Hole in my Head Walk

Today I absolutely skulked in my bed. I did not want to get up even though I wasn't tired. But finally, I did. Then I absolutely enjoyed a long spiritual study period. I started reading A Course in Miracles text for the 10th time.

Then, I did an indoor septathalon. That is 10 minutes at each of 7 stations: bike, elliptic, step platform with 5 lb ankle weights, walk up and down 18 stairs with the ankle weights and two 10 lb plates, nordic track, versa climber and rowing. Over 600 calories in that.

Then comes the hole is my head part. For whatever reason, I decided today was the day I would make a long distance walk in one big loop. So I put on my desert pants, heat gear shirt, Solumbra hat, full Nathan and start walking at noon. This walk was a completely nasty route being all busy highways. And, I didn't really have any idea how long it would take me, but there were no short cuts. I didn't know if my foot would start hurting 5 miles from home. I didn't know how sunny and hot the day would be!

Dummy walking along NASA Pkwy. I see Clear Lake park (37 minutes) and stop at an extremely nice restroom. Keep walking to Space Center Blvd and turn. Not a very great sidewalk but at least there is one. Turn again at Middlebrook. No sidewalk now for part of that.

I keep realizing that something which takes a minute in the car takes a long time when you are walking. I keep thinking about people sitting: in car, in boats, on motorcycles, in front of TVs, at picnic tables. Americans sit alot. I also feel in my legs what it is like to power walk for several miles. I haven't done out and out walking like that for a long time. I mean, it is different than jogging.

Turn again at Bay Area Blvd. Spy another park with another fabulous rest room (almost at 2 hrs). Keep walking to Red Bluff where I stop at the Valero and buy a Red Bull, Gatorade and 2 granola bars. The Red Bull gets chugged immediately and the Gatorade goes into the Nathan. Walking along Red Bluff, the sidewalk goes away and there is not shoulder at all for about half a mile. I survive that, but so eager to get off that road, I turn into the wrong subdivision and suddenly find myself lost. After 3 hours in the sun, desperate to get home, I'm lost in a subdivision. I see two guys strolling. I ask them if they know if the road I'm on goes through. They give me directions.

Finally, 3h51 min later, 12.8 miles, I get home. Whew! Not so bad! Not a peep from my foot.