Training today: None. Thankfully. Tuesday is my one day of the week without training. But as expected my arms are achy from lifting weights yesterday, so they enjoyed the reprieve.

Despite the “rest day,” it’s been amazingly busy anyway. Tuesday has become the one day of the week when I can clean, do laundry, run errands, and all the many other to-dos of the week.

On today’s list was shopping for some sports apparel for the hike. The program includes education in addition to training – and one of the things I’ve learned very quickly is that having the right gear is really important. Synthetic fabrics and fleece rule. My gear stash is almost complete now: A day pack with hydration system, quick-dry pants that zip off to be shorts, a synthetic (and quick dry) shirt, a fleece for warmth, a sun-blocking hat and good hiking boots with synthetic socks. Thankfully I already had a few of the items like the boots, hat and socks. And Hike for Discovery provided the shirt (complete with the team logo on it). Still on my shopping list: A waterproof breathable jacket in case of rain and a waterproof camera case for my SLR. The camera case isn’t part of the requirements, but if I’m hiking the Grand Canyon, I’m going to take my good camera with me. And I want it to be safe.

I’ve been trying to space the purchases out so that it isn’t too overwhelming on the pocketbook. And I’ve been eating in a little more than usual. But it’s a great investment since I plan to keep up the hiking even after the Canyon event. (No worries, if you donated to the hike, your money is NOT going to my shopping sprees. It’s going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society;-) Of course if you haven’t donated… there’s still time: http://www.active.com/donate/hfdsf/hfdJHoadle (Sorry – you’re going to get tired of hearing that from me, but I’ve still got a long way to go to that minimum goal!)