Because it's hard to walk when there are a million people just standing around. Getting to the mall to walk before it opens is a great thing. No distracting shops (the windows can be a bit diverting, though) and all the other people that are there are also there to walk. Everybody goes the same direction (wonder who decided it should be counterclockwise? I wonder if it's just instinctive to go to the right?) and it works really well.
Today, though, there was a big event at the mall that started before it opened for business. A local radio talk show host has a "radiothon" that benefits the Salvation Army. It's a terrific cause and I support the Salvation Army, so I'm not really complaining. It's once a year, and it's not like the walkers have exclusive rights to the mall before ten a.m.
Steps taken: 11,405
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Another milestone!
Yay, my first ten-thousand-step day! Four laps around the mall is almost ten thousand all by itself, and then I went grocery shopping.
Way sore in the knees after these long hard walks, but it's the only way that I'm going to get in shape for sixty miles of it. The more I do it, the better it'll feel. And I do feel good right after. Got an endorphin rush today that was unbelievable. But a little *more* after, the muscles lock up. Gotta figure out a way around that. Motrin is my very best friend right now.
Steps taken: 10,673!
Way sore in the knees after these long hard walks, but it's the only way that I'm going to get in shape for sixty miles of it. The more I do it, the better it'll feel. And I do feel good right after. Got an endorphin rush today that was unbelievable. But a little *more* after, the muscles lock up. Gotta figure out a way around that. Motrin is my very best friend right now.
Steps taken: 10,673!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Gotta set a reminder...
...to post in here. I remembered that I hadn't done Tuesday's post at about 3:30 in the morning, when I woke up. I poked my nose out from under the covers, realized it was kinda cold and dark out there, and turned over to think about whether I wanted to get up and go post. Next thing I knew, the alarm was going off. Sheesh.
Tuesday's step count: 7595
Wednesday's: 6150 (didn't mall-walk but still had a fairly active day...which is kind of a bummer because I was trying to stay off of the massive BLISTER I've developed...owch...
I'm going to the mall tomorrow, though, if I have to limp the whole three miles.....
Tuesday's step count: 7595
Wednesday's: 6150 (didn't mall-walk but still had a fairly active day...which is kind of a bummer because I was trying to stay off of the massive BLISTER I've developed...owch...
I'm going to the mall tomorrow, though, if I have to limp the whole three miles.....
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday's stats...
Steps taken: 7653
Pounds lost: 2!
Inches lost: 0 (wasn't expecting anything visible here yet)
Pounds lost: 2!
Inches lost: 0 (wasn't expecting anything visible here yet)
Hmmm...weekends could be a problem...
...but only if I let it. No more days off - even if I don't go for an actual walk at the mall (or outside, once it gets nicer), I'm still walking, and still need to keep track. The only trouble with that is, I don't like wearing shoes at home, and the pedometer is on the shoe. Have to figure out a way around that.
No more days off from posting, either. Even if it's just a step count, I'm going to do this every day. A day off is just too far down the slippery slope of "meh, never mind, I'm just not in the mood." I have a feeling that it's going to happen. There will be a day when I'm just feeling rotten, and not going to feel like walking, and I'm going to have to tough it out. I know me - if I give in to that feeling once, it's going to be very difficult (if not impossible) to get back on track. I've done it before.
So...Friday's total was just a few steps more than the day before. 7468.
Didn't keep track on Saturday or Sunday. Not going to do that again, but for now there's no step count to post.
Today's been good so far. The mall where I walk has multiple levels, so there are stairs, which is good. Last week it was just one trip up and down the stairs. Today it was two. Going to keep that up, and add one each week.
Met a new walking buddy today. Saw a woman at the mall walking toward me, and she was wearing something familiar around her neck - the 3-Day milestone badge. It's a little card that they send you, along with a sheet of stickers for milestones (first training walk, first donation, first 10-mile training walk, that sort of thing) to keep track of your progress. So I struck up a conversation with her and we ended up walking together for an hour. It was great!
Mentioned to both walking buddies that I want to hit five miles by the end of this week or the beginning of next. I know that one of them at least will hold me to it.
It's supposed to snow four inches tonight. Ugh. I can't let it stop me.
Will post today's step count at the end of the day.
No more days off from posting, either. Even if it's just a step count, I'm going to do this every day. A day off is just too far down the slippery slope of "meh, never mind, I'm just not in the mood." I have a feeling that it's going to happen. There will be a day when I'm just feeling rotten, and not going to feel like walking, and I'm going to have to tough it out. I know me - if I give in to that feeling once, it's going to be very difficult (if not impossible) to get back on track. I've done it before.
So...Friday's total was just a few steps more than the day before. 7468.
