My Walk to Fitness: Day 30

This is my final day of the Walk 30 for 30 Challenge.  When I started the process I was not sure I would be able to keep the commitment.  Writing this blog definitely helped keep me on track.  I was planning to take the dogs with me today but it was very cold again  and so I left them home in comfort, sitting on my couch.

And today we received some excellent news about the KW Walking Classic:  WE DID IT!  WE WON!  Read on . . . . . . . .

MINDS IN MOTION – K W WALKING CLASSIC WINS ABOUT.COM 2012 READERS’ CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST WALKER-FRIENDLY HALF MARATHON

NEW YORK, March 30, 2012 – Minds in Motion event committee today announced that the Minds in Motion – K W Walking Classic Half Marathon has been selected as the About.com 2012 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Walker-Friendly Half Marathon. Now in its fifth year, the About.com Readers’ Choice Awards honor the best products, features and services across more than a dozen categories, ranging from technology to hobbies to parenting and more, as selected by its readers.

“This year’s Readers’ Choice Awards program had a record number of

nominations submitted across dozens of categories and featured hundreds

of finalists,” said Margot Weiss, managing editor, About.com. “We are

thankful to all our readers for their participation and congratulate

Minds in Motion K W Walking Classic on their success.”

To view theWalker- Friendly Half Marathon award and all award

winners, please visit http://awards.about.com.

Isn’t that great!  If you want to join us for this fun event on September 23rd, 2012 just check out the website:  http://kwwalkingclassic.com for more information.  I’m stopping my blog after today for a little while.  My hope is to resume again in June.  Talk to you then.

My Walk to Fitness: Day 29

I have almost completed my 30 for 30 Challenge.  Today was cold but I did go out for my 30 minutes.  I am looking after my son and daughter-in-law’s two little dogs and thought about taking them with me.  At the last minute I changed my mind.  They are so tiny and I was worried about the youngest one in the cold weather.  When I left the house I looked back and there the two of them were, sitting on the back of my living room sofa, looking out the window as if to say:  “I hope you’re not going to be too long.”

It was nice to come home to such a warm, though noisy,  welcome.

My Walk to Fitness: Day 28

Wednesday started with an early morning meeting, followed by a medical appointment, trip to the pharmacy to drop off my prescription and on to Curves for a 45-minute work-out.  Back to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and home for lunch.  The afternoon was more of the same and out to friends for the evening.  All this just to let you know I did not walk (other than running around like a chicken with its head cut off!)   I hope the 45 minutes spent at Curves counts for something.

My Walk to Fitness: Day 27

I started my day with a work-out at Curves.  When I returned to Curves in January I could not use all of the machines on the circuit.  The machines I was able to use, I operated very carefully.  Today I can work out on every machine and each week I can do more repetitions than the week before.  My back has not hurt for the past two months and my thanks go out to Deanna MacIntosh and her staff at Curves for all their help and encouragement.

I love Curves for many reasons, one of which is that the staff are all “real” women with real life experiences who can really relate to the members – unlike in other Fitness Centres, where sylph-like, young women bend their bodies every which way and expect my aging, overweight body to do the same.  Good luck!  I’m discouraged before I even start.

My walks have also helped me strengthen my core and I know that this now has to be an integral part of my life. But not everyone can afford even the very reasonable rates charged by Curves and that is what I love about walking.  Anyone can do it.  There are no monthly fees, no special clothing – all you need is a good, well-fitting pair of athletic shoes.  That is why I am involved with the Minds in Motion KW Walking Classic.  The proceeds of this race will provide New Balance walking shoes for people recovering from mental health issues:  people on a fixed income who cannot afford to buy decent shoes for themselves.  Check out the website:  www.kwwalkingclassic.com for information, inspirational videos and testimonials from people who have benefitted from the walking programs.

It is now 9:45 p.m. and my daughter and I are just back from our walk.  It is a cold night but refreshing.  I love it when Erin joins me.  She spurs me on to walk faster than I would normally — which is fine, just as long as she doesn’t expect me to walk and talk at the same time!  That’s all for now.  It’s time for a cup of tea and then to bed.  Good-night!

