ice, ice, baby

February weather is just not cooperating. I picked a really bad month to post everyday. Today's trouble maker—ice.

I tried walking at lunch time. Little tiny shuffle steps. I stayed upright but didn't go far.

Every hour or so I jogged for a count of 100 at my desk.

I ran up and down the steps.

If I finish my online class early enough (school is cancelled, again) it will be time for Leslie.

walk at lunch day

Yesterday was national Walk at Lunch Day. So we walked at lunch. But then we do that most days so it really wasn't extra special.

I've been absent from the blog for maybe 10 days. It's not that I haven't walked. I just haven't walked much. Still trying to get my mojo back. If someone could tell me where I left it I'd appreciate it.

Saturday there is a Volkksport walk at the Parkway. I'm considering it. Sunday Bonnie and I are doing the MS walk starting at Piggie Park. I guess we're going to tour east Allentown. I bet we head down toward the American Parkway and around the cemeteries.

Next Sunday is the Race for the Cure in Philly. We need to be there at 5:30 for the survivors breakfast. Yikes. Bonnie signed up Sunday and her race packet came yesterday. I signed up on Saturday, nothing yet. She say the timing chip is right in the bib. I also paid for the shuttle lot parking. The art museum will be nuts. Maybe that's what's taking so long. I'm hoping for under 50 minutes.

No walking today, it's raining, again. Can't complain. My sister in Louisville had 18 inches in about 3 days. Weather is crazy. Maybe tonight I'll do a walking tape.

the piggie in the stairway

Today's I was in Boscov's to look at curtains, and to get there I walked thru housewares. They have an entire line of piggy themed do-dads for the kitchen. I just glanced as I walked thru and this adorable pig caught my eye. It's a "kitchen" timer. He now lives in my stairway for when I do step ups.

I tried him out tonight and set him for 10 minutes. It took less than four to do the first 100. The other six to do an additional 125. It's pretty obvious that the more I do the slower I get.

After I did my grading I did Day 3 of the walk tape. "Slim Your Legs". A 14 minute mile. It included lunges and swats. More than likely I won't be do that one again. My knee do not do squats or true lunge. Sansome is so fit when she lunged her back knee nearly touched the floor. She also added a grapevine side step. This is getting too much like aerobics in the 80s. Been there, done that. Not coordinated enough to walk and chew gum yet alone all that and keep walking.

Maybe Saturday I'll try the speed walk. It shouldn't have any fancy crap.

follow thru

Went to Wally's world for Pat's prescriptions and bought the video. I got one with five, one mile walks. All different. My attention span should last 15 minutes. Four are 14-minute miles. The fifth is a 12-minute mile.  You can do one at a time, multiple or all of them. I'll do one tonight, after I''m done grading.

I like her bedazzled walking shirt. Wonder if it comes in breast cancer pink?

As I was walking thru housewares to get to back to the pharmacy, I thought I needed something. Couldn't remember what. Now I do. I went into the hall to do my step-ups and realized I never bought a timer. Counting is getting old. I did 150 today.

Before I left for school and Walmart, I sent my check into the Volkksport people. I decided if I go on one, and everyone is 80, I don't need to go again. A one-hour 5Ks cost as much. What appeals to me is the 10Ks.

If the weather people are right, this fat girl will be shoveling again. Another storm is due Wednesday night.

decisions

It's tough walking outside right now. It's bitter cold and icy. Another big storm is due tomorrow. But I need to keep moving or in March I'll be back at square one. Besides, I have two stair climbs to do before the weather breaks.

Most would tell me to go to the gym. Let's not and say we did.  Yes, it is the logical choice for winter, but when have I ever been logical?

Decision No. 1 ... the easy one
When I'm at Walmart today picking up Pat's drugs, I'll buy a walking DVD. I certainly won't be able to do it everyday, I'd be so bored. But if I did it once or twice a week till the weather breaks it will be worth the money.

