Love To Walk

Walking for Transportation

2008-08-16T11:34:00.003-04:00

As gas prices hover at levels I've never seen before in my driving days, I'm finding that I'm more and more interested in finding ways to get around that don't require me to use my car. Several days a week, I drive to a park and ride lot and catch a bus to work, saving me nearly 60 miles a day of driving. I deliberately chose my neighborhood to live in so that I would have the option of walking to stores and restaurants. But the thing is, giving up the car means giving up convenience, and I still struggle with sacrificing ease of use for a cheaper (not to mention more eco-friendly) method of transportation. The reality where I live is that public transportation is not the most efficient way to travel. We rely on buses here, because the funding for high speed rail hasn't garnered enough public support to get off the ground. Buses are okay, but they have to fight the same traffic I do in my own car, plus the schedules don't always make sense when you're trying to get from Point A to Point B. Then there's the functional aspect: if I want to go grocery shopping, for example, it's going to be tough to carry several bags plus cart home a gallon jug or two of milk, and juggle it all on the bus. It's a whole lot easier to just hop in the car, pile it all in, and drive home.

But I've been thinking more lately about whether it's possible to accomplish some of these errands on foot. Probably the biggest obstacle remains, though, how to contend with getting the items I've purchased back to my house. I've been exploring the idea of getting a personal shopping cart, which would help immensely in transporting the merchandise home. If it's a collapsible version, then I can take it on the bus. I've seen a few around town, and they look pretty useful to me. Problem is, does getting one of these make me a bag lady? :-)

Sidewalk Etiquette

2008-08-06T19:14:00.002-04:00

It's one of my pet peeves: I'm out enjoying a walk, making my way along the sidewalk, minding my own business, when I see some people approaching. Sometimes it's a married couple or a pair of friends, or occasionally a group out walking together. Soon it becomes clear that there's not enough room on the sidewalk for all of us. Remembering what I learned way back in elementary school, I move to the right, making sure I'm taking up no more than half of the sidewalk. Those coming toward me, however, aren't moving aside. In fact, they continue to take up the entire width of the sidewalk. I think to myself, "It's common courtesy. Surely they'll make room for me in a few seconds." Yet still they come, headed straight toward me, making no sign that they'll allow me to pass. I look around and assess my options. Road to my right - no, that won't work; I'd rather not get hit by a car or bike today. Trees on the left. Nope, that won't work either, unless I'm someone who likes getting a black eye from an oak. I look forward again - why aren't they moving? I make a futile attempt to make eye contact; maybe they don't see me? They glance my way and return to their scintillating conversation. Maybe if I make myself really tiny I can squeeze by? But no, I'm not a miracle worker (and why oh why didn't I lose those last 20 pounds?). Finally, I turn almost sideways, one foot on the curb, and somehow slide by with only a minimum of contact. I manage a semi-civil "hello" as they pass by, and one glances over her shoulder, looking at me as if to say "where did you come from?"

Fortunately it doesn't happen all the time. But it's often enough that I wonder: are these people that oblivious? I'm no physics major, but even I can figure out that people headed toward each other in a limited space are destined for a collision. It's a giant game of chicken, and I'm almost always the one who blinks. Some days, though, either because I'm irritated enough or just too tired to care, I stand my ground. I move over as far as I can, and then I don't move any more. Sometimes, they move at the last minute. Other times, they bump into me (usually with an accompanying glare). But I feel better somehow that I've stood up for myself (it's the small things, I know). But what I really want to know is, do they honestly not see me? Are they so engrossed in conversation that they don't notice me standing right in front of them? Do they really not know what to do? Or am I the only one out there walking whose parents taught her some manners? Maybe I need to start a safety campaign. I'll print up brochures and bumper stickers, and make T-shirts. Come up with a catchy slogan. March on Washington. Today, my sidewalk; tomorrow, the world. Hmm, on second thought, I think I'll keep moving over - and sometimes muttering under my breath. So if you see someone out there walking who looks like she's talking to herself... well, maybe it's merely a friendly walker who's just had one of these encounters of the too-close kind.

