Shawn, 2, Madonna and Bono

For those of you who may not know, I did a 60-mile walk about a year-and-a-half ago. Yes. You read that right. Sixty miles, over three days, in the heat of a Chicago summer, raising a ton of money for Susan G. Komen and breast cancer research. It's a great cause -- and an even greater challenge -- one that truly changed my life, spiritually, physically, mentally. My friend Steph P. and I trained for over six months to get ready for it -- meaning we walked. A lot. And then walked some more...I loved every minute of it (ok, I could have skipped the blisters, but that's another story). But walking that much? I loved it. Every single step of that spring and summer of walking, walking, walking. I've not felt that fit in a long time. And it was just from getting out to take a walk.

The winter following the 3-Day, I got pregnant. And the following summer left distance walking a quickly diminishing option as I got rounder. Last summer was my first summer with a baby -- and again, walking was not a priority so much as cramming in every minute I could with both of my guys. This past winter and spring, hot yoga and pilates have been my focus, thinking that as spring and summer arrived, I'd get out and start walking more (again). To date, that has only happened once. Until last night.

I wasn't feeling good yesterday. Feeling not so great about how I looked, how I felt. I hated what I'd chosen to wear to work that day, exasperated with my hair, not at all happy with my body. Feeling down and out and dull. Normally, this would spur a night on the couch to hopefully recharge, renew and just get rest for once. I had every intention of doing this. But instead, I took a walk last night.

I took a long, powerful, liberating walk. All over my neighborhood for nearly an hour. I didn't want to stop -- didn't want to come in from being outside and walking. I felt like I could walk for hours (and might have if it hadn't gotten dark at 9:00). And I felt good. Strong. Fit. Happy. Good (yeah, I said that already, but that's just how good I felt). And bewildered why I had let this simple and effective workout tool go so long unused and undone and unloved.

I took my iPod (something I didn't use when training for the the big walk). My iPod is a funny animal -- I don't use it all that much, and have a huge laundry list of songs I want to add, so when I do take it along for something like last night, I get caught up in what songs my Pod randomly chooses to play for me -- it's like it just knows what I need to hear, at just the right times....and because I don't listen to it all the time, these little gems still surprise me....

Sean Mullins started it all off with, "Yeah but ain't it a blessing to do what you wanna do..." Wry smile on my face, eyes on the setting sun, all I can think is yeah, I'm working on that one...right now as a matter of fact....



Tribal Dance makes me laugh somewhere in the middle. Holy cow, how long has it been since I heard this? Made me walk faster -- a lot faster. With a huge smile on my face. "You've got to move it, feel the temperature...get into it..." Yes indeed I do. Am doing....



At the end, Madonna helps me finish strong, comes on and says, "The more that I wait, the more time that I waste. I haven't got much time to waste, it's time to make my way." How true. Time right now.



Bono thrills me as I stretch and cool down with "And so she woke up, woke up from where she was lying still and said I gotta do something about where I'm going..." True beyond words.



Those randomly chosen songs last night -- these here and so many others -- made me walk faster. Farther. More confidently. Some brought a bounce to my step. Others a tear to my eye. Others were just vibrant reminders of times gone by. All made that walk absolutely amazing. Good. Great. Just what I needed really. And more importantly, they made me eager -- crazy -- to get out there and do it again. To get out there and just walk. And feel as fulfilled and powerful and strong as I did when I finished. And maybe, just maybe (ok, probably), start the journey toward another 3-Day next year. Care to join me? Come on, let's go for a walk.