Training update

I am so excited. My first donations have appeared this week! I am at 36% of my goal so I still need your support!

I went to the Podiatrist this week to be casted for orthotics.  He's recommend surgery, but he and I both know that isn't happening anytime soon. So, in the meantime, Doc thinks orthotics will help ease the arthritic pain in my right foot (thanks to a volleyball injury and an over-anxious team mate)  and relieve the tendinitis pain on top of my left foot. I'll get these in a few weeks. Unfortunately that will set me back on my training schedule as I have to learn how to walk in them.  Below is this weeks schedule. We're up to 8 miles!!

Monday Rest (accomplished)
Tuesday 3 miles Easy walking (didn't accomplish)
Wednesday 15 minutes Moderate cross-training (umm yeah kinda.. if climbing the stairs a gazillion times at home counts and I got in 1 mile of easy walking)
Thursday 5 miles Moderate walking
Friday 30 minutes Easy cross-training
Saturday 8 miles Easy walking  (I'll be walking at the IX Center this day for MDA's Muscle Walk event supporting my nephew Ryan.  Hopefully I get in 8 easy miles during the entire day.  I'll wear my pedometer)
Sunday 6 miles Easy walking

Thanks for hanging in there with me. 

See the post below for specifics on how to donate. I need your support, but know that your donations will also help to put an end to breast cancer!

3 Days, 60 Miles

I have taken on an incredible challenge. On July 29th - 31st, I'll be walking 60 miles over the course of three days. Scary, and exciting.

As most of you know, I was diagnosed in March of 2009 with breast cancer. This diagnosis came out of left field for me as I did not fit the criteria at risk for breast cancer. I don't practice risky habits. I don't smoke, I don't drink excessively, I'm not overweight (so they said), yet I got the shocking news anyway. I had children in my early twenties and breast fed them both, became a "young woman" at the average age and lead a relatively healthy lifestyle, all of which are good things. Then why did I get it?

With an ever-increasing diagnosis for women who are at risk and even those who are not, like me, the reason behind breast cancer needs to be found so that we can put an end to this disease. Susan G. Komen for the Cure® funds research focusing on decreasing breast cancer incidence and mortality in the next decade. This organization also funds research to discover new drugs to stop the disease from progressing any further. The drug therapy I am on for the next several years was discovered with research funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

I have started training (I'm really stretching that a bit) by walking at home on the incline trainer and outside around the neighborhood and local forest preserves. I have also attended some sponsored training walks. This week we're walking 6-7 miles, in the cold and the rain....barefooted.  OK, so I lied about the barefooted part. I've also started paying attention again to what I'm putting in my mouth. Not that I have horrible eating habits, but there is always room for improvement.

The thought of walking on average 20 miles each day for 3 days is very intimidating. But I look back to where I was this time last year and I barely had the energy of an 80 year old woman, not in good shape....who smoked... all her life.... you get the idea. So why am I doing this? Because I can. I didn't think I could endure treatments for breast cancer, but I did. I have pondered if I can walk 60 miles. The last time I walked 20 miles in one day I was 19 and a fitness instructor. But here I am now, alive and healthy, and I will walk as far as I can, hopefully completing the daily mileage every day, because I can.

Please consider making a generous donation. If you can't give what you would like all at once, the 3day for the Cure website allows you to spread it out over four months using the payment plan option. (Click the Donate Button on the side bar and donate for me, Mindy Howell) You can also ask your employer if they will double your donation with a matching gift. I have this website up on my other blog as well. (See The Howell Blessings).

Those of you who know me personally know that asking for donations is not my thing.  But this cause is very important to me. I can't do this alone, I need your support.

When you think of supporters like support hose, supporting jock straps, support bras....think of supporting Mindy  :) And if you're in the neighborhood, come by and cheer me on!

Training Schedule

April 4-10 - 17 weeks out

Mon -Rest
Tue -3 miles; Easy walking
Wed- 15 mins ;Moderate cross training (Biking, Basketball, tennis, etc)
Thu -5 miles; Moderate walking
Fri -30 min; Easy cross training (swimming, water running, rowing, etc)
Sat -4 miles ;Easy walking
Sun- 3 miles; Easy walking

Stay tuned and I'll tell you what this is all about soon.