Hi all,
I just wanted to remind everyone of what I'm up to with training and preparations for The Overnight Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
I know you guys got my email in late February or early March explaining how I was taking nervous, stressed out, anxious energy and doing something that I saw as positive with it. So here's my update...
I've been walking a lot. Around the time I sent the emails asking for donations towards the walk I joined the gym because I might be slightly nutty but sanity kicks in when the thoughts of walking in the spring in Seattle crossed my mind; no way was I doing those mushy rainy training walks! I joined a foofy gym where I go 3-4 times per week (when I'm home!) to walk around 3 miles - sometimes more. I keep meaning to swim instead one of these times, but I like reading when I'm walking.
It's really hard to get out there walking. Last weekend when I was about 2 miles into a planned 10.5 mile walk I just wanted to catch a bus home - then I remembered Susan and how she'd kick my butt if I gave up on her. So I kept walking. At about 2.5 miles I was like "grrr" and nearly turned around to cross the street to catch said bus so I posted a message via twitter/facebook and my friend Cathy emailed to tell me to "keep walking"... so walk I did.. I didn't quite make the 10.5 miles cause I hit a smelly stretch (yay city walking) and turned around early, but I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised I made the 9.5 miles that I did.
This weekend walking was much easier - even in the torrential downpour since what I realized in the last 7 miles of last week's walk was that there are people rooting me on for doing this. There are lots of people like y'all who are my cheerleaders. And I'm a team player so I'm doing this for all of us. And yes, I'm a sappy cheeseball, but the truth is that this walk has been eye-opening to me for the amount of support I have. So don't forget to look around and remember your own support or remind someone going through trouble that you're there to be a silent cheerleader since that's so much of why I'm doing this Overnight 20 miles of excruciating excitement and pain.
So that's my blabbering update.....
If you want to keep up with what I'm doing let me know and I'll email out more random updates. Or check out my blog which I'm trying to update every few weeks with progress: http://yvettemn.blogspot.com.
You guys have been amazing with your support and I thank everyone who sends me well wishes or donations or thinks happy thoughts or shakes their head and smiles at me. And those sending donations along to the AFSP, well, I'm working it out so my donations are being matched! Yes, that's right - all my donations thus far (and higher) are being matched! So double thank you's for donating.
And if you were putting off donating to do it later - http://www.theovernight.org/fundraising/yvette .
Hugs & thanks,
yvette
