Cupcakes and handstands!

I'm so proud of my Team Challenge walkers today. They all got through the longest walk yet with flying colors. We cruised through six miles in Coronado which is further than some of them have ever walked before. What a rush. Coronado is such a pretty place to walk. Our six miler started with views of the San Diego skyline and the Big Bay. After dipping under the Coronado Bridge, bright blue (Kelly's favorite color, of course... I'll get to that later), we walked alongside the swank golf course, towards the famous Hotel Del Coronado and down the Silver Strand bike path to the turn around.

Three miles out: easy. Three miles back: easy as pie... er, cupcakes, that is.

Awesome TC mentor Mindy baked up some delicious homemade cupcakes that would have looked as awesome as they tasted if not for sitting in a hot car for an hour and a half. Ooops. Next time, we'll have hot fudge or something, right? Excellent.

Today was a special day, too, because we honored Kelly, one of my most excellent walkers. Not only did she celebrate her birthday earlier in the week, she is one of this season's honorees. So, when we're out training and racing in Napa, we're doing it for you, Kelly! And since Kelly's favorite color is blue and she likes bright neon colors, some of us got all spiffed up in our brightest outfits. Kelly was so sweet to give me the prize for craziest-dressed dude today. Thank you! After walking, running and eating cupcakes, we got to show off our other skills like hula-hooping, limbo dancing, and hand-standing. Kelly went easy on me and let me win the hand-standing, which I am VERY proud of. So, thanks again Kelly, and congrats on your birthday.

This was a big week for both the runners and the walkers. We started doing a little speed play on Wednesday night and today was a long one. Next week, we'll do even more. I can't wait!

Coaching New Athletes

The San Diego Team Challenge spring season started two weeks ago and I'm excited to see such a wide range of athletes. I'm the walking coach, joined by two great running coaches, Sean and Dave. We're into our third week of training and people are really starting to see the benefits of regular walking. Some of the walkers who are tackling the Napa-Sonoma Half-Marathon walk regularly, some used to walk and still others have never done an exercise program of any sort. Beginners and experts, together on the same journey. It's going to be great. It reminds me of a book that I read back in a college religion course called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." No matter who you are or what your experiences, live in the moment and realize that we all have so much to learn. That's why I love seeing people who are just getting started as athletes because even though I have been doing this for years, I can learn so much from them.

I hope to revisit this blog more regularly. Now that I'm coaching a great group of walkers and runners, I should keep a record of the journey that we take together. I've taken a big step away from competitive racewalking in the past year. Some of it has been by choice, some by circumstance. I'd like to get back to it, but time will tell at what level of involvement and commitment.

Here's a photo of some of the coaches getting introduced at the Napa Kick-Off party:


And one at the end of a recent training session: