Anyone for power walking ?

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Meanqueen
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Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

I started a new routine on the 1st December, hoping to keep it up indefinitely. Between 8 and 9pm I get up off my backside, put my walking boots on, and walk very fast for two miles around the village. It takes me 35 minutes. I worked out the route on bikehike.co.uk, it's all lit by street lights, all flat and on tarmac. I went out in the rain one night, got drenched.

Although I'm cold when I set off, I soon get warmed up. The idea of it is to stride out at a fast pace, no stopping. I have no problem sleeping and drop off straight away. I need to keep my fitness levels up through the winter, less daylight hours means not enough time to get out on a long walk. These short bursts should keep me going and stop my legs turning to jelly. Anyone else up for it?
Ilona
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Richard
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Richard »

I walk quite a bit but don't go fast anymore, used to.

My walking now is mainly for birding, maybe two / three miles but I go at a snails pace in view of seeing something.

I get round the shops pretty quick though!

Richard )t'
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Mo
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Mo »

I get my exercise dancing. Fairly gently, usually. The club I go to most often is full of people my age or older, so we are not often seen skipping about wildly.

Walking has to be at your own pace - someone dragging or racing is no fun to walk with.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

The pace of walking depends on what you aim to get out of it. I sometimes go walking with two male buddies, they tend to stride along leaving me behind because I like to marvel at our beautiful countryside and take photo's. They talk to each other the whole time, and miss most of it.

A long straight road makes me walk faster, I aim my eyes as far as I can see as a point to get to in the shortest time. If I am walking around corners and bends I tend to slow up because I like the surprise of not knowing what's around the corner.

The aim of my night walks is to make my body work harder, to feel the muscles in my legs stretching, to make my heart beat faster, and to work up a sweat.

On the whole I prefer to walk alone, to choose my own pace without feeling I have got to keep up or slow down to someone else's pace.

Any walking is good, there are always benefits, whether it be to the body or to the mind. I had a go at the Park Run, but it wasn't for me, give me walking any day.

Ilona
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

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The power walking is going well. I had to miss one night because I was out for the day and didn't get back till late. To make up for that I have a second route of three miles, bits added onto the two mile walk, so I did that twice to make up the missing two miles. I also did three miles last night. I did an extra two miles one morning, so I am three miles ahead of myself. So in 20 days I have done 43 miles.

It's a bit like saving money really, put away a fixed amount at regular intervals into a pot and it mounts up over a period of time. Two miles takes 35 minutes, three miles takes fifty minutes.

If anyone wants to work out a route from their home to have a go, I use this web site.
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

Enlarge to street map on the right hand os map, then click toggle to make it bigger. Plot your route with the mouse. Click on start and click along the proposed route. It will add up the distance as you click. Have a go. I am looking forward to walking every night now. Something to aim for.
Ilona
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

I have decided to extend this walking lark and will take part in the challenge, walk 1000 miles in one year That's only 2.73 miles a day, breaking it down to smaller chunks and it's easily doable. My start date is 1st December, finish date 30th November 2016. I have done 66 up to now. When I start doing the longer walks in the spring I shall add those in as well. Anyone else up for the challenge?
Ilona
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Richard
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Richard »

Good plan Ilona - sure you'll make it with miles and miles over !!!

Richard )t'
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fabindia
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by fabindia »

Sounds like an excellent plan. I really believe that being active every day, if you can possibly manage it, is the way to go. Good luck
Michael
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

I finished December on 75 miles, aiming to make it 90 in January. I wrote about it on my blog and asked if anyone wanted to join me on the challenge, thinking I might get half a dozen interested. Surprise surprise, 50 people have signed up, amazing. So I have made a new page with all the names, and will post monthly totals on there so we can all support each other. Looks like I will be spending a bit more time on the computer.
Ilona
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Freeranger »

I've worked for a couple of firms recently who've had a similar challenge, with staff dividing up into teams and competing to see who can chalk up the most pedometer steps. They'd be converted to miles and plotted on a world map - the aim was to collectively walk around the world. Huge enthusiasm and many health benefits were recorded, as well as many happy dogs!
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

Hello. I am up to 18 miles for January. After missing the 1st, I have been able to make it up by doing a mile or two extra. I want to keep it to 3 miles a day, but not imperative that I stick to that as I know I will be doing extra in summer.

More members have joined the bloggy walking group, up to 61 now. Some of them are sending progress reports, they seem enthusiastic, let's hope it continues.

Ilona
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KathJ
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by KathJ »

I only get half an hour for my lunch break but I try to make the effort (weather permitting) to go out for a walk every day. I can just about do a loop in the half hour if I walk quite quickly. It may not be much but it's better than sitting in every day and not making the effort, I feel better when I come back in too after getting some fresh air :-D
Kath xx

Mum to my beautiful girls Lucy, Holly, Rosie, Hettie, Polly, Ruby, Lily, Penny, Gracie, Maisie, Molly, Evie and my gorgeous boy Toby

RIP my beautiful Ranger, Roxy, Bluebelle, Poppy, Speckle, Daisy and Honey xxxx
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

It's good that you are making an effort, Kath, any walking is better than none. There is a council office up the road from me, and I can guarantee that if I am passing at lunch time there will be people taking a walk around the large pond next to it in their break.

I am up to 36 miles this month. Last night I waited until it had stopped raining so it was about 8.30pm when I went out. I have started to wear trainers instead of boots, and find this works better because now I feel that I want to have a little jog as well. I am definitely feeling more perky as time goes on, and look forward to going out.

I prefer doing this at night because there is little traffic about and I can walk on the roads. Some of the pavements are lumpy bumpy and make me stumble which interrupts my stride. One problem I have is that I know a lot of people with dogs and can't resist talking to them for a few minutes. I can't be rude and whizz past them, especially if the dog is pleased to see me.

The routine aspect of this challenge is helping me to keep it up. If I missed a few days I would find it hard to get started again. I think any challenge is worth building it into a daily or weekly lifestyle activity, and thinking of it in the long term rather than the hit and miss of stopping and starting in the short term.

The weekly running with me, didn't work. I didn't like getting in my car and driving to the Leisure Centre to be part of a large group who ran 5k around the park. It took up too much time. The walking I can do when I want to, step out of my front door any time, day or night. I fit it in with whatever else I am doing. I hope I can last the full year, at this stage I am hopeful.

Ilona
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by Meanqueen »

I boosted my miles today by walking with Jo Brand on her One Hell of a Walk Sports Relief challenge. I met her at the start. Although they advertised it as walking from Hull to Liverpool, she actually started on the south bank of the Humber Bridge, and walked across it. I walked 7.5 miles with her, then I turned round and walked back, doubling it up. It has boosted my total for January to 75.

It was a smashing day, even though it was raining quite heavily for a while. She is very jolly, full of fun, just the same as she is on the tele. The whole thing is being filmed for a documentary due to go out in about March time I think.

Image

Ilona
fabindia
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Re: Anyone for power walking ?

Post by fabindia »

Nice one, Ilona, getting to walk with a proper celebrity.
Michael
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