Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

So I am training to walk the Portland Marathon in October. Training? Why would you need to train if you're only going to walk it? (my inner voice says)

Well, my dad is flying out from New York to walk it with me. He just turned 65 and he is a freaking fitness fiend. If I don't train, my father will smoke me. So, I've been walking. A lot. My goal is to finish in 7:15 or less.

There are good things about doing 3 hour walks. #1: I've discovered some fun audiobooks for my ipod. I'm currently switching back and forth between "Discover Your Inner Economist" and Stephen Colbert's "I Am America...And So Can You!". #2: Learning things about the neighborhood that I never knew. What? There's a Mormon church 4 blocks away? How did I never know this? I've chatted with some very friendly people and petted their very friendly cats. #3: That immense feeling of accomplishment when I'm finished. Holy crap - I just walked 12 miles. I am a superstar!

The bad things about 3 hour walks: #1: realizing at the end that I'm not even halfway through a marathon. crap. #2: sunburn. #3: swollen fingers and hands. mine start swelling up about 45 minutes in, and by the end of 3 hours they are ugly and bloated and terribly uncomfortable. #4: 3 hours is a long, long time. even with my funky music and audiobooks, sometimes I'm so bored. i like to dream up exotic meals that I will treat myself to after the marathon is complete. Lobster tails and butter and a lovely crisp sauvignon blanc and some kind of sauteed spinach with lots and lots of garlic. And pie for dessert.

Next week will be a 4 hour walk. Woo hoo! Stephen Colbert and Ira Glass better come through for me.

ps, I hope that whoever slashed the tire of my precious 1998 Corolla gets some bad karma. Who decided that is a fun activity?? It's not patchable, and $200 for 2 new tires was not an expense we were planning for. Ah well. I swear, most days I love my neighborhood. I just don't love finding broken 40's in our front lawn (Thank you Larsons!) and hearing some kid's lowered Honda screech down the street at 70 mph