Seven And A Half Miles In One Day

Seven and a half miles. One day. That's what my pedometer said...and only 18 days into 2008! Yes. I can. You can, too.

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Click on the title of this post to see my minutes/miles logged at Lime.com. I'm a little tired right now, but I want to share Mustard Seed Associates for those of you who have an affinity for the mustard seed metaphor.

Four Mile Walk!

I had walked about a mile through the normal routine of life earlier today and decided to go for a good walk with the dog. I went down Cacatua St. I like the neighborhood and was daydreaming about moving a few blocks to this semi-hidden group of homes. I had a jacket and walked about a mile and started to get hot, so I headed for home and as I did so, I took off my jacket and carried it.

The thought occurred to me that I could simply open the door and put my jacket on the stairs and continue on my way instead of calling it quits. By the time I reached home I had walked about a mile and a half and as I left the doorstep without a jacket in the cool January air for round two, my stamina kicked in. I walked out to the main drag in our neighborhood and then down to the school my son attended through 2nd grade and all the way back around to the main drag again, further west than I had been 20 minutes earlier and then back home for an additional 2 1/2 miles. I walked four miles during a single walk [!] and now have walked over 5 miles on the day with probably a mile or two more between now and 9:30.

I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

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Almost forgot...use a pedometer!

Click on the title of this post for Dr. Positano's advice - Don't Self-Diagnose Colds And Flus.

Gee, You're A Positive Lady

Sometimes people can't believe motivational or inspirational speakers because they seem to be positive 100% of the time and that seems unrealistic to most people. Nothing wrong with being positive. It sure beats the opposite. (Though I know a guy who would argue against that.) I am basically a positive person, but I can see how some people could get annoyed with that at times. Plus, you might want to ask a person's family how they are at home...But, I'm not going to go there right now!

Thinking about this idea I thought of the Bill Murray movie quote in the title of this post. I love that movie. Bill Murray is a weatherman and Andie McDowell plays his producer, who tries to be a glass half-full remedy to the shallow, egotistical, negative weatherman. When she hears about his same day over and over again plight, she tells him that maybe this isn't a curse, but an opportunity and that's when he says with false - thanks for the support - enthusiasm, "Gee, you're a positive lady."

Right now it's 6:30 and it's cold and I'm not going outside to walk. I will later, but right now, on this day, I'm going to get a little more rest in my nice warm bed by myself while my honey's in Florida. Please keep in mind that I will walk later this morning, so if it's too cold where you are when you read this, you have permission to wait a couple hours until it gets warmer.

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Here are more quotes from Groundhog Day, one of my favorite movies. Click on the title of this post to see more.

First D.J.: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.
Second D.J.: It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
First D.J.: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.
Second D.J.: [mockingly] That blizzard - thing. That blizzard - thing. Oh, well, here's the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a "big blizzard thing!"
First D.J.: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting.
Second D.J.: Especially cold!
First D.J.: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips...
Second D.J.: - On their chapped lips...
First D.J.: - On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?
Second D.J.: Punxsutawney Phil!
First D.J.: Thats right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's
[in unison]
First D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!
Second D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!


Rita: I like to see a man of advancing years throwing caution to the wind. It's inspiring in a way.
Phil: My years are not advancing as fast as you might think.

Ned: Phil? Phil Connors? Phil Connors, I thought that was you!
Phil: Hi, thanks for watching.

Phil: You wanna throw up here, or you wanna throw up in the car?
Ralph: I think... both.

Phil: Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today.

Elderly Lady whose flat tire Phil fixed: He's the fastest jack in Jefferson County!

Mrs. Lancaster: Did you sleep well, Mr. Connors?
Phil: I slept alone, Mrs. Lancaster.

Phil Connors: Excuse me, where is everyone going?
Fan on Street: To Gobbler's Knob. It's Groundhog Day.
Phil Connors: It's still just once a year, right?

