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| Good morning, you handsome thingsssssss! |
5:00 a.m.: Seriously? It’s morning
already? How did that happen? And why does Jim have The Most Annoying Ringtone Ever for his alarm??? 5:01 a.m.: I. Need. Coffee. 5:10
a.m.: Okay, brain starting to wake up. No response yet from the rest of me.
5:14 a.m.: Trying to
rush my morning stretching leads to cramps. Oops.
5:35 a.m.: I catch a glimpse of
myself in the mirror—wow. Not a hair out of place. I love Amy! Amy is the best! I love my straightened hair that requires
absolutely no effort this morning when we’re so pressed for time! Did I mention I love Amy??? (Okay, seriously for a sec, I know this may not seem like such a big deal, but when we're talking about saving
me time—and, more importantly, the effort of holding my arms above my head—when I’m already getting up at
5 a.m. on a day that I’m going to push the absolute limits of my physical abilities, it’s HUGE.) 6:00 a.m.: Uh-oh…it’s
possible that all the time I saved on my hair will need to be spent flat-ironing Nick’s. ..
6:30 a.m.: …or brushing Emily’s…how can she always wake up with
such terrifying bedhead?
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| Poor Carrie Bradshaw had to settle for Manolo Blahniks since I already snapped up these beauties. |
7:00 a.m.: Ugly-but-functional sandals? Check. Shorts cut above the knee, allowing more leg movement than
the waterlogged capri pants from last year? Check. Belt so shorts don’t sag and interfere with leg movement? Check.
Socks with the ugly sandals—giant nerd alert!—to prevent blisters, while keeping my toes safe from the severe
bruising they suffered at other Walks? Check. I think that addresses
all the major pitfalls I've faced in previous years and sets me up for the best Walk possible. Wonder what new challenges
I'll discover this year? 7:38 a.m.: We’re heading out of the
room only a few minutes later than planned. Wow!
7:46 a.m.: We are already starting off waaaay better than last year,
with a mere five-minute wait at the valet stand for the car (versus nearly 45 minutes last year). Hooray! 8:00 a.m.: Montrose or Wilson? Montrose
or Wilson? Montrose it is… 8:03 a.m.: …and we chose wisely! Another good omen. 8:10 a.m.: Can’t find Renée’s
family or Jim’s parents yet. We’re staking out a spot for our tents, while we wait for them to reply to Emily’s
and Nick’s texts...
8:14 a.m.: Okay.
It’s official: We are the first ones here from our team. Wait, let me say that again. We Are The First Ones Here From
Our Team. Seriously. 8:20
a.m.: And here comes my sister’s family. This is unprecedented. I’m pretty sure Renée thinks she’s
hallucinating. We can’t possibly be here this early. I’m thinking she’s hallucinating too. Or we’re
both dreaming. Or something. 8:22 a.m.: Our early arrival makes me feel like anything is possible. Maybe
I really will walk the whole way?
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| Wait, when was Emily ever SITTING DOWN with the t-shirt-on-a-pole??? |
8:35
a.m.: Jim’s folks arrive with tons of supplies for the post-Walk picnic, and Jay gets right to work setting up his tent.
8:42 a.m.: Emily is running around, waving the t-shirt-on-a-pole to
attract the attention of our team members as they arrive. Wonder if she'll have any energy left when it comes time to actually
walk the two miles?
9:05 a.m.: Our team is trickling in,
and it looks like we’re going to have an amazing turnout! Somehow a team of 100+ people looks way more
impressive in person than it does listed in 9-point font on our Walk4Life team page...
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| The first couple of steps go smoothly... Zacky checks to see if I'm still coming. |
10:20 a.m.: The Walk stepped off
later than usual this year, and our team is just now approaching the starting line. We’re officially off!
10:28 a.m.: Nick has all the little boys lined up behind him
like little ducks, waiting their turns for a piggyback ride. Wonder if he'd notice if I get in line? |
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| Ahem, surely I needed a piggyback ride more than these energetic youngsters? |
11:00 a.m.: I passed someone!!!!!!!! 11:04 a.m.: Okay, all the stopping and starting at street crossings
is getting a little frustrating. Once I'm moving, it's easier to stay in motion than it is to halt and restart, halt and restart,
halt and restart. (And if only my dad were here, he would be glad to tell us—at length—exactly why that is.
And I would be sooo happy to hear that lecture...) 12:04 p.m.: |
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12:15 p.m.:
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