Good Morning, having a flick round the internet before I get off my bum and do something. Noticed this on Twitter which might be of interest to some people in the UK, especially those who love walking. Yesterday was the start of The Great Big Walk, organised by the Eden Project. It's aim is for five groups of people to walk five different routes starting at Batley Yorkshire, in 21 days. They will be stopping off along the way meeting people at community events. Destinations are Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the South West, and London. Have a look at the web site to see if they are coming your way, you might want to go out and cheer them on.
Here is a little video
They are not coming past my neck of the woods, but no matter, I am happy to walk alone, but if you are looking for company, see if they are coming your way. Anything that promotes walking for exercise has got to be a win win situation.
Catch you later. Toodle pip Second post done, no more today. xxx
Good morning. I am getting into the habit of having an hour on the computer while eating breakfast, and if it is sunny, I then switch off and get on with other things. Today is looking promising, sunshine all around. I have a quick look at the papers, a flit around the forums, a peek at the blogs, and a nosy at the tweets and facebook.
You might get get fed up of me going on about healthy eating and walking, I do witter on a bit, but every so often I read an article which I totally agree with. I've watched quite a few of Dr Michael Mosley's programmes, he talks good sense. This article caught my attention in the Daily Wail this morning. You have to skim through a lot of headlines to find anything useful in that paper. The NHS spends millions fighting type 2 diabetes, when the simple cure is exercise. He urges everyone to get off their backsides.
Yes, you know all about that, but are you doing it? Right now I am going to remove my bum from this chair and get on with being busy. I need to go and pay a bill, I need to collect Heidi's tablets from the vet. I need to buy a few essential items. I need to cut my hair. I need to get a load of washing out on the line.
Hello. It's that time again, the first of the month when I hand over this page to the Walking Group, who check in with their miles for the previous months. I'm leaving it up to you to do a running total, so if you could post your miles for January and February here, I will be well chuffed. You can come back to this post at any time if you miss it today, this is where we all chat about how we are doing with our own personal challenges.
Here is my chart, I finished off tonight with two miles to make it a round two hundred. You can see I missed three days, but made it up by doing extra on other days. I have a two and a three mile walk around my village, that can give me 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 miles. On the day I did 8 miles, I added an extra bit onto it and walked a bit further.
We are two months into it now, those who did it last year will be a picture of health and feeling pretty darn good. If you started this year, you should be feeling a bit better, the longer you do it the fitter you become. Don't expect miracles, don't give up because you think it isn't making any difference to your fitness levels. It will come if you give it time. If you have fallen behind a bit, give yourself a kick up the backside, and make up your mind to get stuck in. Make March the month you will succeed. No matter how much I nag you, ultimately it's down to you.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. Just popping in tonight to remind our Walking Group members that you have one day left to the end of the month. How's it going, have you achieved your targets, or have you been slacking. Ok, it's a short month, I'll let you off if you are a few miles short, but I hope you make an effort next month to catch up.
I am on target to hit the 100 miles again, after doing one longer walk, and adding extra miles onto my daily walks.
69 members signed up for the Walk 1000 miles in one year challenge, at the beginning of January. I am pleased to say that 53 people checked in with their January miles, on the 1st of February post. A jolly good effort. Are we going to get all 69 people checking in on the 1st of March with their total miles? It would be brilliant to see every single person making an effort.
This format will go on for the whole year, checking in on the 1st post of every month. If you miss it don't worry, you can go back to that post at any time during the month to add your miles.
We had such a lot of members staying with it for the whole of the 2016 challenge, lets see if we can increase it for this year.
To feel the benefits of any exercise it should be a continual process. Not just for the New Year, not just for getting in shape for holidays, and not for a few weeks in the summer when the weather is warmer. It is proven that regular exercise is beneficial for the mind as well as the body. Feeling fed up? Get out for a walk, or a run. or a cycle, or a swim.
