The Walk

Hey guys & gals!

I'm alive! Finished the walk yesterday! Here is Deannie's account of it all. I was too lazy and tired to write my own.

Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer went.

Dean dropped Jessica and me off at our starting point, the Kennedy Center in DC, around 6 on Saturday morning. At 7:30, after the opening ceremony, the walkers were released. Of course, Jessica and I found ourselves almost at the very end, behind 3,100 walkers, walking at a very slow pace. At this rate, it would take us all day to get to Silver Spring!! After we passed our first few rest stops (the first was in the parking lot of the Theodore Roosevelt Island) the crowd started to thin out and we were able to pick up the pace a little bit.

Soon we found ourselves weaving in and out of streets of Georgetown and North West, D.C. being greeted every 2 -3 miles by family and friends cheering us on, thanking us, and passing out candy and cookies! (Is it possible to gain weight walking 40 miles?) It was quite inspirational to see how many lives we were touching by just walking. Every now and again we would find ourselves walking at the same pace as other participants and we would listen to their stories of why they were there or how many times they have walked. At dangerous intersections, we were greeted by friendly bikers who played upbeat music and safely lead us across the street. A rest stop awaited us every 2-3 miles always furnished with clean porta-potties and stocked with water, Gatorade, and snacks. Some had medical care to take care of blisters and there was always a group of folks cheering us on dressed in some sort of pirate, corral, fairy, or other costume. Unfortunately, we had to stop at every single rest stop to use the facilities due to a minor digestion situation I was having.

Around the 8.5 mile marker, Starbucks provided us with coffee and at the 9-mile marker; we were greeted by Jessica’s ex-boss, Tracey and her husband, Michael. They huffed up a decent sized hill with us to our next stop at the 10-mile marker where once again we were greeted by more cheerleaders and lunch! We woofed down our sandwiches and chips, loaded up on water/Gatorade and headed back on our journey. We continued to pass families sitting on their front steps, handing out fruit and candy, holding signs and cheering us on. Even assisted rehab senior citizens came out to hand-out personalized pink bandanas and thank us. We cried.

The more rest stops we passed, the more our group of walkers lessened. And the further we went, the more our cheering sections diminished. Alas we were becoming weary, less motivated – we felt abandoned. We agreed that if we did not walk next year, we would certainly be out there cheering folks on in these “dead” sections. Cheerleaders really make a difference.

Miles 17 – 19 were endless. Getting to the rest stops marked another 2 – 3 mile accomplishment but the one between 17 and 19 seemed like an eternity. I thought we would never get there. The clouds that threatened to rain upon us all day finally let lose in Bethesda. We walked silently through the drizzle.

Finally, we were on our last 2 miles when I started to develop a blister and unwisely chose to ignore it. It never occurred to me to quit, I just wanted to get to our final destination.

“Just around the corner!” our cheerleaders encouraged us to go on!! Jessica felt light headed and confused and I was concerned about her. WE CAN DO THIS!! About 100 yards from the entrance to our final destination at Sligo High School in Silver Spring, 10.5 hours since the beginning of our journey, a nice young couple advised us that we will have to put up our tent when we get there!! Oh no! For the last 5 miles, I had visions of getting here and walking up to my already erected tent with my luggage inside. I would grab my PJs head to the showers and wash off 26.2 miles of grudge and sweat off of my body and out of my hair. But, no, I had to set up my tent?!

It was mass confusion when we arrived. I had no idea were to go, signs pointed us to medical and the showers, but where do we sleep? A not-so-friendly volunteer (the first and last we encountered) pointed us in the direction of the tent truck and to our camping site. We walked over to site E17 and there was already a tent there!! A tent angel perhaps? Hell no, surely someone set it up on our site by accident but, I was not sure. I was half ready to stake it down, but I knew that was not right. We moved the inviting tent over to the empty spot in E16 and I went and got a new tent to set up. Although it was not a complicated tent and I am a seasoned camper, it was frustrating having to accomplish this ridiculous task after walking all the way here. Had I been prepared and knew I had to do it, I would not have cared, but they kept it a secret, it was a conspiracy, I was sure! But, no worries, we got the tent up, it was only 3 poles, it was relatively easy. And we successfully located our duffle bags, a little damp from the rain, but at least they did lose them! Next year if we don’t walk, we agreed, not only would we cheer people on in the last couple of miles we would help walkers set up their tents.

When I took off my shoes to put on my shower shoes, I realized how bad my blister was getting. After our showers, I would have to go to medical get it looked at. I limped to the shower area were 5 16-stall mobile shower trailers awaited us. These little self contained beauties were the highlight of the evening!! Providing us with a little dressing area complete with hooks and benches and an endless supply of hot water thanks to the propane-fired boiler system and 1300 gallon onboard water storage we were able to enjoy a refreshing shower. Check these bad boys out! http://www.portakleen.com/products_showers_14-16.html

