Educational Resources Are At Our Fingertips! Click on "Data Probe"!

My hamstring injury is completely healed as of   September 23, 2006  click for a bit of Astronomy as it relates to today's date!!  a day of the Autumnal Equinox! It's exercise time again!

Lesson Review E-29  Moving Along Towards a 26.2 mile Marathon in March of 2006: Weight..265 lb (June 2005)....... Projected Marathon weight in March of 2006 = 198 pounds!)

 Please read the story, " Y2K....  I Cried",  below!  Also click on:  McAlpins Vs Los Angeles

Today, November 1, 2005  .......Skip ahead to November 12, 2005   A birthday party

Today, I will arise at the early morning hour of 5:00 AM to prepare for my 5 mile walk to Anderson Park. It is now 1:00AM. I have allowed myself sleep between 7 and 11 PM and am now awake for a while. The day before yesterday, it was back to the grindstone as I walked in the afternoon for approximately 3.5 miles.

Monday was a day of much needed "in-between-rest" as I ventured to Temecula with Aubry and Gayle on a bus trip.

Diet..Sunday. Ongoing: Breakfast consists of one boiled egg, one piece of toast and a small bowl of oatmeal...       Lunch-dinner combination consisted of a plate of spinach, a plate of black-eyed peas, one neck bone and a small piece of corn bread.  An afternoon snack consisted of ten vegetable wheat thins with a small amount of cheese spread.

Diet... Monday...More of the same breakfast, without the oatmeal: Lunch consisted of vegetable thins and water...Dinner consisted of a 300 calorie "Healthy Choice" meal of Salisbury steak and vegetables.  

Today: November 13, 2005... I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped onto the scales this morning. My weight was 228 pounds!

Today: November 16, 2005...Thanksgiving dinner (7:00 PM) at New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church in Rancho Dominguez: Gave thanks to God for all of the things He has done and will do in 2005. Dinner consisted of turkey, dressing, yams, mac and cheese, pound cake and a scoop of ice cream.

Today: December 12, 2005......my speed-aerobics-walk intensifies...longest trek of 9 miles is accomplished by moving to Avalon and University Streets from 19009 Laurel Park Road. I am singing, dancing and praising God all of the way! The decrease in weight has really energized me! I am drinking "Vitamin Water" that replaces all lost electrolytes during my sweating and moving.

I have begun an " aerobic praise speed walk". My song of choice is "In the Sanctuary". It's fast-paced music allows me a cadence that I wave my arms to, skip along to, twist along to, and praise along with, as I move along towards Anderson Park at a 12-13 mile per hour clip. Truckers honk their horns at me as I whiz along, motorist wave at me and give me a thumbs up. School children stare in amazement at my graceful waving of my outstretched arms and my twisting hands and fingers. I am alive! Alive with a Godly praise. Alive with thanksgiving in my heart. I really am getting my praise of God on: for giving me the strength to forget about the sudden tired feeling that threatens to creep into the back of my knee.

I am now at Anderson Park and feeling no pain. I move towards the "fitness course" and look towards my cement mound at the center of the course. I move up to the apex and lift my hands to the Heavens in praise of God. Perhaps, a tear or two form and drop from my eyes. The tears mix freely with the sweat that has escaped my cotton headband. The tears and sweat stream down my face in spite of the 60 degree weather! I am energized to make my way around the Park and onward to my home at 19009 Laurel Park Road. I look forward to the steep road and the challenging climb of it.

I am now back home, but still feel as if I want to continue. There will be more time for those thoughts, though, as I continue my trek towards March of 2006 and yet another Los Angeles Marathon.

Today: November 25, 2005... a new milestone: I decided to extend my aerobics walk by another 3 miles. I ventured past Anderson Park to somewhere between Central Avenue and Avalon along University Street. I took to the bicycle lane because  the trees and other obstacles to my arm-waving style hindered my movements. I was gratified to return to my home without any tiredness or pain! The total round trip was 8 miles!

Today: March 12, 2006. Weight 200 pounds and holding! Total weight loss.....65 pounds!

                        A look back to...Y2K ............" I CRIED "

Dawn made its way along the streets of Dominguez Hills, California. Car lights were turned off as drivers passed by me. Some horns were blown, perhaps to signal a "hello" to me. I raised both five pound chrome weights above my head as a signal that said, "hello to you, too." 

I felt a slight bit of pain in a leg and began to cry. Could it be the return of an old injury? Had I sped-walked up a hill a little too fast? I cried because the pain was getting worse.

There I was, three miles into my early morning speed walk. A walk that I had done each and every day for the past 6 weeks. A walk that saw me carry 5-pound weights in each hand. A walk that saw me pump them up and down as I moved at a 5 m.p.h. pace. A walk that saw my body soaked in perspiration. A walk that had reduced my weight by 20 pounds. There I was amidst the early morning drivers who wondered if I was in my right mind for carrying on such a rigorous exercise routine at 6:40 AM on a Saturday morning. And I was crying.

The tears came a little faster and I cried out aloud. I cried out aloud because the tears had suddenly turned to tears of happiness. A Spirit came over me that said, "I am blessing you". 

The tears were now flowing because I gave thanks and praises to God. I thank Him for allowing me to have the strength to speed walk. I thank Him for making me realize that I had to take better care of myself, causing my weight to drop from 276 pounds last year to 216 this year. I thank God for all of the students of the "Free Tutoring Service" and for allowing me to assist with their education and well-being. I thank God for all of the supporters who have come forth to assist me financially or otherwise. I thank God for Charles (Fairfield, Alabama High School classmate) and  his wife, Catherine, Jackson for contributing $100 to the Tutoring Service on January 13th. God told us to step out on faith and He would see to all of our needs. I thank God for the "information package" that I sent to Magic Johnson, whose staff thought it was an excellent program. I cried because the Spirit told me that Magic Johnson himself would hear our plea for financial assistance. I cried because we are already successful. We have our Organization rooted in God, and we cannot fail. 

I cried out loud until I realized that the pain was now gone! I was floating on air! The weights were like feathers in my hands and I felt a tremendous amount of power flowing in my legs! I wanted to run! My speed had increased to an 11-minute mile! My headband had become so saturated that it shed some of the water! The sweat ran freely down my face! I had traveled 2 more miles and didn't realize it! I was making my turn back onto Laurel Park Road and my speed was still at an 11-minute per mile pace when I climbed the steep hill to my home! 

I know that I am in the Hands of God. I can now relax and do the Los Angeles Marathon on March 5, 2000. I know that it will be a personal best!