The Twin Cities MS Walk, where I walked "miles for Mark" in honor of Mark Lowry, was a huge success, especially for me. The weather couldn't have been better. I raised a total of $500, way above my initial goal. And, I am 50 years old and I walked the entire 9 miles.
Yesterday I made a training walk to Fort Snelling. I didn't know I lived in walking distance to Fort Snelling. But there's a walking path that runs parallel to Hwy. 5. Walk up the steps and there you are. In all the time I've lived in the area I've never been there. I learned that was a distance of about three miles each way and I did that in an hour pretty comfortably. That made me think that maybe I could pull off the entire course.
The walk began at the State Capitol in St. Paul, followed down Summit Avenue, then crossed into Minneapolis at Mississppi River Blvd, and went from there to the finish point at Minnehaha Park. It was pretty easy up until the last mile when my feet starting feeling it. Not the heels, usually my trouble spot...those were well taped up. My foot pads started hurting between miles 8 and 9 but no way was I quitting with one mile to go. I survived and have a nice blister on each part of that foot to show for it.
One thing I couldn't have done this without was my I-Tunes cell phone. I had three hours' worth of tunes loaded in. The music just glided me through the 9 miles. I started the first hour with a bunch of Mark's songs. How appropriate that the first one was "Be the Miracle", setting the theme for why we were walking. At mile 7 I bounced along with Gordon Mote's version of "Old Gospel Ship".
The most surreal part of this all came at the finish line. The song playing on my ITunes phone as I got there was Montgomery Gentry's "Something To Be Proud Of". I swear I didn't plan it that way. Don't you know as I crossed the finish line, on came the part of the song where Eddie Montgomery says "You did it, man!" You better believe I shouted that line along with him.
I want to truly thank everyone who pledged and supported me. Especially you, Mark. This was a great and empowering experience on many levels.
If it weren't for the blisters, I would have walked home. What the heck. Maybe next time.
See pictures along the route here: http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=10118809&uid=439773
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