While I may be done with my formal education (for now), I've discovered that my training walks are helping with my informal education. Here are some things I've learned this week:
Lesson #1: When training for a 3 Day walk, it really is a good idea to walk in all types of weather. Joanna agreed with me a while back that I should suck it up and walk in the rain, because there's no way I can control the weather for three straight days (one day - sure; two days - maybe; three - forget it). However, I've continuously wimped out when it's been raining. This past Sunday I was supposed to go walking with
Becca and Joanna, but by Saturday, when the weather forecast continually predicted rain for Sunday, I decided I was going to skip it. Well, my hubby and I woke up Sunday morning to the rain and decided that maybe I should at least try walking in the rain once. So I dressed in what I thought would be good rain gear and discovered that while I was dry, I was extremely hot. Now I need to find some clothing that is waterproof, but a lot lighter. And then I actually need to hope for more rain so I can try the clothing out. Therefore, my guess is that the rainy season is officially done. For those of you in the Bay Area that are completely sick of the rain, you're welcome.
Lesson #2: Turning into a slide is a lot different than turning with a slide. While my hubby and I were walking in the rain we watched a guy turning at the intersection go into a slide and make several doughnuts. There wasn't a lot of traffic around, but I was still really nervous. My hubby commented that the guy had done the doughnuts on purpose by turning with the slide. Well, I was really confused, because I had always been taught that if your car starts to slide, you turn into it. My hubby agreed with this and then I was even
more confused. This confusion turned into a long explanation of turning into a slide and turning with a slide, which are apparently
two different things! (I should explain that my automotive understanding is quite limited. When my hubby and I were first dating, he put my car into reverse while we were sitting at a red light [I won't even bother to explain this one]. I simply rolled my eyes and put the car back into gear when my hubby said something about how the guy behind me was probably freaked out. I asked why and my hubby explained that the guy would have seen my reverse lights go on. Reverse lights? What are those? Completely amazed that I could have a drivers license and not know what reverse lights are, he then explained that the little white lights at the back of a car come on when the car is put into reverse. I had no idea!)
Lesson #3: Pacifica has lots of snails. As we were walking in the rain, it was like walking through a minefield trying to avoid them all. (Not only will I
not walk on them, I've made my hubby save banana slugs from certain death by moving them off of hiking trails).
Lesson #4: Snails and banana slugs are very similar, yet very different. This lesson came from when I asked my hubby why snails have to have shells but banana slugs don't considering they're both long, slimy creatures. His lame response was that although they are similar, they're different. Something tells me that he's trying to hide the fact that he doesn't know.
Lesson #5: Scents really can trigger memories. I know this one is obvious, but I had a scent-triggered memory on our walk. We passed a hotel as we heading back home in the rain and we passed the housekeeping area where they were washing and drying linens. Whenever I smell that smell dryers give off in the rain (do you have any idea what I'm talking about?) it makes me think back to when I was a little kid and my mom had to take our laundry to the laundrymat. She didn't have a dryer back then, so when the weather was nice she'd hang it out on the line. But when it rained, we went to the laundrymat. Anyway, I'd bring my coloring books and my mom would buy me a soda and some candy from the vending machine. I had
so much fun hanging out with my mom on those days. Of course, looking back on it as an adult, I'm guessing she didn't have as much fun as I did - lugging the laundry basket and detergent around with a kid in tow. But hopefully I was more of a help than a hindrance at the time. (Right mom?)
Lesson #6: I now know what it means to work through pain. I decided to go for a 10 mile walk on Tuesday morning. I stopped at the 3 marker to stretch and noticed that the muscle behind my left knee felt tight. I stretched that leg a little extra and then continued on. By the time I got to the 4.5 mile marker, I realized that the tightness had turned into mild pain - starting from my sciatica nerve all the way through my leg and knee. I figured that I had made it to 4.5 miles, I could at least make it to the 5 mile marker before heading back. Well, by the time I got to 5 miles, the mild pain was now real pain. And I had
5 miles to walk back. I sat down at one point, and it was such a relief, but I still had 3 miles to walk by then and I knew I was never going to get home (or get to work that afternoon) if I didn't get moving. So I walked through the pain. Well, hobbled is a better word for it. But I did it! (My hubby and I are thinking that it the waistpack (I know others call it a fanny pack, but I refuse to use that term) might be putting pressure on my sciatica nerve and causing me the problems. Looks like I might have to try an actual backpack. )
Lesson #6: My new boss is the best. I didn't learn this from a training walk, and I'm stating the obvious, but... look what
Nathania brought me from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival!
I love, love, love this yarn!
Ok, enough lessons for tonight. More tomorrow, including an updated list of those participating in Friday's Show Your Tatto Day, a meme and sexually confused dogs. (
That got your attention, didn't it?)
