The Walking Thread

[WLWildlife]

What a beautiful place to walk! I am waiting for the weather to cooperate. I have been able to walk 3 times this month. Time is an issue too. But walking is soothing to the soul, especially in peaceful surroundings.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

What a beautiful place to walk! I am waiting for the weather to cooperate. I have been able to walk 3 times this month. Time is an issue too. But walking is soothing to the soul, especially in peaceful surroundings.

I think that's why I've embraced it so much. Walking give me peace. I am very grateful to have pretty places to walk. The 5k walker I passed over the weekend were marveling at the scenery and I couldn't help but think that I get this most days. Hopefully your weather conditions will improve soon as we get deeper into spring.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Happy Tuesday!

Today was an early one since I had to head into the office. Tomorrow will be more of the same. According to my driveway camera, I was out the door at 4:57am. No pictures (don't think anyone cares about the video of me leaving my driveway). I just wanted to get it done so I could get back and clean up for work. It was incredibly muggy out there (66 degrees with 98% humidity) and super webby. I obviously can handle snakes, but I am awful with spiders. So, on webby mornings like today, I am constantly running my hands through my hair and over my arms/torso to clear myself of webs and any potential 8-legged monsters. I'm literally doing everything in my power not to shriek and whimper each time I hit a web. I consider it progress considering about 10-12 years ago, I would have just called it quits and stayed home in such conditions. I got in 6.23 miles.

 

[citruscurtis]

Super webby
We don't have spider limb builders here...if so my hour watering walk would be wash cloth in hand

 

[WLWildlife]

Beautiful picture citruscurtis!

I too don't like spiders. Can't stand anything with too many legs or not enough legs. I hate snakes too.

Yesterday was was freezing and snowy. Today high of 45 and still cold. No walking today. Not likely at all this week. I am so ready for summer and sunshine. I can walk in 80s with humidity, the cold is what gets me.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It was another ultra webby early morning for me. I set out right at 5am. It was 72 when I left and supposedly already up to 77 when I got home (according to Garmin). I put in 6.25 miles. No pictures, but I did get some wildlife this morning (no, not what was living in those webs...THANKFULLY). I was about a half a mile in when I saw a whitish blob up ahead. It was about the size of a domestic cat. As I got closer, I realized it was an opossum. It just froze...which is often the norm. I really like them, even though they have scary teeth. They're pretty beneficial creatures. So, I just powered on and let it be. What's funny is around the start of mile 3, I was walking by some of the houses at the lake and saw another one. I tried to stop for a pic but by the time my sweaty hands fumbled around with my phone, and flashlight, and pepper spray...it was in a flower bed. It's odd to see two in one walk, so I suspect it has something to do with breeding cycles or dietary elements.

My new gear for my race next month also arrived. One pair of shorts is sort of a deer fair isle pattern. It's Christmasy, except it's navy and royal blue. I'm thinking it might be fun if I do a Christmas in July race. The other stuff, which was supposed to be pink and blue dragon scales...is gorgeous. However, DD17 pointed out that it looks more like a parrotfish. I don't hate this. The race is in Galveston and goes right along the Gulf. Add in that it's a diva race, full of tiaras...and I could be PRINCESS PARROTFISH!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Happy Thursday!

I'm going to admit that I put a lot of frustrations into my walk this morning...work issues, softball issues, kid issues, and even some walker identity issues (more on that in a moment). While it didn't solve the world's problems, I do feel a bit better and I tapped a part of myself with my walks that I haven't had to really channel in a while. I find the walking very therapeutic, but at various stages, I have found myself pushing to go farther and/or faster. I set out exactly at 6am today and I took a cue from my watch to push to work through all of this. My watch called for a "tempo" outing, meaning I should push comfortably hard. I leaned into it and pushed. Somewhere in all of it...I think it was at the detour (the sign is back up)...I decided I was going to push both distance and pace. In other words, I've chosen to go farther, so I need to push pace hard enough so I'm not late for work.

I went 7.23 miles and got home with 7 minutes to spare. So, nearly a mile longer than yesterday with a pace that was over a minute a mile faster. Whew! I guess I'll just let anger and frustration help push my goals again for a bit. I saw an armadillo pretty early on as well as several toads. I didn't hit much of the pretty areas in daylight, plus it wasn't a great day to stop, but I got this...



Oh, and the identity issues... while I really do this for the general fitness and therapeutic nature of it all, I would like to get faster and I would like tips to work towards longer distances and more difficult challenges. The running community is helpful for some of it, but 99% or more of what I do out there is walking. I do go into a light jog to a full run for things like crossing streets, certain short downhill stretches, finish lines and sometimes to pass someone. I was out there for about an hour and 35 minutes this morning and running made up MAYBE 1 minute of that entire outing. I joined a half marathon walking Facebook group for some potential speed and distance tips that were walking specific just to be informed that I am "a runner" if I run/jog any more than 100 yards. I'm not even sure I even run that much, but it felt like a way of saying I don't belong. The guy did recommend a race walking organization and coaching clinic, BUT race walking is an entirely different thing. My lungs hate it as much as running and my joints hate it even more. On the plus side, the site did have some generic tips for walkers to build up to the marathon distance and goals to keep in mind for first timers vs. subsequent marathon distances. So, it wasn't all for naught.

