HOUR 10
THE WALK
I am not a great walker,
I park as close to destinations as possible.
So when I heard about the
39-mile Marathon Walk
I laughed.
But I reconsidered.
It was the Avon Walk for Breast cancer –worthy cause,
and I was a researcher at a cancer center.
I was pre-diabetic and my doctor would be pleased.
The walk was two days,
26 miles in the first day
13 on second.
There was also a half-marathon
(sounds familiar?)
But I decided, in for a penny
in for a pound.
The only BIG fly-in-the ointment?
Each participant had to put in
$1800 to walk!
I first inveigled a friend to join me,
And against her better judgement,
she did.
Then I charted a plan.
We visited organized clinics.
For walk, feet, shoes and hydration.
Then a plan to train.
We started with 2 miles the first week,
and increased by two more every weeks.
We learnt to stretch from YouTube.
And splurged on the best walking shoes,
which we never regretted.
We trained in our new shoes
to break them in.
Our walk in DC was in May.
So we started training in February.
It was cold, still snowing
and brutal, but we persevered.
We walked on the road.
The park trails were filled with women
with staring eyes,
and men who made our blood
run cold.
In between, we sent begging letters
to family, friends and acquaintances,
no one was spared.
As the training miles increased,
the weather improved
the winter inhabitants in the park
were replaced by serious joggers,
dog walkers and rude bicyclists.
But we enjoyed the walks.
in two months we could easily cover
18 miles.
But money was our constant worry.
Thankfully cancer survivors and families
donated generously.
Some gave to get rid of us.
The parks were full of bright green buds
and saplings and walking became
a real pleasure.
Two weeks before the walk,
we did the last walk of 24 miles,
and rested.
We had trained so well
for our first marathon!
The actual two-day walk
was a breeze.
The comradery, enthusiasm and
fever-pitch excitement,
at the starting point was astonishing.
Every two miles was a toilet, water and snack break.
Whatever else was needed, the women had.
We couldn’t help congratulating ourselves,
when many stronger women and even men,
couldn’t complete the walk.
We did not have a single injury
or after effects.
(We did a total of seven marathons)