Step 1: Walk a 5K

In my quest to complete a half-marathon, I’m starting with the slightly more attainable goal of walking a 5K. Gotta start somewhere, right? I got the idea when some friends of ours told us that they’re running a 5K on the morning of New Year’s Eve around the beautiful Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. Initially, I felt kind of sad hearing them talk about it because it reminded me of my goal to run a half-marathon, which my physical therapist advised me is no longer a good idea since I developed compression fractures in my back earlier this year due to long-term steroid use. But then I thought, what if Zack and I walked it together? Even if I can’t run, I’m still pushing myself and achieving something by walking that distance, and I’m getting to spend valuable time and create memories with friends in the process.

I’ve been fairly active and athletic my whole life, so I didn’t even consider needing to “train” for walking a 5K. But then again, I’ve never recovered from a bone marrow transplant. Zack suggested that we practice walking a 5K to see how long it would take us, so yesterday afternoon, we set out on our trek. I have to admit, I was pretty sore afterwards and slept like a baby last night, but I felt like I accomplished something. This week we’re hoping to walk a couple more 5Ks during our anniversary trip to Carmel, where the scenery should be a tad nicer than the apartment buildings and convenience stores of our neighborhood :).