Slept Straight Through

When I started walking in January I assumed that it would improve my sleeping patterns. Well, last night I finally slept through around seven hours. Today I'm good and tired and it's not even nine. More updates tomorrow.

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

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"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."

Walt Disney (1901-1966)
American entrepreneur, movie producer and showman

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Lewis Carroll On Running

"It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that."

Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
English writer, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

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Records & Milestones

This past Sunday I walked through the 500 mile mark in 2008. Yesterday was the end of the first quarter of the year. Today was the start of the month and this is no April Fool's joke: I walked my longest single walk this morning before 10 am - six miles! Today's total is over 10 miles, which makes it one of my top five. Now it's time for a good night's sleep.

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

Weight Blip This Week

On Tuesday I weighed in and found I had gained a little. Excuse? Easter! It happens. The key is to not give up because of a bump in the road (or chocolate eggs in my tummy). The weight? 115.6 Kilos, which was up .2 or .44 pounds. Not a lot, but the wrong direction. Finally, to be fair, Easter was not the only culprit. I walked less in the two weeks after the accident, though I did make it to nine miles a couple days ago. I have never stopped walking. I never will as long as I am breathing. Come back and see that I'm still going. Take heart in your own struggle with weight, exercise, or goals.

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

How I Looked Weeks Ago

Almost 5 Miles And Many Hours Left

This morning I started off with a four mile walk and I haven't done a lot of walking since, but I'm close to five miles. That's the goal that a lot of people set for their entire day - 10,000 steps.

If you have been walking or exercising a little less than a month ago, today is a good day to get back to your more ambitious pace. It doesn't matter what that number is, because you're not competing with me and vice-versa. If you were doing a mile a day and now you're down to a fraction of it, today's the day to get back "up there". If you were doing ten miles a day and have slipped to six, you can choose to be right back at your more challenging pace.

Today is the day!

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

Six Miles Again (Finally)

Totalling my car a week and a half ago took more wind out of my sails than I originally thought. Today, however, I finally got back over the six mile mark. Tomorrow's Easter. A good time to turn over a new leaf. Or make a resolution. Or set a new goal. Or change your life.

That reminds me. I prayed on December 31, 2007 for God to help me with my new year's resolution. I will soon be down 20 pounds and I have walked nearly 460 miles (and Sport Chalet replaced my pedometer with zero hassles!). Marianne says I seem to have more stamina. Seems to me that the good Lord has kept up his end of the bargain.

Ask and you shall receive.


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

Sport Chalet Replaced My Pedometer

My pedometer went on the fritz and I gave it a day to right itself. No such luck. This morning I went down to Sport Chalet and they replaced it no problem. I like those guys. I find it a whole lot easier to keep track of five miles or so walking when I don't have to count the steps in my head.

Tuesday I weighed in and didn't mention it. 115.4 kilos - down again!

Walking With The Little Guy

Over the recent weekend Marianne and I got a chance to take a walk with Ethan, the grand nephew. We walked down to a local store in Oceanside and got him five t-shirts. The walk was about a mile and gave us a little time with Ethan. He's the little guy on my side of the family right now. In the past I might have driven to the store, but now we're even a little greener. With oil above $100 a barrel there is another huge incentive to use an alternative mode of transportation. Walking does the job.

After the accident last week that totalled the Buick, I'm confident that the 400 plus miles I've walked has gotten me in better shape to recover faster. Though I've been tired I have walked at least 3 1/2 miles everyday. I expect I'll get back on the fast track tomorrow.

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

Tired And Still Walking

One car and three people means a lot of driving and getting up earlier than usual. I was fairly tired today and good and tired right now. Still I walked. Not even near a record day, but I walked. You can, too. Walking. Running. Working out. Swimming. Whatever you're doing, keep doing. And hey, soon, the situation changes and you do more than you expect. Tomorrow I'll have a rental car and ironically I'll drive less. And that means more walking. With my pedometer, too.

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

How Life Can Almost Change

Last night my son and I were driving home from his induction into the National Honor Society and we stopped at Vons. After a little shopping, we got on San Marcos Blvd. and turned left onto Rancho Santa Fe Rd. and within seconds our lives almost changed. Someone turned left right into our path and we ran smack into them. Thank God for airbags. I'm a little sore and Stuart is a teensy bit sore and the other guy seemed fine. I think the Buick is totaled. I am so glad we weren't driving the smaller car I used to have.

We waited for the police and paramedics and they checked me out and let me go. I haven't walked today as much as I would have liked. One car and three people meant I'm right back on the [driving] horse several times today. I still have some time tonight for walking. I'll say it again - Thank God for airbags.

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

Walk For More Than CardioVascular Health

Yesterday I got a call from a good friend I've known since high school. He was enthusiastic about the walking I've done in 2008. He also wondered where I could fit it in.

If you don't worry about the cardiovascular benefits and simply concentrate on walking whenever you can, you can get a lot of steps in. Literally right before I sat down here I took the 419th step of a very short walk with the dog which took about four minutes. In fact, I started this post and left to pick up my son. Now I'm back and finishing the post and using a few minutes wisely.

How many times do we decide that "I've only got a few minutes" and so we decide to "kill" those few minutes. If you take short walks of 4-8 minutes 10 times a day, that could be between 4000 and 8000 steps or more per day. You still burn calories even without much cardiovascular benefit. You still gradually build bone when you walk. Even if you only did the really short 400 step walk five times a day above whatever you're currently doing, that would be 2000 steps and that's about 10 pounds a year. Just remember to NOT eat more than you're currently eating. And remember the pedometer.

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