[Driving down the railroad tracks toward an approaching train]
Phil: I'm betting he's going to swerve first.

Phil: You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.


Phil: I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster and drank pina coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. *That* was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over and over...

Phil: It's the same things your whole life. "Clean up your room.", "Stand up straight.", "Pick up your feet.", "Take it like a man.", "Be nice to your sister.", "Don't mix beer and wine, ever.". Oh yeah, "Don't drive on the railroad track."
Gus: Eh, Phil. That's one I happen to agree with.

Rita: [as Phil kisses Rita over and over discovering that he has finally passed Groundhog Day] Phil, why weren't you like this last night? You just fell asleep.
Phil: It was the end of a VERY long day.

Walking Shelter Island

My friend Mary and I had lunch at the Blue Wave Bar and Grill near Humphrey's on Shelter Island in San Diego. The Fish Tacos were Mmm Mmm Great. Mary had a coupon from the Entertainment 2008 coupon book so it was 2 for 1. The regular price would have been worth it, so it was quite a bargain when you include the beautiful, calming view of the marina.

After lunch Mary and I walked Shelter Island as well as a nearby Fish Market for about 2 miles. I rounded the bell at the far end of Shelter Island and could just make out the names of the two ships nearby - the Robert Gordon Sproul and the Thomas G. Thompson. I also took note of the statue of the Pacific Spirit, a representation of a young woman. The sun was shining, the sky was clear and it was cold for San Diego in January. According to Mary, I only feel that way because I'm from here. I can't disagree. I like it in Southern California. Mary is a diabetic in her 60's who has managed her diabetes recently through diet and she hasn't walked a lot lately. She told me that this walk was no problem for her and as an RN I expect that she knows how to accurately assess her health situation. If Mary can walk, you can walk. In fact, we'll probably walk again Saturday.

I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

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Click on the title of this post to see a third party review of the Blue Wave Bar & Grill.

A Good Kind Of Tired

Disney used to have non-animated movies with animals and a narrator. Remember those? At the end of an active day he might say something like "The puppies are tired, but it's a good kind of tired." I'm one tired puppy. Thanks to walking, it's a good kind of tired.

I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

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I saw this guy on a cable news show and I think he's pretty good. He has a political column for the Washington Post. His name is Chris Cillizza and his column is called The Fix. Click on the title of this post to see Chris.

Five Miles Before Three

I took the dog after my last post inspired me (See? I inspired myself. Big Man Walking motivates and inspires!) and we walked about 3 1/2 miles which brought today's total to just over 5 miles. We just kept going a little bit more and a little bit more and walked the neighborhood in all directions and I made sure Mellow had plenty of water when we got back. I found I had some time and took advantage of the situation. I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

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I found some books and a CD on walking at BooksaMillion.com. I have ordered from them successfully half a dozen times since the beginning of November. Great prices. Free shipping orders over $25. Follow these links to buy them now!


Walk Away The Pounds by Leslie Sansone - Click on the title of this post. Otherwise click on the title of the book or CD.

The Essential Walker's Journal
Leslie Sansone

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Half-Marathon Training
Heather Hedrick

Walking: The Complete Book
Jeff Galloway

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walking For Health


Running and Walking for Women Over 40
Kathrine Switzer

The Step Diet:
Count Steps, Not Calories to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever
James O. Hill

The Healthy Heart Walking CD:
Walking Workouts for a Lifetime of Fitness
Rita Moreno

I have listed the first author where more than one is listed by the website and did not list the author of "The Idiot's Guide".