 

[citruscurtis]

My walking today was on the northern border of the Barry Goldwater bombing range where a church was having a rummage sale.
6:00 dark.. well ....under light of solar parking structure...back and forth looking for bargains...then out to the vehicle to load the treasure..hour in line entrance of building... but very little inside so the obstacle course of politeness to senior citizens gave very little training... usually rudeness to fill my 6 tote bags... but only one bag full today

Then home to hour water and place my newly purchased yard art...oh.. the baby deer look like toads

 

[citruscurtis]

Also street garbage day so a good aerobic day as I share receptacles with,2 other neighbors so aerobic walking unlike this morning reptile purchase and I was encouraged by these other morning purchase of these two walkers...a tile of the most popular icon on the border... here he is walking around the Pueblo to bring rain to the corn and this icon having a walk on the beach

And my every morning armadillo...so neat you had one also

 

[WLWildlife]

Happy Thursday!

I'm going to admit that I put a lot of frustrations into my walk this morning...work issues, softball issues, kid issues, and even some walker identity issues (more on that in a moment). While it didn't solve the world's problems, I do feel a bit better and I tapped a part of myself with my walks that I haven't had to really channel in a while. I find the walking very therapeutic, but at various stages, I have found myself pushing to go farther and/or faster. I set out exactly at 6am today and I took a cue from my watch to push to work through all of this. My watch called for a "tempo" outing, meaning I should push comfortably hard. I leaned into it and pushed. Somewhere in all of it...I think it was at the detour (the sign is back up)...I decided I was going to push both distance and pace. In other words, I've chosen to go farther, so I need to push pace hard enough so I'm not late for work.

I went 7.23 miles and got home with 7 minutes to spare. So, nearly a mile longer than yesterday with a pace that was over a minute a mile faster. Whew! I guess I'll just let anger and frustration help push my goals again for a bit. I saw an armadillo pretty early on as well as several toads. I didn't hit much of the pretty areas in daylight, plus it wasn't a great day to stop, but I got this...

View attachment 1059198

Oh, and the identity issues... while I really do this for the general fitness and therapeutic nature of it all, I would like to get faster and I would like tips to work towards longer distances and more difficult challenges. The running community is helpful for some of it, but 99% or more of what I do out there is walking. I do go into a light jog to a full run for things like crossing streets, certain short downhill stretches, finish lines and sometimes to pass someone. I was out there for about an hour and 35 minutes this morning and running made up MAYBE 1 minute of that entire outing. I joined a half marathon walking Facebook group for some potential speed and distance tips that were walking specific just to be informed that I am "a runner" if I run/jog any more than 100 yards. I'm not even sure I even run that much, but it felt like a way of saying I don't belong. The guy did recommend a race walking organization and coaching clinic, BUT race walking is an entirely different thing. My lungs hate it as much as running and my joints hate it even more. On the plus side, the site did have some generic tips for walkers to build up to the marathon distance and goals to keep in mind for first timers vs. subsequent marathon distances. So, it wasn't all for naught.

That is still a beautiful picture! I would like to be to increase my speed so I can cover more ground in the same amount of time. I just don't have much time for exercise, but I need the therapeutic benefit, not just the physical fitness. I feel better mentally when I move. I'm glad you were able to get some tips. I can't run much, my feet can't take the abuse.

 

[WLWildlife]

It was unseasonably warm today- upper 70s! But it is of course stormy, so I was only able to squeeze in a short walk. But I blessed with these beautiful things today between the storms. Let's hope we don't get any hail or tornadoes.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

That is still a beautiful picture! I would like to be to increase my speed so I can cover more ground in the same amount of time. I just don't have much time for exercise, but I need the therapeutic benefit, not just the physical fitness. I feel better mentally when I move. I'm glad you were able to get some tips. I can't run much, my feet can't take the abuse.

Thank you! We are pretty lucky here with nice places to walk. That therapeutic benefit is what keeps me going...even with the gym component. My body doesn't really love the running either. I think that's part of why the interval method was only moderately successful for me in the past. Pain isn't exactly the best reinforcer.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It was unseasonably warm today- upper 70s! But it is of course stormy, so I was only able to squeeze in a short walk. But I blessed with these beautiful things today between the storms. Let's hope we don't get any hail or tornadoes.

Hope your weather wasn't too bad. I saw the storms that moved through some of the country and things looked pretty ugly for some. Hail and tornadic activity is scary business!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Happy Friday!!!

I got out a little early today because Friday is my early day. The detours are still up but I tried a slightly different route today and went through part of the lake neighborhood to pick up the trail in a different area. I wasn't a huge fan...mainly because more areas are now under refurb. I did notice one of my regular walking ladies just disregard it all and still take the normal path. The bridges are not roped off, meaning they should still be safe for pedestrian traffic. In fact, the only thing taped off completely was a section of the ground based path...meaning I just had to go off into the grass a bit. My alternative has taken me along one of the main roads for a portion of the way. Traffic is NUTS and there have been deaths along the way. So, I think I am just going to take my chances with the bridge construction as that's safer. As it is, someone this morning misjudged one of the lanes and I could hear his tires scraping the curb (at 40-50 mph).

In any event, today was a more relaxing pace, but due to the detours I was still in a bit of a time crunch. I still managed 6.61 miles and got home with several minutes to spare. Only wildlife I saw today was a racoon scurrying across the street. I did manage some pictures from some familiar viewpoints...



Also trying to decide about headphones. I bought a new pair of AirPods last month. I was using DD17s old ones, but they are old and the batteries are awful. She also needed them for her trio of races since she can't wear her big Beats ones when running. They're the cheapest of the AirPods, but I like the sound. Unfortunately, they fall out of my ears pretty easily, are nearly impossible to use when I'm sweaty, and while non-noise canceling, they cancel enough that they're not really safe for me to wear on the trails or in races. I broke out my old Shockz today that I bought back in 2019. They use bone conduction, so I can hear my music but it leaves my ears open so I can hear my surroundings. The sound is not the greatest. I am debating about a new pair but may need to research to see if everything current is just as meh when it comes to audio quality.