2008-07-05T10:49:00.002-04:00

I recently heard about a contest our elected representatives in Congress conducted to see who could walk the most in a predetermined period of time. It got me to thinking again about how easy it is to fold walking into a daily routine that strives for an active and healthy lifestyle. And I don't know about you, but what greater motivation than a competition? And not to be too corny, but in a contest like this, everyone wins; all the participants gain a greater level of fitness by adding exercise every day. Sometimes it seems like we try to make things complicated and set up elaborate plans to incorporate exercise and a healthy diet into our everyday lives. I think about the weight I want to lose and the miles I'm not putting in, how out of shape I feel walking up a few flights of stairs. But maybe it's not so hard. Maybe all I need to do is take a step. Start from where I am, and move forward. Not with a big plan about losing lots of pounds or walking so many miles. But taking steps, literally, toward a healthier body and life. When I look at it that way, maybe it's not so hard after all.

A Case of the Ughs

2008-06-14T19:55:00.003-04:00

Since my last race in early May (the Flying Pig in Cincinnati, OH), I'm finding that I have a distinct lack of motivation to walk very many miles each week. I like to shoot for about 20 miles/week, but lately I'm lucky to walk 10-12. Some of it's life - lots of distractions (work, family, etc.) - that mean there often don't feel like there are enough hours in the day to get it all done. Sleep isn't always easy to come by when things get busy, which makes it awfully tough to get out of bed at 5:30am to go for a walk. Some of it's the weather; last week here we had multiple days of 95-100 degree temps during the day, which meant that in the early AM when I'm walking, it's 75 degrees and 95% humidity. And some of it's my personality: exercising because it's a good thing to do can't always make me feel like getting out the door. I sometimes, maybe even often, need a goal to pursue or a deadline that's looming ahead to help me kick into gear.

The problem is this: life will always be busy; it's summer so the temps will be high for a while; and I don't have a race on the calendar. So what do I do? I'm still working on that, but I do have some ideas. One is to find a smaller race to shoot for, maybe a local 5K, to give me something to look forward to. Another is to set some interim goals: step up my mileage incrementally (15 this week, 18 the next, etc.). I should probably also set some goals to take off the weight I've recently gained. And another thing I may do is explore some other exercise options to give me some variety in my fitness plan, things like biking or swimming. Finally, I can look for ways to get some walking done in a practical way; I can go to the store or run errands on foot (no pun intended).

Ultimately I'll get my weekly mileage to where it needs to be, I think. Until then, I need to keep plugging away as best I can - and get off the couch.

Why I Walk in Races

2008-03-09T12:37:00.003-04:00

When I tell people (usually non-walkers) that I'm training for a race, I usually get a puzzled look, or sometimes a double-take. "What?" they'll ask. "Why are you doing that? Is it a walk-a-thon? You don't think you're going to win, do you?"

It's a little hard to explain in a short 2 minute conversation. But here are the reasons I do races:

1. The challenge. I did my first race a few years ago to prove to myself that I could walk 13.1 miles all by myself. I'd never done anything that physically demanding before, and even a few years before that, I could only walk a couple of miles at a time. I walk long distances to show myself that I’ve come a long way and that my body is capable of doing amazing things if I push myself.

2. The travel. Participating in races allows me to go to fun places and see cities in a whole new way. I’ve walked through Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World and along the Ohio River in Cincinnati. I’ve even explored parts of the city where I work up close, in a way I’ve never seen before. Choosing a destination for a race is only half the fun; the rest comes with being able to see a place literally at eye level. To experience a city on foot is to have a better understanding of what it’s about.

3. The competition. When I walk in a race, I don’t compete with the other racers. Instead, I compete with myself, trying to go faster than my previous best time. Each race is an opportunity to test myself and improve my fitness and my speed.

4. The discipline. The experience of training for a distance race is an exercise in motivation and determination. Every time I want to roll over and go back to bed instead of going for a training walk, I have to ask myself how much I want it. How badly do I want to finish the race - and finish it well? Sometimes I have to make choices about how I spend my time, and do things like choosing to go home and go to bed early instead of staying out late. Those are the gut-check moments, the times when I choose health and fitness instead of short-term fun. The discipline required by the training schedule is good for me, because it helps to provide a structure for how I spend my time and for my exercise regimen.

So there you have it: the reasons why I walk in races. What are yours?

The Search for Walkability

2008-01-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

I recently bought my first house, and I found the househunting process to be a challenge. Everyone makes their list of must-haves, and at the top of mine was location. No surprise there, but my criteria were different from some. Specifically, I wanted a location that was walkable. Sure, I wanted a neighborhood where I could take my daily walks. But I also wanted an area where I could walk to things: the grocery store, shopping, restaurants. In short, a place where I can get around on foot - and without a car - if I need or want to.