My Walk to Fitness: Day 26

Wanting to ensure I completed my walk early in the day, I left the house just before 9:00 a.m.  Thank goodness I had the good sense to check the weather channel before I left.  It was -10 C with the wind chill – Brrrrr!  After the past 8 or 9 days of lovely summer weather, this morning felt positively Arctic!

Once again, it was on with the winter coat, scarf and gloves but at least there was no need for boots.  After the first five minutes I actually started to enjoy myself.  By the time I got home I felt invigorated and ready to face the day.

My Walk to Fitness: Day 25

Well – I’m in the last stretch of my first 30 for 30 Challenge.  I have been surprised at how difficult it has been to fit my 30 minute walk into my day when I do not schedule it in advance.  At times, it has been 11:30 p.m. before I made it out to walk.  This set me thinking to how my lifestyle has changed since I was a teenager, when I was very slender and very fit!.  I had to walk everywhere.  Often it was my only means of transportation.  During the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland, the buses would often stop running because of rioting and so my only option of getting to work was to walk.  Since my place of employment was at the other side of the City, it took me slightly over an hour to get there.  It just became a way of life.

Well into her late 70s and early 80s, my mother walked absolutely everywhere.  She may have walked to a bus-stop with the intention of getting a bus into town, but if the bus did not come within two or three minutes then she just set out walking.  Again, it was a good 45-minute brisk walk for her but she thought nothing of it.

It is definitely food for thought.  I need to leave the car behind more often.  I have a selection of grocery stores within 15 minutes of my home so, rather than planning a 30-minute walk, I plan to incorporate walking into my everyday life — for my health’s sake!

Nova Scotia (2010)

Nova Scotia
(I’m still working out how to get photos where I want them!)

My Walk to Fitness: Day 24

Another busy day.  My daughter and I headed out after supper.  It was cool and damp but not raining when we left home.  It was lovely to have my daughter’s company tonight.  Although we still live in the same house we don’t often have time to spend quality time together.  Unfortunately it started to rain as we were heading back home, so we quickened our pace somewhat and I was completely unable to talk and walk at the same time!  Nonetheless, I enjoyed our walk and look forward to more of the same.

My Walk to Fitness: Day 23

I want to thank Susan Lewis for inspiring me to start walking and blogging.  For information on Sue and Dave’s Walking Workshops and on the free weekly walks they conduct, go to:  www.walkonstrong.com

Please consider joining us on Sunday, September 23rd.  You will be enhancing the lives of others and we promise you won’t regret it! 

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Walk for Mental Health and make a difference! 

 

Minds in Motion – KW Walking Classic

 5K, 10K and Half Marathon Events!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

The best resolution for 2012 is to train for the  Stigma Busting event of the year! 

 Our cause is Mental Health and providing for a healthier lifestyle for those recovering from mental health concerns, their families and the people who support them. We have provided  hundreds of properly fitted athletic shoes for those on fixed incomes recovering from mental health issues who want to get fit. 

Walking in this event is good for others and it is good for you!  All levels of ability welcome! If you can walk we want you to come join the fun and help us help others.

 

All three events are chip-timed, with lots of great loot and bling, long sleeved technical shirts, finishing medals and no shortage of excitement.  

 

TO REGISTER:  Visit our website now:  www.kwwalkingclassic.com  OR 

Go to the Running Room registration page directly at: Minds In Motion  K W Walking  Classic

 

 

  

My Walk to Fitness: Day 22

I know:   I missed a day!  I kept putting my walk off yesterday until it was so late the only thing I wanted to do was go to bed — so I did!  Lesson learned:  never put off to later what you should be doing right now (or something like that). 

The first thing I did this morning was take a photograph of a lovely little daffodil that had bloomed in my back garden overnight, just for my delight.  I was thrilled to see it.  There are lots more in bud but this little beauty was first of the bunch and I just had to take its photograph.  I did try to post it on this page but I ended up posting it on a page of its own, but you get the picture (if you’ll excuse the pun). 

That little daffodill made me so happy and set the tone for the day. I got so much accomplished today and YES I did get my walk in.  My husband decided to join me after supper and we walked together through the wooded area in our neighbourhood. It’s funny that walking increases your energy level.  I got home and put on a load of washing, something I had not intended to do before I left the house.  Great!  One less thing to do tomorrow.  Now I’ll try to learn how to post my photos on the proper page.