THE NINTH WEEK OF TRAINING

Hard to believe that 2 weeks from Tuesday I'll be on the airplane to Spain!  This weekend has been a bust for exercise as family has filled the days. 
Jay was down with Tom for water polo tournment...Wendy & Keith went to Oregon for a wedding so we got some time with their dog.  Mary & Tushar had two full days of real estate classes so along with Ruby and Jim had the two boys both days.  As I said....it was a family weekend.

To recap my week on Monday I walked 5.7 miles in 2 hours. On Tuesday I did 5.17 miles in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
On Wednesday I hiked 7.16 miles in 2 hours and 38 minutes. Thursday was my  biggest day when I hiked 11.18 miles in 4 hours and 40 minutes. On Friday it was 7.91 miles in 3 hours and 9 minutes. Most days I had my pack on my back. It weighs 17 pounds. Everything I read says that I should eliminate 25% of what I have in there before I leave home. That may be a struggle to choose what to take and what to leave home.
Today we did the in an out around the lake which is 2 miles.. it was very warm. I'm looking forward to starting back with my pack again tomorrow on Monday. I did learn last week that when my socks don't feel good in my shoes it's time to sit down take off my shoes and change my socks. I didn't on Friday and I ended up with 3 blisters little ones but all the same they hurt.  Buen Camino

THE WEEK OF THE RUMMAGE SALE

This is a bit late but trying to keep in the habit of posting...Last week was 8 am to 4 pm...sometimes earlier and sometimes later at the rummage sale at our local church...we started on July 10th and the final day was July 19th.  Long days of constantly being on my feet so I logged many steps but not out in the open air.  But it was a great success and although the final figures are not in they raised just over $30,000. for our parish!  Here are photos of just two corners of the massive sale!

But I did get up very early and managed to walk 4.76 miles on Monday before going to work at the church and again on Tuesday I walked 7.78 miles.  By Wednesday....too tired to do the miles.

On Monday July 20th, I was up and out early for 5.07 miles and again on Tuesday for 5.17 miles.  Today, July 22nd I carried my backpack (17 pounds) and walked 7.16 miles in 2 hours, 38 minutes.

Hope this finds all of you enjoying life and finding bright spots in each of your days!

MORE ABOUT THE SEVENTH WEEK

Well the test posted so I'll  give it another try.  It was a good week and I walked 40 miles.  My longest day was 11.68 miles on Thursday.

This week begins the annual rummage sale at our church so I may not get as many miles in as I usually do.

Here are some photos of what is happening with the drought...and a grass fire in the 4th of July. .. probably from fireworks.  It was right at the top of our hills where I usually walk.

High in the hills on Thursday. .. can't get much higher in our town.

THE SEVENTH WEEK OF TRAINING

Having some trouble posting tonight so I'll do it in sections.  I did 40 miles this past week, only taking Sundays off.

TRAINING WEEK SIX

Week six was only 40.9 miles but two day I carried my backpack (3/4 loaded)!  And we hosted a 4th of July party for the family.
Sunday was a day off....Monday was 9.7 miles....Tuesday was 5.6 miles .......Wednesday was 13.7 miles.
Thursday was a gold star day since I carried my backpack for the first time around the lake for 4.09 miles.  Friday we cleaned house for our family party for the boat parade that started at 9 pm.
Saturday was the 4th and we enjoyed a slow 7.8 hike in the hills with my backpack.  Today has been a rest day watching the the Tour de France and the finals of the FIFA woman's soccer.  Great game!

The hills are very brown which is normal in the summer as we live in the high desert.  We sometimes forget as we water everything and usually have beautiful green landscaping everywhere.

But because of the drought they have stopped watering the public greenbelts along the streets and everything is rapidly turning brown.  They have installed special sprinklers for each tree to hopefully keep them alive.   If the predicted rainstorms happen this fall...it should all be green when I return home at the end of October.