The medical line was ridiculously long EVERYONE had blisters! We decided to skip it, eat, get a massage and come back later. Spaghetti, salad, green beans and fresh rolls downed with a Coke hit the spot. We shoveled in our food and headed to the Spaaaah Zone and got a mini chair/foot massage by HoMedics. Back at the medical tent we realize there is another massage booth. Not massages by robotic chairs but massages by real message therapist with human hands-one of our favorite things!! But it is too late. They are already booked for the evening and can’t take us. We will have to come back in the morning. I get a do it yourself blister kit and we head back to the tent around 8:30, exhausted. The band is still playing and we snarl at the people dancing. They obviously did not walk the entire 26 miles today if they still had energy to dance! I popped my blisters, drank some smuggled- in, illegal wine out of a water bottle and fall fast asleep. Well at least, until the person in the tent next to me starts snoring and the person in the tent behind me starts wrestling with her mylar blanket. I pushed my earplugs in deeper…

I woke up around 6, quietly packed my things and stuffed my sleeping blanket in its sack. Jessica woke up and we headed over to get a massage. Instead we got a 5 minute stretch because we were in the wrong line for massage (I didn’t see 2 lines?). Alas, it felt good. While Jessica was finished up her stretch with Elmer Fudd I walked to the end of the incredibly long coffee line. I asked who I could talk to to get a 1 mile credit for getting there. By the time I got to the coffee, Jessica was done and we headed over to get some eggs, sausage and fruit for breakfast. We packed up our stuff, took down and packed up our tent, handed over our luggage and headed out around 8:15. My blister was thumping and hurting coupled with my left foot aching from overcompensation tripled with my stomach ailment, I was not a happy camper. I pushed through it.

1, 2, 3, 4 miles, we blow by the rest stops. Still having my digestion problem, I stop trying to push it out because I am afraid I am going to blow a blood vessel in my eye. If nothing came out the first 26 miles, it ain’t coming out now. I will just wait for it to come naturally. Hopefully I don’t explode before that happens, I don’t want Jessica to have to finish with crap all over her. She has now named me “Stompy the Broken Pez” because I am walking heavy and awkwardly on my feet trying to avoid too much pain and my dispenser is obviously broke. We both still have a sense of humor and that is good. Or maybe we are just deliriously tired.

We skip lunch and push through. We know Dean, Eric (Jessica’s husband) and her parents are waiting for us at the Kennedy Center and we want nothing more than a big hug from them. We cry thinking about it.

We walk through some sketchy parts of DC, including Columbia Heights where we happened upon a sleeping homeless man. Yesterday I noticed how clean all the neighborhoods were, but today I feel like I am in another country. We get the last rest stop, pee, and fill up on water. 2 miles to go!! 30 more minutes of walking!! We ponder about how well we got along with each other over the last 30 hours even though we had been together constantly, walking 38 miles, never leaving each others side, except to use a porta-potty and even then we were right next to each other. This is what true friendship is about.

It is the last half mile. We can see Watergate. She speds up. “Don’t kill me now girl!!” She slows down for “the Pez”. Crowds on every block and people passing by say “Good job”, “Thank You”, Way to Go”, I cry. We see familiar cheerleaders, like the cow in the pink Cadillac. Jessica wonders what it smells like in side his costume. Darth Vadar and other Star Wars characters unfamiliar to me (sorry Eric) are there–THE FORCE IS WITH US! A band plays, but gets quiet as we pass, Jessica demands their attention, and they continue to play. Our families are on the steps waiting and cheering us on. I can’t believe we have to walk up these steps!! But we don’t walk, we run, into their arms, silently weeping and congratulating ourselves for what we have just achieved.

Jessica’s mom made us a terrific picnic with potatoes and pasta salad and chicken. She gloats over us and fills our plates. Her dad fills our wine glasses. We are starving and eat like there is no tomorrow. We toast. Great job, we did it!

Today is Monday and I can’t walk. My feet are swollen, every bone in my foot aches and my blisters are sore. As a matter of fact, every muscle in my body hurts. But, I will not complain, it was all worth it to me. I want you to know the participants of the DC Avon Walk for Breast Cancer raised 17.4 million dollars!! I personally raised $3,600 and your donation helped me/us get there. Thank you so much for your support. You were with me every step of the way in my heart. I could not have done it without you. Thank you again for helping save the boobies!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!! Pictures will follow!!

Love,

Deannie

Now here is my bit......

Friends & Family,

Above is Deannie's description of our walk yesterday. I would have written my own but I'm too damn tired. I want to add to her last paragraph though... I raised $2265.00 for the Avon Foundation and today I'm SO SORE. I got off the couch this morning (fell asleep last night and was unable to wake up, per Eric) and couldn't straighten out my legs. I hurt in places I didn't even know I had. Surprisingly, the bottoms of my feet feel fine (one tiny blister on a tiny toe) but the tops of my feet are stiff and move very little. I was able to get up to pee and hit the bed. Somehow I made it through a 9:30 a.m. conference call, which was unusually short, and then passed out HARD for 2 more hours. I've stretched, continued to stay hydrated, and popped a few anti inflammatory meds. Now I'm able to get from the bed to the kitchen with only mild pain. A hot bath is definitely in store for me soon!

The experience was incredible and I want to thank all the family and friends who were there fore me during the training period, during the walk and at the finish line. I will never forget those moments (especially today since I feel like a walking corpse). I could not have done it without you.

If you have it in you I highly suggest taking the time to donate and/or participate in an event like this.

I love you all!
Jess