65 Miles In First Half Of January

I'll bet you can walk more if you can walk at all. I wear a pedometer and some of my walking is incidental to my life. I walk miles a little at a time. I also go out with purpose and walk one, two, or three miles or sometimes less. Soon I hope to walk more than 3 miles in one walk. I wear my pedometer after I wake up, as soon as I put on my pants, 98% of the time. All my walking, incidental or purposeful, during the 1st half (15 days) of January, 2008 totals over 65 miles, which is an average of 4 1/3 miles per day. You can check my totals each day at Lime.com by clicking on the title of this post. You can also record your walking (or running) miles at Lime. I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

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Lime.com's motto is "healthy living with a twist". I think it's a clever motto and I like keeping track of my miles there. It's part of a bigger program to enlist people to walk as a form of eco-friendly transportation, so they're keeping track of all the miles of everyone who joins that program together as one big total. The program is called Live The Change And Walk It Out! and at this posting all of us together have walked over 16,000 miles. John Lennon sang, "I hope someday you'll join us" and I hope you will. I haven't quite gotten far enough in most cases to replace my car, but soon I'll be walking enough miles to walk down to the store or Fitness Together if I choose. John Lennon also sang, "We're all doin" what we can." I also like Lime.com's "Rooms" where you see images and listen to music or sounds. The other day I listened forestroom while I was working on the computer and today I tried out floralroom. I find both helpful and so far I prefer forestroom. Try it out by clicking Lime "Rooms".

One Mile To Start The Day

I woke up slightly early and got myself and Mellow out the door before 6. Socked in. Fog so thick I couldn't see 200 feet. As I write this an hour later it's light, but the fog and surrounding darkness combined with the street lamps reminded me of something that made it seem different than the fog at sunset the other day and I realized what it was while we were out in it - the movie poster from The Exorcist! How's that for a morning wake up call?! After Mellow did his thing we walked back and checked the front door to make sure I locked it[!] and then "once more into the breach" we went to finish our mile. Now I realized that I had another comparison in mind for the foggy night/morning - Mr. Tumnus and the lamppost from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. That was a more pleasant thought to my mind. I love the ethereal quality of fog. I was inspired to think of a possible beginning to a screenplay that's been rolling around in my mind for months. I find sooner or later walking helps me think if I don't have earbuds in. Sometimes it's not thinking or planning per se, but music that comes to mind.

Yesterday I was driving to what I consider historic Carlsbad and an German artist on NPR was talking about her time getting to know the Beatles back when Stu Sutcliffe played with them and they still had the slicked back hair in the "style of Marlon Brando". She was really moved by the way the Beatles all treated her like an intelligent person as they got to know her and not just a pretty girl. I started humming From Me To You as I listened to this interview and drove past the Encina power plant and it stayed with me all during my walk. My dad always called it 101 and that's what I call it most of the time, though I do slip into using Pacific Coast Highway sometimes. It becomes Carlsbad Drive near Fresco Trattoria, where I started my walk. This neighborhood is the general area of my (Friday Noon) Toastmasters Club, Expressions Unlimited, where I have been speaking nearly eight years.

I used Google Maps to see how far Fresco Trattoria is from 101. Google Maps says 128 feet, but I would say 60 feet or less. It's on the North side of Carlsbad Village Drive and they have a parking lot that I found helpful. I went inside and asked the owner(?) for a take out menu and he was friendly (good sign!) while he answered the phone. I asked if it was ok to park in his lot while I took a 15 minute walk and he said sure. If you go here to walk, you may want to park in his lot, but be sure to ask him (and ask for a take out menu!).

