cee escapes the weight: Walk This Way

This year some of the "Tuesday Night Happy Hour" Crowd and I did the Weight Watchers Walk It Challenge 2011. This is not my first 5K. I admit there may be a little addiction there. This one was an actual challenge for me because I walked on a sprained ankle. I had been training to do a running 5K for May 21st. I have been encouraged by the "Tuesday Night Happy Hour" crew to challenge myself to do more[Cindy, Tamra,Melanie Nina and Sheryl- you know who you are]. I did a running 5K with Cindy and Tam in the beginning of April but I was not feeling so energetic that morning and ran half and walked half. I was excited to do my first formal( which means register and pay for) 5K. I realized that maybe I did not run the whole 5K because I did not get a chance to train properly running outside etc. I decided that I would get training in where I can fit it in. I trained on the weekends if the weather was good( it has been raining so much lately).

I would come home after work, change and go for a quick run. I did not try to run the entire 5k each time. I did what I could or what my body could. The track near my home is .82 mile. If I run four times, that's a 5K. There were nights when my body could do two laps (1.64 miles). I had to learn to be happy with that. I struggle with trying to be good at running. I am still a baby jogger. The Sunday before the May 21st Hunts Point Hustle 5K, it rained for most of the day. But in the late afternoon the sun popped out and I saw that as a sign that I needed to get in a run. I jogged the first two laps and then walked the last two. I was happy that I pushed myself and did not waste a "sunny moment". My ankle was hurting a bit and my hubby massaged me as he always does after I run. My ankle ached on Monday as well. But on Tuesday the pain started shooting up my calf and I knew that I had to ask the doctor to take a look. He made the breath sucking sound and said "Carin you sprained your ankle". I keep my doctor up on my actvities and he knew I was training for a 5K for the weekend. He said that he did not want me to run because it would make things worse. I asked if I could do the WW Walk on Sunday and he said I may be pushing it but I could. So I spent the next few days putting ice on my ankle and keeping it elevated and compressed.
On the day of the WW Walk It Challenge Josh, Jake and I caught a 6am bus to Manhattan. We were going to catch two trains to get to the event but the first train was not running at our station so we decided to walk. We would up walking nearly two miles, stopping for breakfast at McDonald's along the way. I had an Egg McMuffin. We finally made it to registration, signed in and find my peeps Cindy and Nina. We were also joined by fellow"TNHH" member Miriam and our wonderful leader Melanie.

Cindy and me

The walk was great. The weather cooperated, the view by the East River was beautiful and my sons were absolute troopers. After the walk, we walked a long trek back to the train station and started out long trip home. We picked up Subway sandwiches for lunch on the way home. Josh, Jake and I walked 8.71 miles, 21,240 steps all before 1pm on a Sunday. As soon as I got home, I put ice on my ankle and propped it up on a pillow and took a long nap. I felt great. Congrats to everyone who participated in the Weight Watchers Walk It Challenge!