100 miles a month, 10000 steps a day

Back in 1997 my husband and I made a trip to Pennsylvania with our two young daughters. We visited family, visited Amish Country, Hershey Park, and a lovely child-centered theme park, Sesame Street Place. It was a great vacation, however the piece of it that comes to mind this morning is our ride home. It was a long drive back to Maine. Our plan was to drive until we grew weary, stay overnight at a hotel, then make the rest of the trip come morning. It was a good plan...but then my stubborn determination kicked in. I'd taken the first leg of the drive and with the two girls sleeping peacefully in the backseat, I decided to make it home in one full swoop.

Eric reminded me we could pull over for the night. I remember telling him I was doing fine and had another couple of hours in me. As we reached familiar territory in New England, I felt the push to keep going. He offered to drive. I said no. He suggested again that we call it a night. I said, "Just a little more". He shook his head and realized that night, if he hadn't noticed before, that when I put my mind to something, I won't stop until I've met my goal.

Now, please know that I wasn't being reckless. I truly wasn't tired. I was ready to be back in my own bed and I saw no need to disturb those two little girls sleeping peacefully in the backseat. Conscious also of our checkbook balance, I figured we could use the money allocated for one more night in a hotel in a different way.

Our ride home from Pennsylvania that evening gets mentioned from time to time. Eric uses it to remind me of my determination and strength and stubbornness when I get a bit bullheaded. It's similar to how I pushed through stage performances the week after my Dad's death last summer. It's why I've tackled painting rooms in just a day or two. It's what allowed me to correct hundreds of student papers in a week's time. If I focus on the goal, I achieve it.

But I welcome and need support. As my Mom and Dad always reminded me, "No man is an island". I would not have driven home from Pennsylvania in a single night if Eric hadn't been in the passenger seat. I needed his conversation, his humor, and his frequent check ins. I wouldn't have made it to opening night last summer if it hadn't been for the way in which my Lake Region Community Theater family lifted and embraced me in our final few days of rehearsals. I'd have put down the paint brushes if I hadn't felt the happiness and pride of my family as they saw the new rooms taking shape.

So now I'm ready for another challenge, to achieve a goal of 100 miles of walking in one month's time. No specific route or destination, just the achievement of having walked a total of 100 miles over the course of 30 days. Some of my miles will be logged in at the gym. Some will be achieved in my neighborhood with my pup at my side. Some of my miles will be achieved through my basic activity here at home and at work.

This goal is important to me as it will help me through another transition. My son Paul, my baby, begins high school next month. In just four years he will be heading to college. And I'll be fifty years old. Oh my! Facing the empty nest is going to be difficult, but I love life and I want my husband and I to continue our adventures in this world long after we've watched our children take flight. To be ready for these adventures, I need to be healthy and strong. Although I've made solid strides in my fitness goals, I need something to recharge me and I'm thinking this challenge will do the job. To achieve this goal, I need to reach 10000 steps a day. If I begin today, I'll have two weeks to work up to this daily step amount and I will them aim to officially begin my 100 miles of walking on September 1st, 2014. My challenge should approach a healthy "almost to the mid-point" stride by September 11th. That date has always served as a powerful reminder to me that we never know what is around the corner in our lives. It's important to remain strong enough to face challenges that will hit us head on, and it's better to improve our health when we can so we can be there to better serve others.

With Sydney out of state working in her new job, Emma heading back to college in early September, and with the start of our own busy new school year beginning in just two weeks' time, I am rallying support from all. Whether you'd like to join me for even just one small leg of this 100 mile challenge by setting up your own step/mile goal or if you'd simply agree to cheer me on from the sidelines, I'd appreciate you being there. I'm going to log in my progress on a Facebook Events page and on my kitchen calendar.  I'll provide updates here too.

For more information on how 10000 steps a day can be achieved or for the health benefits of walking, I encourage you to check out this website: EmpoweringRetreat.com/walking-challenge.html