She said... YES!

Marriage proposal? Nope, but perhaps better!?!?! Physio lady said things are looking great. Apts 2 and 3 were cancelled for this week and she said I could hike - MY definition of "hike" this weekend and see how it goes. Next apt is next Tuesday. Podiatrist tomorrow... but I'm hoping things are in the clear and this torturous "break" has been worth it. Bring on the mountain, baby!

Answered Prayer

The Canadian Mail strike is looming and my passport and VISA for Tanzania is still at the Embassy and will be MAILED back to me once approved. I leave soon, very soon. If that strike happens who knows what the impact on my trip will be?! Today, however, there was a golden piece of mail in my mailbox! Canada Post - strike away!!!

Doctor! Doctor!

Tracy called the doctor and the doctor said... Come back tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next! I am currently seeing some type of doctor 5 days a week right now and am not dating any of them! Grrrr. Physio is going well and the pain is quickly decreasing. Today the physio lady said I could go for a hike this weekend! Oh the battle of the voices in my head. Do I ask what "kind" of hike she means of just go for one of MY hikes? Too bad I asked - I was ready to go for a few hours... she said 20-30 minutes with few hills. THAT'S NOT A HIKE! Oh well, I will go, enjoy, and hope to increase the duration and intensity quickly. After all, the orthotics I am being fitted for next week should help! Oh yes, that's right. This little trek up a mountain is turning into quite the adventure. Let's see about these orthotics. Hey, whatever is going to help at this point - I'll take it! My hope right now is that as soon as I'm allowed to get back out there and really hike - the weather will be wonderful :o)

Slow but steady

I wish I could end that title off with, "wins the race" but right now it's, "goes the physio." Up to three times a week but there has been improvement! As the sun shines this weekend - I will be resting. My passport is still at the Tanzanian Embassy so I can't even go down to the states for "rest." I guess the message is clear -- Stay home and REST! A few more donations came in this week, so that has been awesome! Thank you for your support! With the Malawi donations to date, there are many orphans who will get to attend school next year because of your contributions! A huge THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

Disappointing News

I went to my physio apt this morning and the healing isn't happening on the broken/sprain foot. So, she recommended I take a few weeks off and not walk or hike, or anything! WHAT?!?! This is much different from last week's news. So, up to twice a week for physio and am hopeful this ridiculous injury (from Jan) will quickly heal and I can move on. The May long weekend was going to be my kick off to big hikes! Feeling pretty crummy right now but would rather feel crummy for a few weeks then hobble all the way up Kili. Pass the chocolate milk please, I need calcium!

Really?

Each walk I did this week I was more and more repulsed by what I saw, lying on the side of the trails... Thank you kindly to the dog owners who pick up their dog's poop - but really, you've gone through all the trouble to do that, do you have to leave the poopy bag there?! Why did you scoop it up then??? Sheeesh. All four walks had poopy bags on the side of the trails. :o(

Timing

Timing is everything, and nothing. Timing is sometimes "created" sometimes "happened upon" and sometimes "uncomfortable."

The timing of this trip has been imperfectly perfect. There were bumps in the planning, my anxieties about "waiting"and fear of actually committing were all evident, but at this point, in retrospect, the timing has been "perfect."

In the last few days, I have been blessed with fundraising ideas and offers as well as large donations (or expressed donations).

I am only one, but still I am one. I believe that together, we can change the world. This is my repeated thought and my way of moving up and moving forward.

Thank you to all those who have expressed support in this journey - I appreciate you all so deeply and am encouraged to set my goal higher by how supported I am.

I am blessed by great friends and perfect timing.

Rainforest

I hiked at Buntzen Lake today. The many florescent yellow signs saying, "caution, trail closed, high water..." was a bit unnerving, I'll admit. But, there were cars in the parking lot. Surely some of them were out on those trails???

Starting out was good, but definitely realized I was wearing the WRONG socks and felt the rubbing early. Decided to suck it up and keep going. The lake seemed a bit high - okay, there were parts where it was right beside the trail and I'm quite certain that's not where it's supposed to be. Made friends with many birds and ducks that were around though. Hiked for about an hour then the rain really started to fall. I kept reminding myself that I live in a rainforest and will be hiking in Africa. Kili will not all be like this. Kili will not be like this. Kili will not be like this.

Actually, Kili may be like this at the beginning - but JUST the beginning! The real treat today was when the hail started. That's when I decided that was enough and I'd head back. Just under an hour later I was back at the car. Wet, cold, sore and feeling awesome.

I love the hiker's high - it is refreshing, revitalizing and keeps drawing me back for more.

Ouch

Well, in all my glory, I managed to fall off my stationary bike in January. Yes, it's true. When I first started cardio training I borrowed my cousins wind trainer and set my road bike up in my living room. I was wearing my clips (shoes that clip in) and the bike started to tip, I couldn't get my shoe unclipped and down I went. Pretty embarrassing but it did happen in the privacy of my own living room. THANK GOODNESS!

Unfortunately, I got hurt. I hurt my foot and it took a few weeks to heal. I didn't really tell too many people, for obvious reasons.

Now that I've been increasing my hikes, that pain has been coming back too. So like all good athletes with an important upcoming goal...I ignored it.

Well, it got too painful so today I went to a sports physiotherapist. She told me I likely broke a bone in my foot or badly sprained it. Great. She worked on it for a bit then when I asked if I could still hike - she said YES! There's nothing that can be done for it. It's healed (mostly) but there is some scare tissue that's built up around it (or something, I stopped listening after she said yes) and I just need to go in weekly for some therapy.

So, off I go, to hike some more and make a weekly tlc apt for my poor foot.

Thankfully it wasn't too serious. Perhaps next time I'll go in earlier...(not making any promises though...)

Crunch or Climb

Last weekend I did the Coquitlam Crunch. Nice enough going up, with the sun beating down on me and the openness of the climb. Seemed pretty good. Until the return trip. Unfortunately the loose gravel was too much for me and basically did the "slip and slide" method down. I was wearing my running shoes, my beloved running shoes... From that day forward, I will leave behind my running shoes and lace up the boots. No injuries for this munchkin due to fashion fear. So, this weekend. Yesterday I hiked at Campbell Valley and today I hit Alouette Lake. Left the running shoes in the car and strapped on the ugly boots. Well, ugly they may be, they are pretty phenomenal. I actually feel like I'm floating when I'm wearing them. Weird eh. Whatever - I challenged myself today to hit a strong pace and keep the pace, regardless of what the trail did. Hmmm, there were a few more hills today, well - MANY more hills! But I kept the pace, kept going strong and soon I was done. The trail that is, but I still felt like I could go on. So I went for round two. By the end of the second trip, three hours had passed and I was feeling tired. The people I'd been passing along the trail were looking at me oddly. Who does this trip twice in one day? Who practically runs it? Well, I did and it feels awesome! Home now and I'm sore. Already had one bath and a shower and still feeling a little creaky. Here's hoping tomorrow I'll be feeling ok! The training is feeling good, but the part I love most is those still quiet moments when it's just me and the trail. The best moment of today was not the completion; But the moment where I paused to look up. There was a break in the trees, the snow capped mountains in the background and an eagle soaring above me.

I am not alone in this.