Environmental Training- The Ups, the Downs

If you have ever "Wintered Over" in the Midwest, you will understand this immediately. It doesn't matter what the calendar says, Winter is over only when God decides it's over. As we have been discovering once again.

I'm coming up on a hard deadline at work and the tasks involved in putting together a big fundraiser left me with little time. The walking that we need to do got put on the back burner while the bigger (and more immediate) tasks got the time and attention.

Come Saturday, we had the time and undivided attention to put on some training. That was a bad plan.

The beautiful weather we had been spoiled with for a week turned. Suddenly we were confronted by cold ugly winds. But we walked. Fortunately we were almost dressed for the weather... ish.

There is a place that we can take a back trail for two miles or so to make five miles out of what would otherwise be three. After sliding on the mud that we like to refer to as "Portions Unpaved" I made a command decision- NO MORE! At that point, I was as irritated as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I was cold and I wanted to be done. We could walk later.

Or not.

Within 20 or so minutes, the skies opened up. Oh lovely. Now we are cold and walking in a cold driving rain. How special.

Of course we carry emergency rain gear. I refer to it as walking in a garbage bag. I am not far off. We own good rain gear. At the time, it was a bit over a mile away. I don't want to say useless, but it was... well... useless!

So we walked. And we got cold and wet. And even though we have done ten miles in those oh-so-attractive garbage bags, I still believe that this was the most miserable mileage we have ever walked.

We (finally!) got home from this little excursion. As soaked as we were, the best choice was to strip down on a 2'x3' entry (linoleum) and run upstairs. And get under blankets and try to warm up. Mike turned up the heat but the cat decided that napping on the blower was a good thing (Anyone want a cat???).

Obviously, environmental training is survivable. But Mike- who thought this would be a good idea in the first place- has some "splainen" to do...

But time for good behaviour, I think.

While on the 3 Day, we are not allowed to use umbrellas. They would interfere with the safety of all walkers and are therefore banned. Environmental training is necessary so that you can tolerate things that you may have to manage through while on the event. It is a good thing... but has less appeal when you are cold and wet!

This week, during the snow, we wisely chose to train indoors at the Maplewood Mall. I hate it but it sure beat the alternative!

We're fighting breast cancer. We can beat this killer. But I need your support. Please go to www.the3day.org/twincities07/tricia to learn how you can be a part of defeating a killer.

What kind of world do you want? Choose anything. I choose a world without breast cancer. Choose with me. We'll start at the start and build a masterpiece.

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