Sunday Audioblog

Transcript: "Hello, this is your Sunday Training Walk audioblog from Laura Gjovaag, I'm at the fourteenth milepost on the Burke-Gilman trail, a bit past Lake Forest Park. I've walked five miles on the trail to get here, and to warm up I did two miles on the treadmill. So it's another five miles back home, I'm going to turn around now, get my ten-mile walk in. Though I guess it'll be twelve miles if you count the treadmill stuff. On the trail today just tons of people, bikes, joggers, walkers (I saw some more 3-Day walkers), and uh, those folks on the skates that lurch at you all the time. I also saw a bicyclist just wipe out right in front of me. He was going a little too fast around the corner. Not much else to say. Heading back now, really tired. Kind of excited though, I've done seven miles without too much difficulty and no pain. So, good sign. Twenty miles won't be so hard, hey? Alright, that's it. *blip*"

* When I started today's walk, I intended to go to the thirteenth milepost, making it a total of ten miles when I counted in the two miles on the treadmill. As I got to the thirteenth milepost, I was feeling really good, so I continued on to the fourteenth. That gave me an extra two miles, but also a couple of other problems...

* I actually saw a bunch of 3-Day walkers on the way back, including the group I spotted on the way out. I also had a cyclist come up behind me and say, "Are you doing the 3-Day?" and when I said "Yes" she responded that she was doing crew on the 3-Day.

* It's a credit to the quality of skaters that I generally meet on the trail that none of them have actually hit me yet, but they've come mighty close and it always makes me nervous to have some huge guy lurching at me, even if the movement is required for him to just keep going forward.

* I heard it even more than I saw it, the slide of bicycle and gears across the trail and into the bushes, and the brief yelp of pain as the guy went down. I asked him if he was ok, and like a typical guy he got up, wiped the blood off his knee and hand and said he was fine. Then he got on his bike and attempted to ride off, but only got a few feet before getting off the bike and walking it. Luckily his car was just up the hill and he had a buddy, laughing at him the entire time, to help him.

* I was fine at the time I audioblogged, but was sore by the time I got home. In particular, my right leg had some severe muscle cramping. Worse, though, was the gigantic blister that I didn't realize had formed and didn't notice until I took my shoes and socks off. It's on my left heel, and it's long and thin so it's going to be annoyingly difficult to cover and protect for tomorrow's walk. However, those are the only two problems, and I feel pretty good otherwise.

Another funny thing that happened... as I was passing Wayne Golf Course, a golf ball came flying out to the trail, and bounced right in front of me. I was startled, and looked around, but nobody else noticed it. I picked it up, walked over to the fence and called, but nobody responded. I eventually put the thing in my bag, I'm not sure why, and walked on. I still have it.