Decision No. 2 ... 
the hard one
I have been thinking about disbanding every two feet. The walking club that isn't. I really thought I could take my experiences from being a training walk leader into the real world. Make friends. Have fun. Marketing it solely on FB is not working. I have lots of "fans". But nobody other than family comes. Family I can email.

So do I pull down the page? I was seriously thinking about it. Still am. Or do I make up some poster or postcards or even business cards and distribute them. I'm sure Lyd will take them to her Barri Buddies. Where else? I'm not fit enough to be in the exercise column in the Morning Call. that would be great advertising.

every two feet had it's first walk May 15. So we're barely 7-months old. Maybe I should give it more time? Maybe I should throw some money at it?

Any ideas for marketing?

On a happier note Lyd has lost 101 pounds. The gastric bypass had a lot to do with that. I'd like to think her walking with us has helped also. You go girl.

Decision No. 3 ... 

Do I join the Volkssport group?  This is a national, perhaps international walking group. They do long short and long walks and multi-day walks. I remember talking about this during another winter. I couldn't find it in this blog, so maybe it was in the previous one.  It sounds fun. My biggest concern is that everyone will be 80. (I have a hard time remembering that I'm 55.) Membership is only $25/year. I spend more than that on a 5K. They also have a $6 new walker try-out packet. They are goal oriented, and each time you do a walk you get some sort of a patch ... like GS and a log book to track your mileage.

The closet club to me is in Quakertown, the Keystone State Volkssport. They have splinter groups. I think mine would be the Liberty Bell Wanderers. They have event's in Allentown, Bethlehem and Hellertown. Not to mention the Philly murals and sculpture.

I think I might be talking myself into walking with old people. Wonder if Bonnie would want to? She's a Girl Scout. She likes patches.

On a different note Jack LaLanne died yesterday. I remember watching him when I was a kid on the old black and white. He was on, but I never remember exercising. Mom either. Guess some things never change. He was my introduction to health and fitness as a child and I didn't listen. Guess I'm still not. Goodbye Jack.

another snow day ..

...with more on the way.

Saturday it snowed and today it was bitter cold and a bit icy. No walking outside for me.

Saturday I took Sharon to the gym. No pictures. It's was packed. All those new years resolutions about getting fit I guess.  She's taken to following me to the bikes, and then when  I'm done, she's done. Excuse me? Who's paying for this membership? Don't you want to get your money's worth? So I tricked her.

She zoomed over to the bikes and I headed for the elliptical. I did five minutes and was exhausted. Need to build up again. Can't remember the number. Maybe 7 or 8. Then I went to join her at the bike. "Where were you?" "Eliptical." "But I can't do that." I just smiled and said to myself, yeah I know. I set the bike to 10, and watched the heart rate. I got up to the fat burning range, and did that for 5 minutes. Then I hopped off. And headed over to the "thigh master".  Moments later Sharon arrived.

I do believe I have a shadow.

Everything I worked on was for the lower torso and legs. I'm okay with those most of the time. It's the upper body that I have trouble with. Thus the reason I'm as weak as a mouse.

By 10 the snow arrived so I got to shovel. That burned three or four more calories.

Sharon went out with Lyd today and bought a walking DVD. I'm doing it tonight.

Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow to walk outside. Another storm is due Tuesday and Wednesday.

snow day

I had planned on walking today with my friend Betsy. It snowed. Five minutes after I canceled the plow came and did my street. Then the temperature went up and in two hours it was pretty decent out. I could have gone. Heck, I should have gone.

I shoveled snow but it was only about 2.5 inches. Really, not much of a workout. So tonight I tried some walking at home videos on YouTube. Some were good, some bad, and some a waste of band width. Kind-of typical for YouTube.

Leslie Sansone was the best of the lot. Even the 2- and 3- minutes breaks at the office got my blood going. Jason's Fit Kitchen was pretty good but he only had 1 walking video (with weights). He did have the extra benefit of being eye-candy. The best kind of candy for dieters. More often than not they weren't about walking. Or used a treadmill.