I walked toward the Pacific and turned left on the street that runs along the ocean. As I passed the surf shop I veered right, though not down to the beach. I walked along 101 to another set of stairs that go down to the beach and turned around across the highway from 3430 Carlsbad Drive, a residence that I noticed simply as a point of reference for this blog post. Google Maps says this is 1/2 mile and I found walking that even the slightly longer route I took was less than 1/2 mile. For you horse racing fans, the round trip was around 7 furlongs (7/8 of a mile). I shortened my walk because I remembered something I needed to do at home, but I'll be back again soon. The sun was shining and there were lots of people walking in this area. I realized that I will need sunscreen in the future. All during this walk that Beatles tune was in my head. This was really a Southern California afternoon with the sunshine and little breeze, though a little cool, even for January. I was almost run off the sidewalk by two different kids on tricycles with their moms. There was a group of adult surfer buddies talking about high school kids that can't read. One said his wife is a high school teacher and I concurred as my wife is a middle school teacher. The ocean was wavy, but not rough (I'm not a surfer, hence the non-surfer description. Heck, I even used hence.) On the way back I saw a woman with a small enclosure on the grassy area close to the surf shop with a sign that read Australian Shepherd Puppys. I stopped and talked briefly and found out that her name, Marianne, is even spelled the same as my wife's and that that spelling is becoming rarer. She had what appeared to be several Australian Shepherd magazines (who knew?) laid out and I asked how much the puppies were. She said $500 and that she had sold several last weekend. So, if you want an Australian Shepherd, you can give Marianne Bosch a call at 760.433.9880. She had two adorable pups left yesterday. When I got back to Fresco Trattoria my car was still there and there was no sign of a tow truck, so the owner(?) was good to his word.

I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.

A Quick Walk For Mellow

When you notice that you don't have a lot of time you can still walk five minutes, eight minutes, fifteen minutes or what have you. A key is to just walk and keep reminding yourself to walk, no matter what. I just got back from a walk with my dog Mellow. My son and I are going on an errand and I fit this in while he's taking a shower. Find ways to find time to walk. Even if it's just a little time. Keep walking.

I am walking.

You can walk.

Please walk today.

No matter what.

Six miles before dinner

After talking with Christine Burke from Fitness Together early today I got inspired and walked with my dog, Mellow, almost 2 1/2 miles this morning. With that and incidental walking and another 2 mile walk a little while ago, I am at six miles before dinner and there's probably more to come!

I got new shoes at Movin Shoes in Encinitas and my feet definitely feel better. I haven't talked about it before now, but my feet do get a little sore with all this walking. I asked Matt at Movin Shoes if that was due to my body size or my shoes and he said that my shoes can make a big difference. They do. This is more walking than I've done for a while [ever?] and I expect some soreness. My new pair of Brooks have lessened the intensity of that soreness. I was impressed with the knowledge of guys at this shoe store. Matt watched me walk and noticed that I was overpronating and then suggested appropriate shoes. I don't recall ever dealing with people who understand shoes, feet, running, and walking like these guys do. In fact, I don't remember any shoe store employees ever mentioning anything like overpronating. I recommend them highly. The guy from Yelp.com was right about their excellent service.

Another new thing I'm doing to feel better is stretching after walking, which Christine mentioned to me today. She taught me to do what I call a bendover and hang down and then the stretch that makes you look like you're pushing/holding up the wall. She said this helps alleviate tightness and I remembered that a chiropractor once told me I was one of tightest people she had ever met. (I assumed she wasn't making a comment about my wallet.)

I told you my weight at Fitness Together was 276 this morning. What I got at home before I left was 122.6 kilos which is around 270 pounds. I have lost .3 kilos in two weeks, but I DO think I gained weight the first week because I didn't pay attention to my increased appetite and as a result, I gained weight the first week. I'll keep reporting both as I assume the discrepancy will remain constant, so it will be no big deal in the end. Also, I definitely had more clothing on at Christine Burke's establishment.

Lastly, other measurements were chest - 48.5, waist - 50, bicep - 16, thigh - 23 (6 inches up from kneecap). My resting heart rate was 79 and blood pressure was 136/88. Incorporating my lose 50 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle goals, my goal weight by December 31, 2008 is 236 with 18% body fat, which puts me right at the upper end of optimum. I am walking! You can walk! Please walk today!

