Sometimes training looks like a carefully planned walk with the right clothes, the right shoes, and plenty of time.

Sometimes it looks like leaving the VA in Little Rock and deciding to walk about eight miles to the airport—in scrubs.

I knew I could handle the distance. What I did not know was that the route included a long, steep climb, stretches without sidewalks, and more grass and brush than I expected.

By the time I reached the airport, my clothes were soaked. I made a direct trip to the bathroom, tried to make myself presentable, refilled on water, and hoped nobody on the flight would sit too close.

It was not a glamorous training day, but it was certainly a memorable one. And somehow, I finished the day with 23,445 steps.

The road does not always look the way you pictured it. Occasionally, neither do you.