Finding that neighborhood turned out to be harder than I thought. First was the task of communicating to my realtor what I wanted and why. It's not the most typical request, so that took some doing. We looked at several homes in areas with walking trails and greenways. I could walk for miles around the neighborhood, but if I wanted to go to the grocery store, I'd have to cross a 5-lane road or a highway with no crosswalks. I know that other areas of the country are more pedestrian-friendly, but where I live (as in many places), it's a car-centric culture. The only way to get to many places is by automobile.

My desire to walk around town is a foreign concept to many. The good news it's that it's not impossible: I found a house that fits the bill, and I moved in last month. The process, though, was enlightening for me, and it's made me more interested in pedestrian safety and walkability. We have a long way to go around here if we want to be welcoming to walkers. But I think it's ultimately worth it.

Obesity in the U.S.

2007-09-10T09:04:00.000-04:00

A report was released recently about what is being increasingly called the "epidemic of obesity" in the United States. It's not exactly big news, in the sense that it's probably not surprising to most people. Like many, I've had my own struggles with obesity. I've finally moved off the "obese" part of the BMI rankings, but I'm still officially "overweight," so this is something I think about a lot.

What I wonder about most of all, though, is what can be done about this epidemic. The folks who released the study have proposals of their own, including increasing government spending and focusing resources on healthy programs. That's all well and good, and obviously with a problem this large and affecting so many people, it needs as much attention as it can get. But what to do on a much smaller level: individuals, families, friends and workplaces? I know that my company occasionally talks about issues of health and fitness, but what does that really mean? If they were truly committed to encouraging their employees to follow or pursue a healthy lifestyle, I have to wonder if they would do more - like remove the junk good from the vending machines, or at least provide some healthy options. They could provide showers for those who bike or walk to work. Or (gasp!) provide financial incentives to those who lose weight or take other steps to be healthy.

But the responsibility isn't just corporate, it's personal. So what's a family or an individual to do? Parents can strive to set a good example for their kids by eating more fruits and vegetables, and foods rich in whole grains. We can choose active options for family get-togethers: going for a walk or a bike ride. But I also know that there's a place here for personal responsibility. I was at a seriously unhealthy weight for a long time before I finally decided to do something about it. I made my own choices, and I paid the prices for the bad ones. I had to get to the point where I wanted to lose weight for me, to make the effort to live a healthier life because it was what I wanted. And there's no government program that could make me do that; I had to do it for myself.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2007-08-09T07:02:00.000-04:00

North Carolina, where I live, is having a heat wave: highs this week have topped 100 a couple of times, with more promised. I walk in the mornings before work, and yesterday when I stepped outside at 5:45am, it was 80 degrees. I mean, that was the low temperature for the day. Plus it had rained a few hours before, so it was downright steamy out. One of those days when you feel a wall of stickiness when you walk outside.

Now I don't know about you, but I sweat. I don't glisten, or perspire in some sort of elegant, ladylike way. I sweat. By the time I got back from my 3 mile walk, I was soaked from head to toe. So what do I learn from days like this?

1. Walking early is the best solution. I'm lucky, because I'm a morning person. But even if I wasn't, there's no way I'd be walking at the end of the day when it's 90+ degrees out.

2. Tech fabrics are great. They don't keep you from sweating, but they do help the sweat evaporate more quickly, thus keeping you cooler.

3. You hear this a lot on hot day, but hydration is important. As much as I sweat, I can lose a lot of fluids on days like yesterday.

Another Race

2007-08-02T18:44:00.000-04:00

After lots of pondering, I've decided to take the plunge and register for another half-marathon. This will be my 4th half altogether. It's the City of Oaks Half-Marathon in Raleigh, NC, and takes place in early November.

The main reason I've hesitated to do another race is because I've been trying harder to lose weight. In my experience, it's tough to train and concentrate on weight loss. For me, one of the biggest issues is my eating after the long training walks on weekends. I'm absolutely ravenous for the rest of the day after most of them, and I find that I can easily justify eating anything in sight: "Gee, I just walked 10 miles, so I can eat those 5 brownies." Obviously, the math doesn't add up, and calories consumed aren't outweighed by the calories burned. So I have to really watch myself on the weekends, even more than usual.

