Blog  #26 7 million Steps – Warrior Momz Walk – First eight weeks…

Day 57 our 9th week starts with three important milestones –

Today we completed our first 1000 miles and moved to triptik book #3!

2,000,000 steps have kicked over!

It’s hard to believe we have achieved this in eight weeks. We are on schedule to complete the

Warrior Momz Walk on Monday,  March 12, 2018.

Looking back over the last eight weeks, there have been so many highs and lows but we have kept walking through them all. I have walked 51 days, had 6 days off but, I had to walk part days in 3 of those days.

I have to say I owe this success to Kelly, she is my “Rock of Gibraltar” nothing is too much for her, and she can read maps which I am hopeless at, so she has kept me from getting lost…

Although one day in Albuquerque she actually gave me written instructions, go here turn there etc,

I got lost because I saw go left down “Edith Street” 3 miles it should have been .3 miles. As I was walking to a Rotary meeting there was a huge flurry of messages back and forward to Kelly. Not to let me down within 3 minutes she had new instructions sent to my cell and I arrived at Rotary on time!

The first six weeks were challenging for me, arriving straight from a cold Melbourne winter the 100 degree plus days played havoc with my body, causing some minor yet annoying health issues! My mental state was akin to the dark days after Josh’s accident; I couldn’t remember anything – I could read something 10 times and it wouldn’t sink in, my brain was overloaded by the stress of walking every day, dealing with at times a hostile environment and the never ending heat! And just getting used to being on the road in the RV, for someone who really hates camping, never hiked in my life, trained in the inner city of Melbourne there was a lot going on! A new friend,  Siobhan,  has helped me a lot with mentoring.  She has done the rough trail walks in the USA and told me it’s the mental side of walking that can do you in and I totally get that!

Highlights:

The evening at Ability 360 in Phoenix, we had a small but interested crowd, we enjoyed the hospitality of the wonderful team that manage this state of the art facility. Being thoroughly spoiled by Shirley & Bill Harmon and Jim & Mica Gratton, while Kelly deserted me to have 2 weeks of fun in Phoenix

The Warrior Momz Walk into Flagstaff, Jim and Mica’s commitment to make sure I had some fun as well as walking.

My Armageddon moment when the two Indian Dogs tried to attack me in Gallup.  From near hysteria with fear, by time I reached Kelly’s car three miles later I was calm and amazingly the fog from my brain had lifted.  Since that day I have started becoming my old self again. I truly think that was a test of my determination to keep walking and I guess I passed!

The Warrior Momz visit into Albuquerque: a huge thank you to Jodie & Cameron Clarke for allowing us to “park” the RV in front of their home for six nights, Cameron for helping teach us even more about the RV, we are pretty good now! Cameron & Jodie for arranging the Ch 4 news interview, Warrior Momz, Clare Morey (Colorado) , Becky  Neubert Plaszcz, (Minnesota) Laura Owens, (Southern California) flying / driving in to walk with me for two days  – I will treasure those memories and our three dinners,  it was great to meet Nancy & Greg Sullivan (Albuquerque) – these women are part of  the future of leadership in the spinal cord injury recovery movement.

Personally – For me the three biggest highlights are our sensational RV it is so perfect, (courtesy of Shirley & Bill Harmon) finding Kelly, (2 weeks before we started the walk)Kelly is my rock, and that my body hasn’t given up and continues to allow me to push it every day.

Both Kelly and I thank you all for your love, support and messages.

I would like to thank the Quad Foundation, especially Debbie Flynn,  for your support! Kay Lathrop & Doc Angela Smith for your healthy advice and supplements – through Amplified Agility.

A huge thank you to Jamie Hartnett my dear friend and Social Media Guru, and Shirley and Bill Harmon for always being there to support me!

Thank you to you all for your likes, comments, messages and shares, it means so much! We just have to start raising some serious dollars so we can actively help the community I am walking for!

Thank you to Ann Roberts for giving my hair a much needed make over in Phoenix, I have now found my brush so at least my hair gets some attention these days.

Thank you to all those who have donated and kept us going on this epic journey, a huge thank you to Leslee Massey & the “Living the Dream Foundation,” without your support we would never have commenced the Warrior Momz Walk. We are looking forward to sharing quality time with Leslee when she joins us for a few days in Dallas, to celebrate the events and walk with me!

Lastly and most important – Thank you to my family, I know I stress you all every day and I am sorry I am putting you through this, but I am in a good place,  healthy and enjoying the adventure.
I love you and miss you heaps much love to you all! xxxx