I often meet other people walking and running around my village. I stopped to chat this morning with a young mum who was pushing her baby in a buggy. I have seen her running. She tells me that she runs 5k five times a week, and feels absolutely great afterwards. She has run several marathons, and she looks as fit as a fiddle, no sign of a mummy tummy.
My walking buddy Paul does a lot of cycling, he goes out at every opportunity, and is very fit for a 53 year old. There is also Christopher who was overweight, he has lost a couple of stone through watching what he eats, and cycling almost every day. Any exercise has to be good for you.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. It was such a lovely day today that I had to go out for a walk. I decided to go to town and check in at the Art Gallery. They have a couple of new exhibitions on, and they have recently had to re arrange the Open Exhibition because of falling masonry from the old church building. The pictures, including one of mine, are now in the new part of the building.
Walking out of the village I took a path across a field. Many of the fields round here have been given over to growing turf. It must be a profitable crop as they have been producing it for a few years now.
A short stretch of wood to go through.
Then out the other side along a very boggy track. It was easier to walk along the edge of the field rather than plod through the mud.
Past the fishing pond. No one about, probably out of season now.
Then a stretch along the road , and along a footpath past the large pond. This is where Rocky used to go swimming. There is a video of him swimming in the video page, click on the link above.
The pond was part of the Old Steelworks, they took ages to dig all the pollution out of it and turn it into a haven for wildlife.
This notice was pinned to the gate. I am too late to protest about the planning application to allow jet skiing on it. I hope they are refused. There is a jet ski lake on the other side of town, I don't know why they want to come here.
Coming into Scunthorpe, I was saddened to see how filthy it was. Rubbish all along the verges, it looks a proper dump. Two people came out of a driveway, drinking cola from cans. They walked in my direction just in front of me. They had only taken a couple of swigs and decided they didn't want them, so tossed the half full cans onto a small patch of communal garden. Disgusting yobbish behaviour. I wasn't going to challenge them because they looked the kind of people who would give you a mouthful of abuse. The whole area round there is run down, no one takes any pride in their surroundings any more. It's quite depressing to see.
I got the 4.30pm bus back from town. Five and a half miles are added to my total.
Dinner was cheap and quick tonight. A packet of Pasta and Sauce Macaroni Cheese, from Aldi, about 39p I think, can't remember exactly. I don't normally buy this, but I thought it would be a change, and handy to have if I didn't feel like cooking. Topped with some garlicky mushrooms. Tasted lovely.
I took some photo's in the Art Gallery, I'll put them on asap. Now I'm going to relax. Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday, I'm out for the day visiting rellies. Toodle pip
Hello. Here is a full list of Walking Group members. I will copy and paste the list on the first of every month, to remind everyone who has signed up for it. Members should check in on the first of every month with their own mileage in a comment. Please do your own running total adding the months together so I don't have to do your sums for you. Don't worry if you are late, you can check in at any time but to keep it all in the same place please go to the post on the first of the month. To find it refer to the archive list on the sidebar. There are 69 names on the list.
Amanda in Atlanta - Dinky Jenny - Blue eyes Sue - Shoestring Jane - Amanda - Sally C - Michelle - Margaret in Maryland - Hazel Dxb - Joan in Michigan - Nanny Anna in Canada - Donna from Illinois - Betsy in Baltimore - Boxgrove Girl - Cherie K - Judlike - Juless61 - DixieChick - Frugal in Bucks - Frugal in the Valley - Beachcomber Sue - Kateonthecoast - Jan - alicesav - Trish - Shelly Williams - Sarah Cornwall - Jane J Robinson - PinkFish Sue - Natalie - Scarlett - Ray Nicholson - Jools - Helen Graham - Catriona - Wendy Wdc - Jayne - Patricia Montreal - Odette - Michelle Colorado - Christine Phipps - Kaye Schmitz - Jane C - Vampire Heart - Vicki E Yorks - Christine Neumann - Wanda - Kath K - Dunhamlass - Emma - Lori in Alaska - Linda Martin - Lorraine Washington - Hilde - Hilogene - Nick - Hazel C - Amy in Florida - Sue - Yorkshire Lass - Helen D - Becky - Michele in Australia - Sonja Nth Carolina - Lo - Louise Houghton - Tricia - Wences I have reached 100 miles, a target I set myself in the middle of January. Here's how I did it.