I decided to go ahead with the race, though, mainly because the discipline that training requires is a good thing for me. It provides structure to my workouts, and provides a goal I can work toward. So I'm going to give it the old college try, and hope for the best. We'll see how it goes.

6 Month Update

2007-07-08T19:02:00.000-04:00

It's been 6 months since I renewed my commitment to losing weight through a healthy diet and exercise plan. In 26 weeks, I've lost a total of 18 pounds. It's not really where I wanted to be at this point. But I have to keep reminding myself that I'm 18 pounds less than when I started, and that's no small accomplishment.

My overall goals when I started were to lose 51 pounds, walk 20 miles per week, and add strength training and cross training to my exercise regimen. I've made progress toward some goals, but not toward others. I had hoped to be at least halfway toward my weight goal by this point, and to be honest, I really wanted to be nearly done by now. I've struggled to hit my walking mileage goal, and I've had almost no success with the strength and cross training.

So what happened? Aside from the usual struggles to maintain a healthy eating plan (which meant trying to limit my tendency to eat things that are bad for me) and to add forms of exercise I don't particularly enjoy, what I didn't count on were a couple of things that were outside of my control. The first is that I got sick twice in a period of 6 weeks during the winter months, which inhibited my ability to exercise as much as I wanted. The second is that real life, quite frankly, got in the way. I've been going through some struggles with my job, and then through a crazy sequence of events last month, I was offered a new position (working for the same company) that will be a much better fit for me. It's a great turn of events, but the stress involved in deciding on a career change has distracted me, and I haven't been as disciplined about the diet and exercise as I would need to be to meet what were, in retrospect, some pretty aggressive goals.

Still, I'm happy to be where I am right now, especially considering everything else that's been going on. The catalyst for me to get back on the wagon with the diet was a report from the doctor that my high cholesterol had returned. I don't know yet whether those numbers have come down, and I'm not sure that I'm ready to find out.

So what's next? I want to keep plowing ahead. I've had recent glimpses of success, and I know that it's possible to at least get back to my lowest weight of the past few years (I'm about 5 pounds away right now). Beyond that, I'm not sure. I think that my best bet is to set smaller interim goals. For example, in the next 4 weeks, I'd like to lose 4 pounds. Maybe short term goals will help me to focus on the here and now more than the indefinite future. We'll see next month whether it works or not.

Nordic Walking

2007-05-17T07:32:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I went to a seminar on Nordic walking. Now I admit I didn't know a lot about it; I figured it was cross country skiing without the snow. Well, and the skis. That's partly true, because Nordic walking was developed by Scandinavian cross country skiers looking for a training activity during the summer months. But it's a little more than a warm weather version of skiing. Basically, it's a way to get your whole body involved in walking. You still use poles (obviously adapted for non-snow surfaces), and use them as a guide to your arm movements. You swing your arms in opposition to your feet. So for example, as your right arm is forward, so will your left leg, and vice versa. You also put your hips into it, so that you're turning slightly at your waist as your walk.

I admit, I felt a little foolish swinging and swishing across the parking lot with our poles, and we did get a few strange looks. But as I've tried to incorporate the movements (without poles) into my daily walking routine, I've discovered what a great workout it is. The seminar leader told us Nordic walking burns up to 40% more calories than standard fitness walking, and I believe it. You use much more of your body: not just your arms, but your hips and butt too. I can definitely feel a difference when I'm done.

So while you may, like me, feel a little silly the first time or two out, I think it's an activity worth checking out. And besides, if anyone makes fun of you, all you have to do is whack them with one of your poles! I've included a few resources below to get you started. Now let's get out there and swing those arms and hips. Happy Walking!

Nordic Walking USA
Books about Nordic Walking

Month #4 Report

2007-05-10T07:13:00.000-04:00

It's been 17 weeks since I started (or re-started) my weight loss plan. Here's an update on month #4...

Diet/weight loss: I'd rank this about a 1. I've lost 15 pounds total during the 17 weeks, so my weight loss has basically come to a halt. No good excuses this time; I just haven't been eating well.

Cross-training/strength training: Again, about a 1. I just haven't made the effort to commit to making these things a part of my exercise plan.

Walking: This is much improved; I'll call it a 4. I averaged 18.5 miles/week during the past 4 weeks. Not the 20 I'm shooting for, but awfully close.

