This goal of mine to walk 100 miles in September has proven to be a daily grind requiring consistent work. Today is the middle of the month and I have not yet walked, but I hope to get 4 miles in before the day is over. That will give me 46 miles for the month and, if I keep it up, I’ll have 92 miles for the month and fall short of my goal.
I am enjoying this walking challenge. Some days I’ll walk in my neighborhood and venture downtown. Where I live is pedestrian-friendly, a grid where north-south streets are numbered and east-west streets are alphabetized, so easy to understand and navigate for a visiting tourist. A predictable layout where 13 city blocks is approximately 1 mile, so a walk from 24th and L Streets (where I live) to the downtown Cathedral at 11th & K Streets is 14 blocks or about 1 mile. When doing block walking, I’ll walk briskly like a 15-minute mile pace. Sometimes I’ll go a little faster but all it takes is the bad luck of the draw with excessive red lights or a train in progress and I’ll fail to achieve this pace.
Other days I’ll go to nearby McKinley Park, where there are always a lot of runners and walkers out and about chasing their mileage goals. The perimeter of the park is 1.05 miles. Walking there in the early morning or evening always is a great walk as the weather is very pleasant now. I like to walk very fast at this park, probably because all the runners and walkers motivate me. On a good day I'll average around a 13:30 mile pace.
Sunday I accompanied by wife, who had a meeting to attend about 45 miles from where we live, serving as her driver and bodyguard. While she was in the meeting, I visited a local high school and walked around the cinder high school track. The weather was nice, a little warm, and there was a recreational soccer game taking place on the field. I walked at a comfortable pace but it wasn’t brisk and 65 minutes later I had completed my 4-mile goal for the day.
Years ago I tore my ACL ligament in a martial arts training accident requiring surgery. On the advice of my surgeon, I walked a lot so my legs would be as strong as possible for surgery. About one month before surgery, I entered a July 4th 5-mile fun run but walked instead of run. I ended up having a friendly competition with another walker, spending the last 3 miles going back and forth for the lead position. It was my best walking performance ever as I completed the 5-mile course in 55 minutes. I’ve never walked an 11-minute mile pace since.
So today I’ll lace up my walking shoes in the evening and probably head over to McKinley Park where I generally walk as fast as I can, like a greyhound dog at the racetrack.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum
2 comments:
Well, most of the article was about the challenge and enjoyment of walking, so that's good.
You started off by saying it was turning out to be a grind. A sign of maturity is to let go of something if there is no point - don't hold on to an opponent's arm if he can beat you with the other. Let go. If I had done that my shoulder wouldn't be hurt.
Since there is enjoyment and grind-ment, how about adjusting the goal down so there is no grind. I see it serving no purpose.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Well I think that is how it will turn out. I'm enjoying the walks and I seem to enjoy them more after a day of rest so that is how it will be for the rest of the month. If I get 60,70,80 or 90 miles in it will be more than I would have if I hadn't set a lofty goal.
Thanks for keeping an eye on me.
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