Well, We Walked ... At Least Some of It

We met at 5 am as planned, we being me, Molly, KB, and Sharon.  Of course it was pitch-black dark, but since the first five miles were going to be on the "boulevard" in the "rich" neighborhood (we were bused in), we knew we would be safe.  We were going to save the remaining 11 miles of our 16-mile training walk for the park hills.  Yes, the same hills we cursed only a few weeks ago.  Apparently in the weeks since then, we had convinced ourselves that "it wasn't so bad," and "it was good training for the San Fran hills," and "we should do it again."  We is dumb.

Anyhow, the remaining two members of our team, KP and Jo, called to say they would put out the Gatorade bucket somewhere up the mountain and join us for that part of today's walk, that part starting somewhere around 6:30 am (nobody said we were speedy walkers).  Everything was going as planned until 6:30 when the two speedy walkers called to say that they were going to go ahead and start up the hill without us.  We didn't mind, since we knew they would be halfway finished by the time we made it to the park gates.

We made it to the park and started up the first hill, at which point reality raised back her hand and slapped us soundly in the face.  WHAT WERE WE THINKING (like we were thinking at all)!!  As we huffed and puffed up the hill, somebody in the group suggested we do the 5-mile route instead of the 11-mile route.  When we came to the first fork in the road, we took the one that we knew would lead us back to our cars - about a mile down the road.  Upon our arrival at the parking lot, and perhaps feeling a little guilty, we decided to go up the steps that are put into the side of the hill (and don't look so bad if you have no intention of doing them).  After we heaved ourselves up the final step, we decided we had done enough for the day and headed back to our cars.  And breakfast at the new crepe place.

And what became of our two speedy Gatorade teamies?  We called and asked if they wanted us to pick them up, but they declined, deciding instead to finish the course.  And since we believe "No means No," we got in our cars and headed out.  The shrimp grits were calling our names.  Too bad the hill wasn't!!

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Today's blessings:  8 miles with Sharon, KB, and Molly; Steve's safe trip back home; good report about GDiz; Lindley and Everley time; dinner at Sam and Lynnette's