I see someone has commented already in yesterdays post. I can copy and paste it in here, but your name will not show as a link.
Good luck everyone, lets have some numbers. Tell us how you are getting on, the highs and lows, how you feel, fitter or knackered, ha ha. If you are thinking about doing this get off your bum and take the plunge. Do it for yourself, make an effort to fit it in with your daily routine. You know it makes sense. I can add your name to the list on March the 1st.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. Are you ready for the big one? The WALK 1000 MILES CHALLENGE.. It's the 1st of January and this is where we all start. Choose your boots or your trainers depending on the terrain. I use trainers for walking on tarmac around my village, and boots when on tracks and rough footpaths. Make sure you have the right footwear. Note - my home made shoe rack made out of pallets.
So, let's go through the rules. You can walk wherever you like, whenever you like, the aim is to complete the 1000 miles by December 31st 2017. You can break it down to 2.73 miles a day, I have two measured routes of two and three miles, from my front door. This takes me 35 minutes for two miles, and 50 minutes for three miles. I like to do a fairly brisk walk, a saunter or stroll will not do, I aim to work up a bit of a sweat. Sometimes it's cold when I set out but after ten minutes the heart starts pumping a bit harder and I warm up. When I get back I am ready to peel off some clothes.
The monthly total to aim for is 84 miles. If you are somewhere near that figure that will be fine. Some months you will do more, and some less. If over several months you find you are dropping back, you will have to put more effort in to catch up.
You can ignore the daily and monthly totals, and take on some long walks if you like. When on a walking holiday you could walk ten miles a day for eight days and have the rest of the month off.
Of course all this walking will depend on how fit you are, how much you have done in the past, and how much time you can give to it. If you are working full time can you incorporate walking too and from your workplace into your schedule. If not, can you walk during your lunch break.
There will be some people who will not be physically able to 1000 miles. That's ok, it isn't a competition or a race. Set yourself a lower target, even if it is one mile a day. The aim of this is to at least get you doing some exercise. Anyone who has sever mobility problems should consult their doctor first for advice. They may be able to embark on a different exercise routine, eg, swimming, aerobics, or yoga.
You will be checking your own mileage, it's up to you how you do this. Some people use a pedometer, or a fitbit. I use a web site, Bikehike.co.uk Toggle map sizes so the larger OS map is on the right hand side and use your mouse to plot out your route either before or after you have walked.
You can count any miles that you walk in the course of a normal day. I don't know how steps convert to distance, you will have to work that out for yourself. I prefer to count only the miles I set out to walk for the challenge. I don't count in shopping or dog walking, unless it's a big dog that's going to pull me along pretty fast.
On the first of every month you can check in with your miles walked over the previous month. Put this in a comment, then it is all on one blog post. It doesn't matter if you don't get it in on time, it can be updated any day in the month, just go back to the post on the 1st and put it in. This is the only record, there won't be a separate page. So, to start you can comment on this post to say you are in, and for the first day of every month after is where you check in. I want to see those numbers rising.
You will be full of enthusiasm when you start, that's how New Year Resolutions work. A few weeks or months into it you will wonder what you let yourself in for. You will then look for excuses not to do it, and start missing days. Haven't got time, got to go shopping, got to pick the kids up, need to get your hair done, etc etc. If you are opting to walk daily, it is better to build that time into your daily routine and find a slot for it. I am thinking now I had better get off my bum and do it now. If you are struggling, tell the rest of the group. Don't just stop and say stuff it, I can't be bothered. You will feel the benefits if you stick at it. Sore feet, try different footwear. Aching leg muscles, hot bath and massage.
Here's a little bit of inspiration to get you started.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
PS. I think there are still some mileage totals for December to come in. When I have them I will have a complete list for 2016.
