I can do 9 miles!

We finished the 9 mile Fallen Soldiers March yesterday. I was very happy that my husband decided to join me.

The thought of 9 miles was daunting to both of us, but knowing it was walking and not running gave us confidence. It was a wonderful event to be a part of, honoring the fallen soldiers from Tennessee. This is the 7th year of this event and there were over 150 participants. Most of the people walking were soldiers, but there was a good turnout of civilians as well.

Safety meeting and roll call -John & I are in the blue shirts surrounded by soldiers

Roll Call

And we're off!

It began at 4:00 p.m. and it was a hot day in Tennessee. I am used to working out on a treadmill in an air conditioned gym. So, its no surprise that the heat began to wear me down.The first 4 miles were pretty easy, but when the sun was beating down on me I started feeling exhausted. I drank tons of water. Thank goodness they had several water stations along the way. I did have to cool off in one of their vans for a few minutes but soon was able to catch up with the group. I think I was a little surprised that since I've been working out I thought I would be able to do this with little difficulty. My husband got quite a bit ahead of me at one point. I was very impressed that several soldiers passed me and asked me how I was doing. I felt a little guilty of complaining about the heat when the soldiers were dressed in uniforms and carrying packs. Since I took a short break, my total distance was 8.06 miles. We were finished in 2 1/2 hours. That was a shorter time than I expected since we were walking, not running.

Finish at the Wilson County Fair

After the walk, my husband and I felt like we had really accomplished something. We are doing a 5k next Saturday, so that should be a breeze! I'm really enjoying doing fitness activities together. I am a little sore today with a few blisters on my feet. I think it was a great idea for me to schedule a massage for today.