So overall, I'm at about a 2. Not a great month, and lots of room for improvement. Losing 15 pounds is a good start, but it's not where I ultimately want to be. I've been thinking a lot about my goals and how reasonable they are. Can I really get to 150 pounds by the end of the year? That would be the lowest I've ever weighed as an adult, so it's a little hard to imagine. And it's 36 pounds away. It's doable, but it will mean some hard work, and I'm asking myself some hard questions about whether I really want to pursue it consistently. Is the end of the year a good target? Should I extend it to something more realistic? Or is it just that I need to buckle down and work harder? I'm not sure I know the answers yet, but I'm working on it.

Walking to Work

2007-04-11T08:38:00.000-04:00

My car broke down last week, 20 miles from home. Long story short, I was without wheels for 2 days. The good news is that I live 1.5 miles from my office, so I was able to walk to work on Thursday. (I was off on Friday.) It got me to wondering why it is that I don't walk to work more often. It's crazy that I live so close and drive nearly every day. I can make a million excuses: I need my car for errands during the day or appointments after work, it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, I don't feel safe walking home at night (the office is downtown), and on and on. And maybe some of those reasons are valid. But as I see gas prices going up and up, and think of how high they were last summer, I've been thinking that maybe I should consider walking to work more often. In addition to the money I'll save, I'll get a little more exercise and maybe do a small thing to help the environment. So I walked to work yesterday, and I'm hoping I can do this at least 1 or 2 times each week, maybe more, depending on my after-work commitments.

So what about you? How do you get to work? And are there ways to get more walking (or biking) into your commute?

Month #3 Update

2007-04-05T18:08:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe it's that time again, but here it is...

Weight and diet: I'm down 16 pounds in 12 weeks, and 4 in the last 4. Not bad, not great. Weekends seem to be better, and I'm sure the weight loss is slowing down at least in part because my body's adjusting to less food. All in all, I'm fairly satisfied, considering how hectic things have been. I'll rank this a 3.5 out of 5.

Walking: Not where I'd hoped to be. I caught another cold in March, which meant that just when I was starting to get back on track, my energy got sapped for another 10 day stint. My average weekly miles dropped a bit to 13; my goal is 20. I'm going to give myself a break, though, and call this a 3.

Cross training and strength training: I did manage 1 day of cross training (30 minutes of Tae Bo). Again, not great, but considering I was sick for 1/3 of the month, I'll take it. I'm going to be generous and give myself a 2 on this.

So overall, I'd call it about a 3. I'm really hoping that there are no colds in my future, at least for April, so maybe I'll be able to get my mileage up and schedule some more cross training days. While my weight loss has slowed and my fitness isn't what I'd like, I feel pretty good when I factor in being sick for nearly 4 out of the past 12 weeks. Here's to a better April!

Who Knew?

2007-03-28T07:53:00.000-04:00

A funny thing happened at work the other day. We have a communal candy bowl that people fill up from time to time. I found a sale on Easter candy over the weekend, and combined with some coupons I had, I was able to get several bags of candy for free. I brought them into work to fill up the candy bowl. I know of one or two other people who are also trying to eat healthy, so at the last minute I threw in a box of low fat granola bars I had at the house. I added them to the bowl along with the candy, but I figured the granola bars would still be around long after the candy had been eaten. By lunchtime, though, I was surprised to see that they were gone, and several people asked where they came from and commented on how good they were. Who knew? I had no idea anyone else would eat them. Just goes to show me, I guess, that there are a lot more people trying to be healthy than I realized. I'm planning to bring more granola bars to work today, and now I'm thinking that my next big contribution to the candy bowl will be healthy snacks instead of candy.

So here's to tryng to eat more healthfully, even at work!

Daylight? What Daylight?

2007-03-15T18:13:00.000-04:00

Whenever daylight saving time rolls around every year, I dread it. And it's not just because I lose an hour of sleep. As someone who walks in the mornings before work, I hate this time of year, because it means that just when it's gotten to the point where it's light for at least some, if not a good portion, of my walk, I go back to walking almost completely in the dark. And because DST started even earlier this year, it's dark almost until it's time for me to leave for work.

So what to do? Well, it serves as a timely (pun only partially intended) reminder to pay attention to safety while I walk. In particular, I try to be more deliberate about choosing light colored clothing to wear when I'm out on the streets and sidewalks. I also walk defensively, meaning that I generally assume that drivers can't or don't see me. I get off the road as I see drivers approaching when it's possible, and hug the shoulder when it's not. Plus I use sidewalks where they're available. A couple of other things to consider are wearing reflective gear and/or a light. And I'm reminded that it's probably about time for me to buy some ID to carry with me, just in case something should happen to me while I'm walking. For safety gear, my favorite site these days is www.RoadID.com.

