Israelites, I Feel Your Pain

It seems like whenever I hear the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert for years and years, a very ugly picture is painted of their attitude.  What was their problem?  They had been miraculously freed from slavery and were being led on an exciting journey by God Himself.  They had sweet manna to eat and fresh, cool water to drink.  Quail when they got bored of all that.  And still they grumbled.  Why all the grumbling?

Well, I’ll tell you why.  It was the WALKING!

*Before* the training walk - all smiles!

*Before* the training walk - all smiles!

I walked about 8 miles (not quite ten due to rain delay) on Saturday morning, and that was plenty.  I’m not panicking.  I will get better sneakers and train more and drink more fluids.   I will still walk 60 miles for Breast Cancer in October, but man,  I am going to feel it!

By about three hours after I got home from the training walk and expo, my head started throbbing.  I’m pretty sure in hindsight that I was dehydrated, and I managed to shake it off after downing a bottle of gatorade, but for a while there, I just wanted to do nothing but rest my poor weary head.  And feet.  Sunday morning we walked to church, and I actually felt pretty energetic, but I don’t know that I could’ve done another eight or ten or twenty miles like I will have to do for the real thing.   I definitely still have some bigtime training ahead of me!

In other news, the Expo was fabulous.  It was just what I needed to get me motivated and give me just a tiny glimpse of the bigness of the cause we are walking for.  The workshops were great for giving us fundraising ideas and training tips, and we got free popcorn, too (I’d have been there just for that!)  But just before we left, we looked at two “memorial tents”.  Click to enlarge the picture and read a few for yourself.  I think you’ll see why I left the Expo a little bit tearful and a *lot* more committed to doing whatever I can to fight this devastating disease.