What does it take to prepare yourself for a cross-country walk from Fresno to the Statue of Liberty, even if it is only monitoring steps and plotting the progress on a map?

Of course, it takes the usual — training, healthy eating and sleep (I have the training part figured out. I’m sort of OK with eating and we can file sleep under “needs improvement.”). But I admit to being unprepared for the mental aspect of this journey.

It takes discipline and good fortune to hit a goal of 6 miles or so per day. I started out strong, but life has gotten in the way over the past few weeks. A trip to DC and Pennsylvania, a particularly busy time at work, and joyful weekends with my three grandchildren have thrown me a bit off schedule. But I also am a bit frustrated that I’ve been at this for 48 days and am still in California — a little bit away from the Nevada border. I know I haven’t taken the “crow flies” route in California, heading south on 99 and then picking up 58 to go toward Barstow and Vegas, so I’m hoping once I get out of California that I will be getting through other states more quickly. I have to remind myself that California is 3.5 times the size of New York and three times the size of Florida and could fit 6.8 West Virginias.

Onward!

By the numbers:

Miles walked: 270.4

Miles to go to reach Statue of Liberty: 2,655

Average miles per day to reach Statue of Liberty by 70th birthday (unofficial goal): 6.63