Thanks + Quick Update

Life is speeding along!  I wanted to post a race report this week, but looks like I won't have time at the moment. But I just wanted to mention a few things today:

1. THANK YOU to everyone who commented on "A Tale of Two Pieces!"  Wow!!!  I'm feeling humble and grateful at all of the wonderful feedback.  It's been a powerful and amazing experience to go through and read so many "Exposed" posts.  I felt like it helped me feel stronger, seeing so many people sharing what they've struggled with, what they're still struggling with, and what they love and appreciate about themselves and their bodies.
   
2. Had my every-6-months checkup with the doctor.  Normal a1c from the lab test (not sure of the number; my husband took the message), good blood pressure reading (110/74), stable weight.  I got a referral to see a podiatrist to check out my shoes and feet, and see if adjustments are needed to make sure half marathon training doesn't exacerbate the ankle.  (Which is doing much better, actually.  I did a treadmill jog on it, after a long walking warmup and followed with a long walking cooldown, and while it doesn't seem fully back to normal, it's better.)  And she told me those beautiful words, that I knew anyway, but which are still nice to hear from a pro: "You take good care of yourself."
   
3. And I walked the Pumpkin 5K!  This race has a ton of walkers in the 5K (almost all runners in the 10K, though), so it is very walking friendly.  My goal was to finish in 45 minutes or sooner (4 mph being the point at which I assume the "race walk waddle" on the treadmill), and I finished in 44:09.  Woot!  I have a humble respect for race walking now:  I was sore for a couple of days afterward!  It's definitely a different gait than a regular, brisk walk and a jog, and it hit some muscles that I wasn't using.
   
4. Flying blind:  Other than the doctor's scale, our old scale died and I'm rolling without one until our new one arrives.  I can feel that my weight is up a little, because I've been eating way too many nuts lately.