If you're looking for some more ideas of ways you can stay safe while you walk, please visit my Walking Safety page. And be careful out there!

Month #2 Check-In

2007-03-12T17:23:00.000-04:00

It's already time to check in for another month's results on my goals for 2007. Here are the numbers after 8 weeks...

Weight and diet: I'm down 12 pounds in 8 weeks. Weight loss has slowed considerably after a great start. That's still about 1.5 pounds/week, but I'd like to be closer to 2/week. Weekends are still a struggle, so I need to get out of the house more rather than be around food so much. I'd rate this about a 3.
Walking: After a not-so-promising start, my weekly mileage is down, averaging about 14 (my goal is 20/week). I was sick for 2 weeks out of 4, and really struggled to get walks in. I can really tell that my fitness level is lower than it was before I got sick, so I'm slowly trying to get it back. I'd rate this about a 3, due to circumstances beyond my control.
Cross training and strength training: I'd rate this a 1, again mostly due to being sick. Still, I'll really have to proactively plan time for these activities, because I won't due them spontaneously, I don't think.

Overall, I'd call it about a 2.5 to 3. Less than last month, and feeling like I've lost some momentum. Partly that's due to being sick. I had a nasty cold for 2 weeks, and actually I think it may have been 2 illnesses overlapping (I kept getting new symptoms every few days). Stress at work has made it hard to get enough sleep, which makes it hard to get up in the mornings to exercise. And I've always had a tendency toward overeating when I'm stressed or upset. I need to do a better job of managing the stress, and trying to take food out of the equation as a coping mechanism. I'm hopeful (again) that my walking will pick up, now that I'm not sick and the weather's getting warmer. I'll let you know next month how it's going.

One Month Down

2007-02-15T17:32:00.000-05:00

I'm awfully late with this, but I figured it was time for an update on how I'm doing with my 2007 goals. Here we go...

Weight and diet: I'm doing pretty well, probably a 4 on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest. I'm down 9 pounds in 5 weeks, and I'm doing above average at limiting my daily calories to the 1800-2000 calorie range. Weekends are tough, when I'm home and around food, so I need to work on a strategy there.
Walking: My goal is 20 miles/week, and I'm definitely below that. Work and other life responsibilities have made things pretty stressful lately, which means less sleep and less energy, it's hard to get up in the morning to walk very far, etc. My average is about 16 miles/week. I think I'm turning a corner, though, and February's numbers should be an improvement.
Cross training: I'd rate this a 1.
Strength training: Ditto. I need to be more proactive with these two, and actually schedule days I'm going to do them.

So overall, I'd say I'm about a 3 to 3.5. Not bad, but there's room for improvement. Either way, I'm definitely taking steps toward getting back on track with a healthy lifestyle, so I'm feeling good about that. We'll see where I am in another few weeks.

Walking Through Disney (Race Report)

2007-01-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

On Jan. 6, I joined 15,000 of my closest friends to walk the Disney World half-marathon. I arose bright and early to catch the 3:45 bus to Epcot for the 6:30am start time. Why we had to be there so early, I still don't know. The weather was warm for January, with temps in the upper 60s and high humidity to start and around 75 when I finished. We waited in the staging area until about 4:30, then moved into the corrals. This year there was a wave start, and I was in Wave C (the last one). Around 5:30 we started gradually making our way to the start line. Wave A started just after 6am, Wave B was right behind at 6:10, and I crossed the start line just a few minutes after 6:30. I was amazed at the sheer numbers of people. This was my third race, and with about 15,000 participants, was about the same size as one previous race I've done (the Nike Women's half in San Francisco). I don't know if the road was narrower or what, but it seemed a heck of a lot more crowded than SF. Being in the back of the pack, I figured things would thin out, and they did some, but I ended up passing people through the entire race, and frequently had trouble doing so because of the crowds.