Christine Burke fitness

I Googled Christine Burke and found that there are a number of Christine Burkes, including one who was in a Twilight Zone episode in 1963. MY Christine Burke can be more easily found by Googling "Christine Burke fitness". So, if for some reason you can't Google right now and you have no pen, pencil, stone tablet, etc..., you can keep thinking "Christine Burke fitness, Christine Burke fitness, Christine Burke fitness" over and over until you get somewhere to write it down or key it in. Of course, that's really aimed at those of you who live within whatever distance you consider reasonable from Carlsbad. (Though I'm sure if you want to fly in or take the train, Christine would be ok with that.) I did see the first two entries for FTNorthCounty.com when I Googled, but I was surprised to find my blog entry from last Friday in third place for that search! The heading looked like this:

Big Man Walking: Christine Burke on goals

Sometimes I really love the coolness of the internet.

This morning I visited MY Christine Burke at Fitness Together in La Costa, which is a community in the city of Carlsbad, California. Fitness Together's motto is emblazoned on the Body Fat Analysis form Christine filled out for me and that motto is:
1 Client 1 Trainer 1 Goal

She weighed me and on her scale I weigh 276 pounds.

My body fat percentage is 33.9 and that's pretty high. 33.9% body fat puts me into the obese category, which starts at just over 25% body fat. Average body fat is from 18-25% and Optimal Fitness is 13-18% body fat. My BMI or Body Mass Index is 35.4 and the obesity category of the BMI starts at 30. Overweight BMI is 25-29.9 and Normal Weight is 18.5-24.9. Whether you're looking at body fat or BMI, I'm in the obese category and that is a wake up call. If you are in similar shape, one reason I'm blogging is to encourage you that you can get to a more desirable size and weight. If you're better off than I am right now, that's great. I encourage all of you who can walk to walk and walk more frequently.

I'll go over more in the next post. Right now I'm going down to Movin Shoes, which is one of the stores recommended by Christine Burke. I Googled and found a review of Movin Shoes. Their website is MovinShoes.com.

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Click on the title of this post and automatically be transported to the Google search "Christine Burke fitness".

Walking at Lindbergh Field

Marianne and I got up this morning a little after five and went to the San Diego International Airport/Lindbergh Field. Yes, the blogger from Big Man Walking drove. But I walked over a mile before seven, mostly at the airport. I helped Marianne with her bags and after she checked in with Continental, we got in line together for the security screening. I watched as Marianne reached the point where I could not continue with her and very soon she was through the portal and waved before she walked out of sight. So she's gone for two weeks to Florida. I passed back through the walkway/overpass and down the escalator and into my Buick, which Stuart and I refer to as the "stodgemobile". I made sure to keep my ticket and I was glad to pay the minimum. We didn't dawdle, so being able to be with Marianne as long as I could in getting her to the plane and then finding it fit right into their fee schedule just seemed fair to me.

Earlier, when Marianne and I arrived, we remembered almost 20 years ago when we returned to San Diego from a couple days in Las Vegas and we turned in our ticket and paid A LOT. After we turned it in the clerk said that it would have been cheaper if we had lost out ticket. We asked if we could just do that - say that we lost our ticket. She said we could have if we hadn't already turned it in! Live and learn as my dad used to say. Of course, he also used to say, "Too soon old and too late smart." Hopefully that second saying doesn't have to be true.

On my way back through Del Mar I decided I had a taste for breakfast and stopped in Cardiff-by-the-Sea at Pipes for a burrito, or so I thought. I was still pretty tired and ordered, but maybe I forgot to add "burrito" to what I ordered. So I got a plate full of really yummy food anyway (English muffins instead of tortillas...) and I drove a few miles to Moonlight beach in Encinitas and enjoyed breakfast watching the waves and listening to the Puzzle Guy on NPR. Now, there's another reason to visit San Diego County. Come for the waves, whether you're watching or listening or riding them, and check out Pipes while you're here. I was born and raised here and I love being near the ocean. I feel better knowing it's close. When Marianne gets back, we'll walk on the beach together right next to the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

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Click on the title of this post to see a photo of Pipes. Click here to see a couple short reviews by visitors. Click San.org to see the San Diego International Airport/Lindbergh Field link.