9:00 am — On the road again.
Pretty neighborhood! I have really had the privilege of walking through some beautiful areas on spectacular mornings!
9:41 am — moving slowly, carefully… Feeling OK!
10:10 am — Second break to ice the shin. About 6 miles walked so far!
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7:00 am Leaving Carlsbad
8:31am First break — about 2.8 miles walked — teensy tiny baby steps!!!
9:00 am — On the road again… El Camino Real
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Slept well after a long soak and food, and this morning I am feeling cautiously optimistic. I have some concerns about my left shin. My forefoot blister looks worse but it doesn’t bother me now. It is healing and turning more to a blood blister/hematoma at base of toes. This might be why my left shin has developed the really bad shin splints. I think I may have been shifting weight to compensate. Fortunately, the shin splints are only on the left leg.
Dr. Monica, 5:00am Day 7 –May 15
I think the problem yesterday was that I was on a bike trail where I could not easily meet up with Bill for breaks in the RV. I had gotten into such a great rhythm the previous days of stopping every 3 miles to powder down my feet, change socks, put my legs up, eat and re-hydrate with Gatorade.
Yesterday I was on the road for 9 miles without any of that: I believe the frustration and eagerness to make up the lost time just led to a cascade of cramping and exhaustion.
The expectations for today: after some advice from a friend who is a long-distance running coach in Thailand, I will be I will be taking teeny tiny baby steps…. “Ultrarunners have some slogans: “Start slow then taper off” and “relentless forward progress, one foot at time” –Karl KunzToday the overall mileage on the map is much shorter, but my pace will be SLOW AND STEADY –reminiscent of Captain Tom – I just wish I had his walker for support – by the end of today I might need to buy one!
Dr. Monica 6am Day 7 May 15
Here is the map route plan for today. Hopefully with lots of breaks and no major changes!!
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5:05pm Arrival in Carlsbad! 15.5 miles today!
Well you can’t keep her down for long! Pretty much right after I posted the photo of her lying down with ice packs, she was already up again — taping her shins and ready to take on the last leg of today’s revised itinerary: Camp Pendleton Main Gate to Carlsbad: the last 4.5 miles of the day!
Here she is — slowly but VERY determined to get to Carlsbad!
In her own words:
See the map below for how this difficult day actually progressed.
Monica, May 14th
I definitely got quite a lot of mileage walked — just not all in a continuous line!!
I am SO GLAD to have Bill close by for situations like today!
Things could have ended in disaster without this incredible man watching out for me!
Photos from the road before: Camp Pendleton Main Gate to Oceanside:
Another hotel with bath tonight and tomorrow we head to San Marcos!! Thanks to all of you for your healing thoughts and prayers! And to everyone who has made a donation today!
Please click below to make a donation.
Every small amount can add up to feed a lot of animals in need!!
NOTE:
Dr. Monica would like nothing more than to help
ALL the animals world-wide! So she has officially registered docwalks4animals as a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity whose mission is to support wildlife and environmental conservation projects.
“If you routinely give something to charity each year, I hope you will consider adding docwalks4animals.org to your list of supported charities. We are brand new, but I put together what I consider a very talented and dynamic board of directors, who bring diverse talents to our organization and, with your help, I am confident we can do great things for our planet.”
–Dr. Monica Metzdorf
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Well, out of an abundance of caution due to signs like this on the ground:
and like this overhead:
Dr. Monica backtracked 4.1 miles, leaving her at 10:00 am with a total of 9.1 miles to be back exactly where she was at 6:42am:
Lunch break, short siesta and a new plan.
Bill drove Monica onto the Base, they found safe roads for her to walk on and she is going to try to make her way through the base to the Main Gate.
She’s a real ninja. Took time to check out the Obstacle Course.
Bill
Not the straight through route but much nicer and more peaceful!
Reggie found a friend on the Camp Pendleton Base!
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7:12 am Bike trail to Las Pulgas Gate
7:50 am Fitbit says I’ve gone about 4.5 miles so far.
After walking about 5.5 miles: Oooops trail closed ?? Someone rolled the orange fencing back, does that mean it’s OK??
Message from Bill:
Bill Metzdorf
Rather than risk running into a live fire exercise on Pendleton, Monica turned around & is walking back to the Ranger station where I dropped her off. I’ll pick her up & drive her to the Las Pulgas gate. (She will still have put in her 10+ miles, just not completely in one direction! )
The ranger we spoke to at the trail head said that the trail will take you all the way to San Diego… He may not have been aware that the trail halfway to Las Pulgas Gate was closed and/or failed to mention that getting there would involve trespassing on government property!
9:45am 8 miles Monica just texted and sent this video:
The path here is certainly worth walking twice, especially on such a gorgeous day, but I am a bit disappointed. Also I’m just hurting a bit more today with the shin splints- would’ve met up with Bill at least once by now to drink Gatorade and rub down with my magic muscle spasm potion. I have food and water- that’s not an issue. Just the other “luxuries” I’m missing right now!
Dr. Monica
10:07 am “Just made it back to where Bill dropped me off.! He is not here yet but I have a place to sit in the shade!”
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6 am — Start from San Onofre State Beach very cool morning
The sun is rising…
6:34 am Precarious walking in traffic around the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. So grateful that Bill is here to support me in tricky situations like these!
6:42 am Hopefully this bike route will take me all the way to the gate! Taking quick break while I have Bill here- because I will now go on a bike path and he has to go around to get to the gate.
Another gorgeous morning!
Route today: San Onofre via Camp Pendleton to Oceanside.
Dr. Monica, Thursday May 14th
Fortunately, Bill served over 20 years in the Army National Guard and has been able to get approval for me to cross the base but I need to go through the Las Pulgas Gate with him to verify ID etc.
Once on the base, I will follow the bike route.
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3:15pm Arrival San Onofre!
She made it!! 15.1 miles in 8 hours 25 minutes! Almost the entire way along the coastline and beaches!!
A few miles earlier:
Congratulations Moni!! You are incredible!!
Sunset Day 5!
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11:30am Brunch break
Made it to San Clemente before noon!!!! Should be able to make it to the gate a Camp Pendleton today- which should break up the mileage a bit tomorrow!
Had a nice break, ate lunch, put my legs up, powdered feet and took care of the blisters on my feet. Getting on the road again!!
1:26pm — Fitbit says I have walked 12.3 miles –29,618 steps.