We started by Epcot and made our way toward the Magic Kingdom after about 4 miles. The crowds were sparse until we reached MK, and then the spectators were mostly Disney cast members. Around this time, one couple pulled off the course to get married before continuing on with the race as newlyweds. (Probably one of those things that sounded like a good idea at the time.) We walked through Cinderella's castle, and made our way out of the park and headed back toward Epcot. I saw a few participants dressed as their favorite characters, including Captain Jack and the Incredibles. The home stretch of the race took us through Epcot to the finish line, where we were greeted by cheering fans. My final chip time: 3:25:21. Slower than I would have liked, but given the weather conditions, I was okay with it. I was dismayed to discover, however, that at the finish line they had run out of not only water, but finisher's medals! I kept thinking to myself, "Isn't this Disney? The people who move thousands of people through their parks every day?" After standing in line for about 10 minutes to put my name on a mailing list, a box of medals mysteriously appeared, and I finally got one. Many others didn't, however, and I was amazed at the lack of organization.

Overall, it was an okay experience. I was happy with my personal performance in the race, especially considering both the weather conditions and the trouble I had early in my training schedule finding the time to get all my walks in. Would I recommend the Disney World half to another walker? Yes and no. Yes, because I hope they solve the organizational problems for future races. No, because it was way too crowded for me to feel like I could maintain my pace consistently, plus even if I give Disney the benefit of the doubt for having a bad day, I think it's highly problematic to run out of water on a warm, humid day. (I saw several runners and walkers who had to get medical attention both during and after the race.) Will I do another half-marathon? Absolutely. I loved my experience at the Flying Pig in Cincinnati last year, and hope to do that race again (although not this year). And there are several others I'd like to try, too.

What does the future hold for me as far as races? I'm hoping to pull off another half in the fall, preferably somewhere on the East Coast (any suggestions are welcome). Meanwhile, I really want to work on my pace, so it's more intervals and shorter distances for me the next few months. And I'm hoping to enter a few smaller local 5Ks and 10Ks as well, which I think after the masses at Disney will be a welcome relief. I still see walking in races as a good thing, because it's a great way to set goals and keep myself motivated, as well as meet other walkers and runners.

Until next time...

Goals, Not Resolutions

2007-01-01T14:37:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. They're always well-intentioned, but not very practical, at least in my experience. Emotionally driven, accompanied by lots of enthusiasm, and then they fall flat in a few weeks or (if I'm lucky) a month or two. Instead, I prefer to set goals for each year. The trick, I've found, is to make them concrete: measurable, and with time goals. For instance, if I want to save money, I'll set myself a goal of $X by June 1, say. That way, when the date rolls around, I have an easy way to gauge if I've met the goal.

So here are my health and fitness goals for 2007:
1. Lose the last 50 pounds by December 31; this includes smaller goals of 10-15 pounds at different dates through the year.
2. Return to a healthy diet. This one's harder to measure, but my plan is to consume 1800-2000 calories/day, with no more than 30% of the calories from fat. In order to lower my cholesterol, this includes less than 14 grams of saturated fat and 200 milligrams of cholesterol daily.
3. Continue walking at least 20 miles per week. I also want to walk at least 1 and preferably 2 half-marathons in 2007.
4. Add cross-training and strength training to my exercise regimen. This is something I've struggled with in the past. My goal by the end of the year is to have 1-2 days of cross-training (biking, swimming, etc.) and 2 days of strength training per week.

As you can see, I have some tough goals to meet. But I'm also confident I'll get there. The key, for me, is patience, mostly with myself. And to realize I have a whole year to get there, not just a few weeks. I'll post updates as I go through the year, including progress reports each month.

Here's to a healthier 2007 for all of us!

Back in the Saddle... Again?

2006-12-27T09:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I got some not-so-great news from the doctor on Friday: my cholesterol is back up, way up, close to what it was 3 years ago when I decided to get healthy, lose weight, and start walking. All this despite having lost 90 pounds (and kept most of it off for 2 years) and working my way up to walking 20-25 miles per week.

The moral of the story? Diet matters. I admit it; I've been bad about my diet. I convinced myself that I could eat semi-healthy: low fat and low cholesterol some of the time; high fat stuff a lot of the time, and not just during the holidays. Not exactly practicing what I've been preaching. It's frustrating, because I feel like I worked awfully hard, and I don't have a lot to show for it. Sure, I've lost a bunch of weight, but to see the cholesterol numbers almost back to what they were in the beginning feels like a slap in the face.

