The reason I walk

I have had trouble with my feet, but like other people, I have found a good thing in the trouble. I have changed the type of shoe I wear and for one week I have done the craziest things with my feet like yoga just for them, picking up pencils with my toes, soaking my feet in cold water after every walk and running my feet over tennis balls. In one week I think I have met with improvement and that's really pretty cool.

But I know there are people who don't understand and even one who refuses to support me because of the lack of "getting it." (Which blows my mind, by the way) Why do I do all this when it is so clearly bad for me? My mom recently asked me if I get what they call a runner's high and is that why I do it? That's a good question. If there's some sort of high out of all of this, I really wish I could hit it. That might be good, clean fun!

I have been disciplined this week about walking and training and just yesterday I felt the biggest reason why I do it: strength. I love that my body can do this. I love that I consider a short walk 4 miles. I wasn't all that surprised that my body could walk 26.2 miles, I was delighted by how it made me feel about my body. I was happy with my performance. I'm usually happy with my performance and always happy when my body does what I ask during a walk. (Let's face it, usually my body just laughs at me when I ask it to behave)

But what actually happened yesterday?

I walked up two steps in the camper and had so much momentum, I felt I might tumble into the bathroom at the top of the steps. I began to pay attention: sitting down, getting back up, walking up steps, carrying a heavy load...I had some strength back. The feeling of strength is great: there's less strain when I rise or bend over or climb the stairs.

Strength: capacity for exertion or endurance. Endurance! Let's do another marathon!

I am feeling optimistic about the Air Force half marathon in September. Maybe this hasn't fully answered the question about why I walk so much. There are other reasons, but strength is a great reason. It's a fabulous feeling.

Oh, and I sleep better, too.