I've been an athlete my whole life, from Boys and Girls Club softball and after-school kickball to high school soccer, golf, tennis, biking, weight lifting, and finally, my true love -- running. After participating in numerous 10K and 10-mile races, I set my sights on a marathon and eventually completed two.
However, not long after the second one, I hit a health bump in the road that forced me to lay off pretty much everything except sitting still. I suffered both physically and psychologically, unable to go for my daily run. It took several years for me to recover to the point that I could consider any kind of exercise again, and when I did, I was forced to accept the fact that running was not going to be a part of my immediate future. That led to a period of depression that only ended when I finally gave myself a swift kick in the pantaloons and decided I had to do something, ANYTHING except sit still for another minute. So I started walking. I grumbled a good bit the first few times because I remembered passing walkers while I was out running and thinking to myself, "What a waste of time." Not any more!
Fast forward to 2016. Before long, I began to look forward to my daily walk the way I used to crave my daily run. In fact, I became such an avid walker that I decided to keep a journal of my times and distances just for fun. To my amazement, here's what happened last year:
I walked 1,166 miles. I could have walked from Scottsdale to Houston!
If someone suggested that you go out and walk 1,166 miles, your response would probably be the same as mine: "Okay, you first." But it adds up faster than you can imagine. I walk Monday through Friday, an hour a day, though if I have an unexpected day off, I often go longer or walk in the morning and again in the afternoon. As for speed, I'm certainly not scorching the pavement, but I move right along. And look what can happen.
Now, this might seem like a story about me, but it's intended to be a story about what can be. If you're struggling with a new year's resolution that isn't satisfying or if you sometimes wonder what the point of it all is, I'm here to tell you that every little bit helps, every walk counts, and those baby steps really do add up. Keep a journal of your own and see where you end up by the end of 2017. Walk on!
3 comments:
Marilyn, thanks for your stamp of approval on walking! For several years now, I've been walking during my work day, depending on the weather. It's a great break from the work day and, I track my walks on Map My Fitness app. It's amazing how far I walked last year! Happy walking😎
Deb, thanks for that confirmation! I'm surprised how many folks I've heard from who have had similar experiences. At the end of 2017, let us know how far you've gone!
Marilyn, over the past couple of years I’ve discovered that I LOVE walking! Not sure I’d enjoy it nearly as much if I didn’t have my 4 yr old border-collie mix Gracie with me, but I find walking much more mentally relaxing than running. I prefer to walk in the woods on relatively flat terrain or around a lake or pond. A friend recently referenced the term ‘forest bathing’, the healing benefits of spending time in the forest. Like you, I need a good workout every day to feel whole, but I find walking in the woods very therapeutic. My gf and I have done some great international treks (nepal. Peru, coast of portugal, french alps) where we were walking 6-8 hrs a day and can assure you we were getting a LOT of exercise. This summer we spent a week on Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket with the purpose of exploring the islands by foot. We logged a lot of miles walking / exploring these islands and found ourselves on secluded beaches with no one else around. We took some great runs as well, but it was our long walks that we enjoyed the most! :)
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