So what to do? I don't know if I can go back to the life of deprivation I used to lead. But at the same time, I can't keep doing what I'm doing if I want to get - and stay - healthy. Moderation has never really worked for me (despite the fact that I tell everyone else to do it). I'm sort of an either/or kind of a person: either I'm totally disciplined and healthy in my eating, or I'm off the charts with high fat junk. I can't seem to eat just a little bit of the bad stuff once in a while but keep on track with a healthy diet the rest of the time.

It's the reality I don't want to face: I have to go back to the low fat, low cholesterol diet, and sooner rather than later. This time, though, I have to commit for the long haul, and look at this as a lifestyle change and not a temporary thing I have to endure. Somehow, I have to find a way to make this work for the rest of my life, and I'm not sure that I know yet how to do that. Meanwhile, I'll do my best to plug along, one day and sometimes one hour at a time, trying to make changes I've made before, only this time doing it for keeps. So come January, I'll be among the hordes promising to eat better and be healthy. Only for me, I'll know that it has to last more than a few days or weeks. I have to do this for real, for a lifetime, and most of all, for me.

Wish me luck!

Peggy

1000 Miles

2006-12-12T15:13:00.000-05:00

I've had that song in my head for days: "If I could walk 500 miles, then I would walk 500 more..." It's a good song and all, but the reason I keep singing it to myself is because this week, I'll hit the 1000 miles walked threshold for the year (as of today, I'm at 999). This is the first year I started tracking all the miles I walk, and I set a goal at the beginning of the year to walk 1000 miles this year.

There's just something about the number that's appealing; it's a nice round number with lots of zeros, and it seems awfully satisfying to be reaching that goal. 1000 miles is also a long way, when they're stacked up. It's 38 marathons (or 76 halfs!). Or 7 Ironman triathlons. It's also, well, a long way from my home if I walked it straight, close to halfway across the country. But mostly, it's a great reminder to me of how far I've come. Walking this many miles would have been impossible for me just a few short years ago. Now, walking is a huge part of my efforts to life a healthy, active lifestyle.

So the only question left is this: how many miles can I walk next year? "500 more?" :-) Keep on walking, friends.

Motivation

2006-12-01T18:39:00.000-05:00

I'm currently training to walk a half-marathon (at Walt Disney World on January 6, 2007). This will be my third half, but I'm finding that this time, I'm having a hard time staying motivated to keep up with the training. Maybe it's the weather (although where I live in North Carolina, fall is much better than the humid summers!). Or maybe it's life; too many other responsibilities getting in the way. But whatever the reason, it's often a struggle to get myself out the door and stick to the training schedule. But every time I do, I'm reminded of why I walk: I do this for my health and, ultimately, for a better life. Every step I take is a step away from my old unhealthy life and toward my new healthy one. I started walking for exercise because I was dangerously overweight (and with high cholesterol to boot). I've lost a lot of weight through exercise and diet, and mostly because I walk. Even though I sometimes struggle to get out of bed and start walking, I do it because it matters. I do it because my health matters. So I put one foot in front of the other and walk. Toward a better, healthier future.

Keep on walking!

Staying Healthy in the Holidays

2006-11-21T17:37:00.000-05:00

It's a challenge for everyone: how to stay healthy and active during the holidays. Thanksgiving week can be difficult for those of us who try to make good choices about what we eat. Here are a few things to keep in mind...

Go for the healthy alternatives. Try to load up on fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains.
Turkey is actually a good option; it generally provides lean protein. Well, at least without the gravy :-).
Don't make yourself crazy by depriving yourself of treats. Simply aim for smaller portions of things like desserts and heavier dishes.
Try to incorporate some activity into your holiday celebration. Round up the family and go for a walk if the weather's nice. This can be an especially good option between the main course and dessert.
Above all, enjoy the holiday. Appreciate the time you have with family, friends, or even restful time by yourself, depending on your circumstances. Thanksgiving only comes once a year; make sure you take advantage of the chance to have some fun!

The things I like to remind myself of, particularly this time of the year, are balance and moderation. Enjoy the things you like, hopefully in smaller quantities. And balance the good food with fun activity to get your heart moving. Your body (and maybe even your family and friends) will thank you for it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peggy

First Things First

2006-11-20T16:36:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome to the first installment of the Love To Walk blog. I hope this will be a place to share all things walking: news, information, advice, tips, reviews of gear, and more. And mostly, I hope to share my love of fitness and healthy living, and that by reading and using the site, you too will Love To Walk as much as I do. Come join me in the journey!