Twelve-hour high

In a few days I’ll be in New York for the annual 12-hour walk, an unusual ultra-marathon event that I haven’t done for about three years. I intend to do it again this time.

Still, I haven’t given it much thought as yet, mainly as I have so many other things to do (including preparation for my flight to New York). But I decided a few weeks ago that this time, for the first time ever, I would actually TRAIN for the event. Yes, when I went out for my run, I would race-walk some of the distance (Olympic-style), so I could become familiar with using certain muscles that are not usually used.

You’d think that it would be easy, after a 45-minute run, to break into a walk. Not exactly. I would walk for a few minutes, then I would feel the cold. Soon my impatience would get the better of me. I would break into a run once again.

So it seems that, once more, I will be starting the 12-hour walk untrained… like almost everyone else. I will do it slow, and I will feel the pain. But whatever my distance – at least, as happens every year, I should equal the winning time!