schedule but will get out today for sure! Wednesday we leave, that's 2 days (not counting today or the day we leave). WOW now it's really here! I'm on vacation and Ernie has two more days to work which will be good it will keep me grounded, but I need to run around and just do those last minute things. I will try to blog from Italy and England and maybe get a picture or two up.
See you!

In one week!!!!!

In one week:
we will be in the Regina airport waiting for our flight
we will be beginning a new adventure
we will be closer to seeing our friends
we will be mentally preparing for the 21.5km in Italy
we will be a bit nervous
we will be very excited
we will be thinking "did we forget anything"
we will be reminded of what Sue said "you can get everything here so stop worrying"
we will give each other a kiss and hug and remember everyone that helped us get here!

Thanks!

21.5 was easier this time

It really was! Not sure if its cause I know it's the last one before the actual race or I was better prepared but I felt good right though the walk! and we shaved 7 minutes off from last week!
Well it's 8 days until we leave, Ryans home and I can do the walk, I guess I've run out of things to worry about.
The kids had friends over waiting for us to return from the 21.5 on Saturday, they had fruit, cheese and crackers and they and some friends made signs "way to go" etc they even had a banner to run through at the edge of the drive way!!! What awesome kids we raised!!! I think I even impressed Ernie with my speed this time, we were trying for under 4 hours but didn't quite make it, we did it in 4 hours and 2 minutes. I hope the rush of being there will help out our time so we can do it in under 4! Aside from that there isn't much else new, I think we will take the laptop with us to update everyone and to talk to the grandkids!!! That's a long time without seeing them! I will try to get some pictures up on FaceBook and a few here also but we'll see what time allows, I don't want to spend all my time on the computer while we're in Italy and England!

10 days to go and 21.5 today to walk

Hi, well I'm just up and getting ready to walk my last long walk before the actual long walk in Italy. I'm excited to see the last of the mandatory long walks, I like to think Iwill continue walking but I know it won't be 21.5 on Sundays! I know I will walk but I'd like to do it for fun for a while not because I have to. Actually this summer I look forward to roller blading, tennis, slow pitch and golf along with walking!!! But first I have to do my long walk today.....once that is done I think I will have a new perspective on walking! The worst part is I kinda of like the long walk, 4 hours of uninterupted time with Ernie and my music.
Now on to 10 days!!!! It's coming so fast and so slow, part of me just wants to be on the plane already and the other part is enjoying the build up excitement! I'm sure it will get here soon enough, and unfortunately go by to fast, but once I'm there I'm going to live in the moment! See you soon other racers, Dave and Sue!!!

2 weeks to GO!!!

Easter is done and I have eaten enough turkey to hold me for awhile. We have our last big walk this weekend, we will again do the full half marathon, that just feels really good and kind of scary. For the last 3 months our lives have had to revolve around training and after this weekend it is only short walks, with the longest being 8km. This week and next week are the same, 6, 4, 8, 6 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. I am starting to pack and starting to get a bit nervous, not so much about the walk, I know we can do it, but we've never been to Europe and I am really excited to go but also a bit nervous. I do most of the planning, I'm sure that shocks a lot of you out there that know us, so I want it all to go right, not perfect, just right. I want to have enough cloths, enough money, did I pack everything I need....god I could go on for hours. Ernie is trying to get me to relax as will Megan the minute she gets wind of my rising nerves. Apparently I do this everytime we go somewhere new, but once I've been somewhere I'm alright, what can I say it's my thing! But it also drives everyone crazy! Which is again "my thing". So it's all good. lol. I am trying to relax by booking foot rubs, very relaxing to me, going for reflexology, my usual wine doesn't go so well with walking so I've had to learn new techniques. I will relax, I hope, soon enough.....since we leave IN TWO WEEKS!!!!

18km today and Happy Easter!

Hi everyone! Today Ernie and I will do 18km so that we can have tomorrow off to go celebrate Easter with his family. So far I'm proud to say we have never missed a long walk, we have missed the odd short walk but NEVER a long one! The long walks are the ones that put hair on your chest, or if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger, no pain no gain, we don't quit until the fat ladies sings and I ain't... singing! (Sue you thought I was going to say "bothered" didn't you lol) I may not have lost much weight doing all this training but I have gained endurance! Once we are done this marathon, we will take 2 weeks off and just walk with the grandkids, then we are back at it for a family half marathon. So if I keep this up maybe some of the weight will find itself a new home. This summer we are playing slow pitch with the kids and hope to start up a tennis night along with walking, roller blading, swimming and of course golf. Should keep us out of trouble! And we are hoping to see our friends from across the pond come over for a visit or maybe just move here and be done with it. There are jobs here in Saskatchewan you know, lots!!

20 days and counting

We did our walk yesterday with Ayla, Easton and Megan, a bit slower but much more enjoyable! Ayla was listening to music and dancing and Easton was throwing anything and everything out of the wagon, which had Megan jumping to pick everything back up! Too Funny! Today is 4km we will likely do 5km just because the route is nice and we know it. As I said it is 20 days, so tonight we are doing Italian night and having spaghetti and going over plans, Ernie's idea....really it was! Then after supper we will do our walk. Our long walk will be Saturday this week, or Friday as we are both off, but Sunday we have to go to Melville for Easter Sunday with Ernie's family. Should be fun! Ernie's family, as well as mine have been wonderful with helping with fund raising and coming to the events, I can't thank them enough. Our friends have been helpful also, you can't imagine how easy it was with such support from everyone. Thank you a million times!