Tomorrow I'm taking Sharon to Planet Fitness. I'm thinking of using the elliptical. Maybe I'll take my camera and get some pixs.

a muddy walk

Today's lesson. Never walk on a natural trail in winter. Especially after four or five warm days and a melting snow. Can you spell M-U-D?

The day started out normal. I took Sharon to Planet Fitness and spent my time on the bike. Only 20 minutes before the mind-numbing boredom takes hold. I started at 8, went to 10 and ended with one minute on 15. No, I have no idea what that means. I do know that 15 is very tough.

After wards we went to Target and Sharon was looking at exercise DVDs. One I pointed out was the Walk At Home series that Betsy uses.

At 12:30 I met Lydia and Bonnie at the Monocacy Trail. Odd we were all wearing pink! Where the trail begins at Monocacy Park's lot it is paved. At about 25 feet in it turn to inch thick mud and only got worse. At times we thought we'd slide into the creek. Since the trail follows the railroad tracks we decided to take the tracks. Heck, the train hasn't been thru in a while, they were rusty, someone might as well use them.

After a bit we saw the trail go off to the right and followed it. There were bad spots, but it was much better. Eventually we got to Burnside Plantation. The juxtaposition of 18th and 20th centuries made a great pix.

Not far past the Plantation the trail washed out. It must have happened after the last creek flood. We were thinking of turning back and a runner said it was fine and showed us the path other people had created.

As promised the trail got better and we followed it to Union Boulevard.

I must tell you this was a quiet bunch today. Therefore they were forced to listen to me jabber the whole time.

It took the better part of an hour to get from point A to point B. But then we navigated mud, an unfamiliar trail, and photo ops. It probably only took a half hour to get back. We took the trail next to the track and headed off to the right. It led us to the dog park which is next to the park. It was quite a hill for the end of a walk. When we finally reached Illick's Mill Road  there was a steep hill to go down. Bonnie and I headed up toward the pool and walk around it. Lyd went down the hill. She's got more courage than me...and health insurance.

After I got home Sharon arrived to eat dinner. I decided to show her the sample Walk At Home workout on the net. I had no problem with it but I don't think I could do more than two miles without being bored to death. I found myself wishing for the end at 14 minutes. I started the workout with my slippers on but switched to bare feet. Sharon kept holding on to my desk.

Bottom line. It was a three workout day. And I actually might buy the 1-2 mile video. It's a nice 15-20 minute workout on busy days.

walkin in the rain?

We really need rain. My garden is a huge hard brick.

SO it's rained and rained and rained this week. Soft rain. Hard rain, flooding rain.

This morning I got up to walk and it was pouring. It was dark. ML called and said it was raining. Are we going? I said no and went back to bed.

About 8:30 Betsy called. What do you want to do. I had heard that the rains would stop by afternoon. SO I said lets wait till lunch time. About 11 I checked the radar map and it looked like the rain was moving out. I called Betsy and we decided to go 1-1:30. And we did.

It was dark for 1 pm and cold and moist. But as we walked it got warmer. Or maybe we just got warmer. But the sun came out and it was all good. We walked at a quick pace for about an hour.

Betsy's alternate suggestion was to do her power walking tape. "Walk At Home" by Leslie Sansone. You do three miles and a warm up in about 45 minutes. Holey Moley! After our walk we watched some of the tape. I was tired and sweaty viewing it! She has a one-mile walk on the web if you want to try it out. Next cold raining day I will try it. I'll let you know.

This week I also did T'ai Chi on Tuesday. Got there 10 minutes late. I haven't told Pat yet that I'm doing it, so my excuse was grocery shopping. We really needed groceries. However, before I went she wanted an ice cream sundae from The Cup at Lehigh.  I wanted to tell her f-off I was busy, but couldn't without giving my "secret" away. So I did it. And I was late.

Tomorrow we're going to the Philly Zoo.

Sunday is the Kidney Walk. It's only about a mile and a half. Eryn is not going. That's the reason I signed up. I don't know if I'll do it now. I should do a training walk instead. The Avon is 2-weeks away!

We'll see.