The recent rain has made walking through fields and local tracks... unpleasant. We didn't wade through that lot, we turned off to the left and took another course.
Today dawned very frosty, the earth as hard as iron, water like a stone - hurrah! A great day for a good walk.
A lot of the water had already drained away, but there was plenty of ice remaining.
At the beginning of January, Ilona, Meanqueen issued her annual walking challenge. For once, I decided to participate, take a proper note of just how far I walk each day, so I dug out my pedometer and got started.
I honestly thought that I would be doing most of the walking by myself, despite the fact that I have a dog (he has issues, plus he doesn't like getting his feet wet). I decided that he needed to get fit almost as much as I do. The big downside of that was the very idea of spending so much time just walking the same old field margins several times a day. Far too boring.
So I have been pushing Toby, extending his comfort zone, sticking to quiet routes, field margins for sure, just different field margins. His tail would go down and he definitely got slightly stressed but he trusted me and we made progress.
Three weeks on and he is able to travel further from our local fields and railway line than I ever thought he would be able.
It helps to have a target - mine is 10000 steps a day - so that, plus having to report in each month on Ilona's blog, have spurred me on to give Toby the extra nudges that he needed. No doubt there will be setbacks, but now he knows he can jump over the hurdles and head for new horizons. He is happy and so am I.
So far this month we have clocked up just over 70 miles. He is a fitter, happier dog. Thank you Ilona.
Good for you and Toby!
ReplyDeleteI've started the healthy eating and lost a few kilos (very few, its early days yet) but havent started the walking.
Gold stars all round then Linda; fingers crossed that we all keep going!
DeleteThat's a good number of miles for 21 days into the new year.
ReplyDeleteI like to have something to aim for - and I like to have something in hand, just in case!
DeleteI wonder where this 10k steps a day originated. I think it was on Room 101 last weekend that they said this was a figure almost picked at random, or something like that, but really, if we have a good walk and do housework and gardening, surely that's sufficient to keep the average person healthy? Do those who haven't achieved their 10K in a day find that to make up the lost steps, they run on the spot for ten minutes or however long it takes?
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I can't answer for anyone else, Margaret, but in my case the 10,000 steps comes about because in a normal day I used to do around 7,500. If I fail to make my target it doesn't matter, it is simply something to aim for, and most days I exceed it by quite a margin. It has been a boon during this soggy and miserable January as the competitive side of me has forced the indolent side to pull on my Wellington boots and get out there. The dog and I are both slightly fitter and none the worse for our adventures. Today is one of those days when other commitments mean I definitely won't make my target, you won't find me running on the spot to make it up, either!
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