I just got off the phone with Deb, our coach. She hooked me up with the towel service, which I had not signed up for when I checked in. She also gave me some last minute tips. Packing: your sleeping bag MUST be packed INSIDE your “not over 35 lbs” duffel bag..she insists that stuffing it in works! Camp: Bring something, anything,to make your tent stand out from others, or you may stumble into the wrong one on your way back from showering or eating! I’m bringing my Tampa Bay Bucs Flag to pin on ours…I’m sure that will go over real well in Eagle Town! And, don’t forget the plastic tarp to put over it, as the evening dew up there may seep through! Medical: Do not worry too much about moleskin, band aids, tylenol, etc…unless you need something specific, they have all of that at the medical tent and pit stops. The Walk: She is jealoous that she is not walking in PHL (Coaches can’t walk in the even they are coaching), as the route chosen is very scenic. Day one we will see some lovely, upscale neighborhoods going into PHL, Day Two & Three we will see a lot of the historical sites.

I did 6.5 miles on Saturday morning, left early at 07:30…. trying to beat the heat…..didn’t work!! I do hope it’s not so stinking hot up there in PHL when we do this.

I still need to get my supplies for my waist pack - moleskin, bandaids, bodyglide…etc.  Nothing like waiting til the last minute for that, right?  Drugstore.com has some great discounts right now, I found the coupon codes to use over at Coupon Chief, one of which is free shipping when you spend over $49.  Dana, Cheryl, Sindy…everyone - we need to make sure we’re not all bringing the same stuff, so we can save on space and $$.

Just did one short lap around the neighborhood, with the dogs in tow.  I’m feeling fine, but I think the dogs might pass out.  They’re both panting and gasping for air!

Cheryl and I have both been to the chriopractor, and I believe Dana went too. Cheryl turned us on to her doctor…I’m not sure if our back issues are all the same or not. We all work at computers in our jobs, so sitting at a desk all day long doesn’t help matters. It’s amazing how much better I feel when I exercise, and remember to sit up straight, and not slouch. My grandmother always said not to slouch, and she was right. Another thing that would help is a kneeler chair like this one. Sure, it looks really funky, but that position keeps your spine in the correct position for those long hours of working at your computer. Don’t worry about too much pressure being on your knees either - there’s super thick padding on there to protect those joints. They’re completely safe for people of all sizes too, because they’ve got a frame that’s built to last. When you sit in kneeler chair, your hips are tilted, which forces your back to the best position it can be in. Instead of all your weight being concentrated onto a few of your discs, it is evenly distributed across your spine to alleviate pressure. No slouching, no hunching - no pain! Wouldn’t your grandmother be proud?

I finally bought the darn sneakers.  I used Froogle and found them online at Finish Line for less than $80, and found a coupon code that covered the cost of tax and shipping.  Not too shabby!

I found a great blog called LIFT about health & fitness - it’s run by celebrity training Jim Ryno and his wife, Tanya. Jim is a frequent commentor in the magazine “Life & Style”, and writes for “Shape”, so you may have heard of him before. They offer an insiders guide to what’s hot, new and undiscoved in the world of fitness, in a blog format (gotta love that!) I’ve heard of Tanya Ryno before as she’s a television producer and a former Saturday Night Live film segment producer. Together, they provide tips on training, eating right, and the correct gear for your excercise endeavors. You can even win prizes from time to time!

I got another donation this weekend (thanks Whitney!), so I only have $255 (uhh…I think) left to go.  And with 3-ish weeks left, I’m thinking I can come up with that.  If you’re so inclined, you can donate right here!

Speaking of PayPerPost, they have a staff member who goes by the nickname of “The Flaming Tamale”.  You’ve got to wonder how someone got a nickname like that - here’s the story.  When she leaves the office for the day, she heads to a dance studio, where she teaches flamenco dancing to the senior citizens of Orlando, FL.  She had dreams of being a big time dancer, but she was rejected when she applied from “Dancing With The Stars”.  Tough break, but life goes on.  She wanted to do the 3Day Walk in Tampa, but the officials wouldn’t allow her to flamenco dance on the route, so she decided that wasn’t for her.  I wish they had let her - it would have been really entertaining for all of the walkers!  You’ll learn more about the Flaming Tamale when you get paid for blogging like I do.