Didn't keep track on Saturday or Sunday. Not going to do that again, but for now there's no step count to post.
Today's been good so far. The mall where I walk has multiple levels, so there are stairs, which is good. Last week it was just one trip up and down the stairs. Today it was two. Going to keep that up, and add one each week.
Met a new walking buddy today. Saw a woman at the mall walking toward me, and she was wearing something familiar around her neck - the 3-Day milestone badge. It's a little card that they send you, along with a sheet of stickers for milestones (first training walk, first donation, first 10-mile training walk, that sort of thing) to keep track of your progress. So I struck up a conversation with her and we ended up walking together for an hour. It was great!
Mentioned to both walking buddies that I want to hit five miles by the end of this week or the beginning of next. I know that one of them at least will hold me to it.
It's supposed to snow four inches tonight. Ugh. I can't let it stop me.
Will post today's step count at the end of the day.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Mindset changing already...
Not quite a week into this process, I'm noticing a lot of little mental changes. The way I approach food is one of them. Everything that I pick up with the intent of eating is now considered - which, let me tell you, is a vast improvement on the previous approach. This walking is hard, and I imagine there will be times when I really don't want to do it. So, adding to the problem by eating things I shouldn't (and no doubt too much of what I should) is incredibly counterproductive.
The attitude toward physical exertion in general - which I tended to avoid before - is also changing. Sixty miles in three days is going to be an awesome challenge. The more I move now, the more active I get quickly, the better off I will be.
Had a walking buddy today. Someone who has walked in every single 3-Day for the last two years, and plans to do it again this year. Talk about amazing. He's so inspiring, and it's nice to have someone who knows the ins and outs of this experience so well. He says that the Michigan crew is the best, and camping is fun. I sure hope so, because I hate camping. To me, roughing it is no white gloves on the waiters when they bring room service. But I think this is going to be different. For one thing, the sense of community that I'm getting from this is already really great. I think that being there in a campground full of people who have been through the same thing is going to be great. Everything I've read says this will be the most amazing life-changing experience I could have. We'll see.
But having a walking buddy really made the time go faster. I walked a little harder and farther than I have before. Also addressed the pedometer malfunction - tied it into my shoelaces so it registers every step. Yesterday, I walked all the way around the mall one time, which is supposed to be a mile, or somewhere around two thousand steps for me. Well, I looked after the first mile and it said....ninety-seven. Oops.
I figured it was the positioning, so I put it on my shoe today. It registered every step. By the time I left the mall at nine o'clock this morning, I had already exceeded yesterday's total for the whole day. At this rate I'll get to ten thousand steps by early next week, which will be great.
Steps taken: 7,126!
The attitude toward physical exertion in general - which I tended to avoid before - is also changing. Sixty miles in three days is going to be an awesome challenge. The more I move now, the more active I get quickly, the better off I will be.
Had a walking buddy today. Someone who has walked in every single 3-Day for the last two years, and plans to do it again this year. Talk about amazing. He's so inspiring, and it's nice to have someone who knows the ins and outs of this experience so well. He says that the Michigan crew is the best, and camping is fun. I sure hope so, because I hate camping. To me, roughing it is no white gloves on the waiters when they bring room service. But I think this is going to be different. For one thing, the sense of community that I'm getting from this is already really great. I think that being there in a campground full of people who have been through the same thing is going to be great. Everything I've read says this will be the most amazing life-changing experience I could have. We'll see.
But having a walking buddy really made the time go faster. I walked a little harder and farther than I have before. Also addressed the pedometer malfunction - tied it into my shoelaces so it registers every step. Yesterday, I walked all the way around the mall one time, which is supposed to be a mile, or somewhere around two thousand steps for me. Well, I looked after the first mile and it said....ninety-seven. Oops.
I figured it was the positioning, so I put it on my shoe today. It registered every step. By the time I left the mall at nine o'clock this morning, I had already exceeded yesterday's total for the whole day. At this rate I'll get to ten thousand steps by early next week, which will be great.
Steps taken: 7,126!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Trekking 'round the mall....
It's a darned good thing I go to the mall before it opens. I'd be in big trouble if that wasn't the case.
Had a bit of a pedometer malfunction, but the following is the best guess given my stride length and the number of inches in a mile....Went a little farther today - 2.2 miles. Which equates to:
Steps taken: 6,763
Had a bit of a pedometer malfunction, but the following is the best guess given my stride length and the number of inches in a mile....Went a little farther today - 2.2 miles. Which equates to:
Steps taken: 6,763
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wow, better today!
Went to the mall. It was great - a mile and a half, with stairs in there, both up and down. Definitely better stats than yesterday, hooray!
