Training and Learning

As many of you know, I will be walking in the DFW 3-Day again this year alongside my brothers, Travis and Trevor, and in memory of my Mom, Margaret Rose. This is a 60 mile walk over the course of 3 days (Fri-Sun Nov. 7-9). This year we walk from Southfork Ranch in Plano to the Campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. We walk, eat and sleep/camp on the route.

I have walked this event twice in the past. Once with my Mom in 2005, and again with my brothers in 2006 in Mom's memory. The first time I "trained" by walking/running on my treadmill everyday until the event. The second time I "trained" by walking around the neighborhood several times a week. I have to say, the first time I walked it was easier and I think it's because I was more prepared. In 2006, I ended up with more blisters, really sore feet, and an "injured" knee.

So..... Since the neighborhood I live in now is too hilly to really train, and because I now have twin boys that limit my ability to do much of anything when they are awake.....I got a treadmill again!! Maybe this will also help me lose some of my "baby belly" that won't seem to go away - that would be a nice bonus. Of course, I got a new pair of "skates" as well... I'll be walking circles around my brothers :o)


Another thing I am suppose to be training for/learning is Spanish. My intensive course was set to begin this past Monday (Sept. 15th) at 9am. We all got up early, got the boys fed, and headed to the Official Language School in Santa Cruz. I went to class and the boys went home...

I soon found out that class wasn't actually going to start that day. It seemed the Spanish Education Authority had not sent the school 6 of the staff members they needed to start the session (5 teachers and 1 front desk person). The Authority also had not approved the intensive course I (and at least 30 others) were enrolled in. So, in a show of solidarity and in an effort to put pressure on the Authority, none of the classes will begin until they have all the teachers for all of the languages. So, we sit and wait... and check the website to see when class will start and if my intensive class gets approved at all. If not, I will go into the regular class (5 hours of instruction per week instead of 10).

I did get to take a terribly difficult test on Monday though to determine my level. It was 85 grammar/meaning/usage questions, and 15 oral response questions. I swear there were so many words in Spanish I had never heard before that I thought they had made them up. Come to find out, I am tentatively place in beginning level 1B... (that's one level above 1A and two above "don't even try to learn Spanish, you are a lost cause"). I still have to do a conversation test with the professor to determine my exact level, but I'm not sure when I will be doing that.

So, I will start class whenever... In the meantime, we are all just hanging out trying not to drive each other crazy. The boys are well and learning new stuff all the time. I have more to post about them which I will try to do tomorrow...

P.S. - You can support me by donating to the 3-Day on my Personal Page, or support my team members by going to our Team Page.