MS Walk, Sunday, May 6 in Milwaukee

This is our first walk of the year, a little warm up for our summer training to do the 50 mile walk in September.

My first memory of doing the local MS walk was in 1986, the "Spring" walk was in the end of March and it SNOWED. The walk was 15 miles back then. I had never participated in a organized walk and scoffed at the walkers that were warming up and stretching. I remember thinking, it's walking...how hard can that be? 15 miles, in the snow, about 5 hours later I was singing a different tune. My toes were cracked open and bleeding (yuck). I rode the school bus back to the start line, drove myself home and went to bed. I remember leaving a note on my feedback sheet-make it later in the year if you can.

26 years later (is that possible?)and I am a whole lotta smarter. Not only do we train to walk, we warm up, stretch and then stretch at the end. My daughters usually go with me now and sometimes other friends and family are able to join in. I think I've missed 3 or 4 walks since 1986. In 1987 I was 9 months pregnant and didn't think it would be a good idea to go into labor that day, so I volunteered instead. In 1988 I volunteered again and then in 1991 when I had my third daughter I did the same. I seem to remember missing another one in there somewhere, but it doesn't really matter.

What does matter is that we're doing it again this year!

I'm excited that the walk is in May, pray for sunny skies (or at least no snow)~mpr