Steps taken: 3622!!
Steps taken: 3622!!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Today's Stats
Wow...REALLY slow day. Spent most of it on the computer - which, while I had a good reason, happens far too often.
Ah well...lots of room for improvement. I've done some research and found a local mall that opens at 7:00 a.m. for walkers. I'm so there in the morning.
Steps taken: 900
Ah well...lots of room for improvement. I've done some research and found a local mall that opens at 7:00 a.m. for walkers. I'm so there in the morning.
Steps taken: 900
Training...looks like I'm on my own for a bit
Almost everyone I talk to says that they're going to start training "when the weather breaks." Ummm...hello, this is Michigan. It could be MAY before that happens.
So...time to charge up - and load up - the MP3 player and head for the mall. My terrific sister said she would train with me, but she is so NOT a morning person. I'll find a way to take her up on that but it's not going to be first thing in the morning. I'll do those walks alone or with someone else walking in the 3-day...I'm not so cruel as to drag my sister out of her bed several hours before she wants to be out of it ;)
No pedometer yesterday. Started that today, and I'll update the blog every night just before bed with the steps taken. Weight and inches will be updated weekly.
So...time to charge up - and load up - the MP3 player and head for the mall. My terrific sister said she would train with me, but she is so NOT a morning person. I'll find a way to take her up on that but it's not going to be first thing in the morning. I'll do those walks alone or with someone else walking in the 3-day...I'm not so cruel as to drag my sister out of her bed several hours before she wants to be out of it ;)
No pedometer yesterday. Started that today, and I'll update the blog every night just before bed with the steps taken. Weight and inches will be updated weekly.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Who I am, why I'm here
The title of my blog refers to a quote from Will Rodgers: "I represent what is left of a vanishing race, and that is the pedestrian.... That I am still able to be here, I owe to a keen eye and a nimble pair of legs. But I know they'll get me someday." And so will I be vanishing. Pound by pound, inch by inch...step by step.
I am not by nature an exhibitionist; I'm normally rather private. But I have set myself an ambitious goal, and that is to complete the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Sixty miles in three days. Blogging my progress will keep me honest - that is, if I know I've got people out here that are going to ask me "So, how's that walking thing working out for you?" I know I'll keep it up, if only because I know I'll feel dumb if I have to say, "Oh, I gave up on that."
I'll be honest with you all - I'm overweight. By a large enough margin that I'm not comfortable posting the number. I am not, at this moment, capable of walking sixty miles in ten days, let alone in three. So, training it is. And whatever it takes - no excuses. Not the weather, the time it takes, the obligations at home will keep me from this. I'm stubborn, and I'm determined. I'll find a partner, walk in the mall, run up and down my basement steps a couple hundred times if I have to.
My absolutely wonderful significant other has given me further incentive. He presented me with a pedometer yesterday, and said that he would match me step-for-step. So that's one of the things I'll be keeping track of here, along with weight lost and inches around my waist that have vanished. Since we live some distance apart, this is the best way we know of to work out together.
So...come on along, if you like, and live vicariously as I walk, train, sweat, swear, blister, complain, rise above, and overcome. Feel free to let me know how you react to my story - I'll be looking forward to seeing what you all think.
Steps taken: 0
Weight lost: 0 lbs
Inches lost: 0 in.
I am not by nature an exhibitionist; I'm normally rather private. But I have set myself an ambitious goal, and that is to complete the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Sixty miles in three days. Blogging my progress will keep me honest - that is, if I know I've got people out here that are going to ask me "So, how's that walking thing working out for you?" I know I'll keep it up, if only because I know I'll feel dumb if I have to say, "Oh, I gave up on that."
I'll be honest with you all - I'm overweight. By a large enough margin that I'm not comfortable posting the number. I am not, at this moment, capable of walking sixty miles in ten days, let alone in three. So, training it is. And whatever it takes - no excuses. Not the weather, the time it takes, the obligations at home will keep me from this. I'm stubborn, and I'm determined. I'll find a partner, walk in the mall, run up and down my basement steps a couple hundred times if I have to.
My absolutely wonderful significant other has given me further incentive. He presented me with a pedometer yesterday, and said that he would match me step-for-step. So that's one of the things I'll be keeping track of here, along with weight lost and inches around my waist that have vanished. Since we live some distance apart, this is the best way we know of to work out together.
So...come on along, if you like, and live vicariously as I walk, train, sweat, swear, blister, complain, rise above, and overcome. Feel free to let me know how you react to my story - I'll be looking forward to seeing what you all think.
Steps taken: 0
Weight lost: 0 lbs
Inches lost: 0 in.
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