Monday, May 7, 2012

I Walk.







I am someone without much athletic ability.


I never played sports as a kid.  Not even in the yard.  The most we might have done was bat a ball.  


With nine kids, I imagine if we'd played sports, my mom might have never been home, driving to and from practices and events might've been impossible to coordinate.  


Anyway, even so...I'm just not naturally athletic.  


Strong, yes.  
Coordinated, no.







SO I WALK.




That's my exercise.  I seem to find my escape that way.  I seem to look forward to that little block of time every other day to walk so fast my heart rate elevates and I sweat like a pig.  I've walked for years, but last year I discovered what works best for me.


Earphones in, Pandora on the "disco" station most of the time.  Disco has the energetic beat to keep me at a very fast, steady pace.


I also discovered that for me, it's best to do indoor walking.  That way I never have to worry with ice, snow, rain, sleet, fog, or about dogs, mud puddles, stopping to cross a street or a road, cars splattering me, the boogie man kidnapping me, heh!  Or the biggest issue of all: what the weather MIGHT do or IS DOING.  


That can be a big mess in Michigan and when I walked outdoors, it was almost impossible to keep a consistent schedule.  Consistency is what helps me keep going.


So then the next thing I conquered is finding the right shoes.  


Then, I began to journal miles. 


WHAT FUN!










From January first to the end of April, I walked 212 miles.  That is like leaving my house and walking clear to the Mackinac Bridge!  


I think it's fun to put into perspective "where" I might have walked.  If I'd walked south, it would be like me leaving my house and walking almost to Gary, Indiana, on the way to Chicago.


So now, I'm excited to see where I might have walked to by the end of summer, then fall, and then the end of the year!


This is getting to be fun!  


Have you tried logging your miles?





PS:  My next thing to "conquer" is my book.  I have to set out to and accomplish my book!


8 comments:

Lisa~A Cottage To Me said...

I need to walk, then I can log my miles....I'm bad! Thanks for the inspiration!

Mary Ann Potter said...

I walk our farm every day with our dog; we have beautiful trails along the creek and hayfields and meadows. I've walked for 25 years, well before we bought our farm. I love it! I generally walk four miles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,and then two miles on the other days. If I multiply just two times 365, I get 730 miles, almost enough to get from home here in NC back to my home town, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Looks like I'd be able to get all the way to Montague if I include all the four milers. Pretty cool. I never thought of it this way. Here's to more and more of this fun fitness!

Sunny Simple Life said...

I am the same way. I walk and I garden like mad even mowing the lawn. You have such a lovely place to walk too.

mary your sis said...

I hope you enjoyed your 'walk' to the Mackinac Bridge a little more than your 'walk' to Gary, IN. Remember our little stop in Gary? Ha!

Deanna said...

Sweet Blessings to you!
You have my admiration that you have walked the distance you have. Wonderful and it's alright to not be a JOCK! hehe

You have seen some neat things as you have walked.
I am hoping to start walking in the very near future. Bring my camera along and a big stick to protect myself from wild life. Would love to take some much needed walks with my honey.
God bless,
d

Anonymous said...

No Joni, I've never thought about logging my miles... I need to get out and start walking again. I'm not (never have been, most athletic activity I ever did was horse back riding all the years I was growing up) athletic either... you've inspired me! BTW what kind of shoes did you choose?

Jaybird said...

I can walk, but finding the best shoe is a real problem! How have you solved THAT one??
Many thanks,
J

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

Jaybird: I like PUMA shoes....they're lightweight and also have enough arch support for me. I don't know what your feet will like, but mine have enjoyed these. I just wish I'd bought two pair. That way I wouldn't have to hunt by trial and error my next pair! :0)
XOXO
Joni