NO HURRY: JUST WALK!
Posted by Ed
More of a stroll than a walk today. But that’s O.K. for my purposes. Just wanted to get a walk of some kind in today to make two walking days in succession and to get the week off to a good start. Completed 3 miles in 75 minutes although I’m not confident that either the distance or the time is accurate. Actually, I think the distance was a little longer and the time a little shorter but I’m satisfied with the 3 at 75.
Another day of threatening rain so carried the rolled up umbrella with me again. The dark, leaden-colored clouds hung around all during the walk but never did spill over with rain.
A handful of other walkers out this morning as well as 3-4 bicyclist (students on their way to school). I actually passed one group of walkers but they were doing more sightseeing than walking so really can’t count that as a pass. Another pair of walkers, a Mutt and Jeff combination, a tall lady with a long stride setting the pace and a lady of much shorter stature energetically working hard to keep pace, were moving crisply down the trail, first passing me going in one direction and later passing me going in the other direction. I was impressed by the effort of the shorter lady who, with a vigorous and flying elbows arm motion, high knee action and quick stepping, wasn’t fading from the pace set by the taller lady. She not only was keeping up but she was simultaneously carrying on a spirited conversation with her mate! “Good show”. I silently cheered as they passed by.
MORE INDECISION
Posted by Ed
Walking today didn’t initially look very promising first thing this morning. The skies were heavily overcast, murky and turbid with more rain–it obviously had rained a good part of the night– imminent. Having already taken two days off from walking last week, I didn’t want to start the new week with another day off, so gabbed a jacket, an umbrella, and headed out into the dreary elements.
My intention was to walk until it started raining and then turn back. With the way things were looking, I thought I might be able to complete as much as a full 1/2 mile before turning back. However, the further I walked, the better the conditions improved and soon I was passing the one mile marker on the Riverside Walk. Upon reaching the 2 1/2 mile marker, most of the ugly darker clouds had cleared the area, and there was just a high, flimsy, overcast remaining. So, I continued on to the 3 mile marker before turning back. During the return trip, a weak sunshine began to slip through the frail cloud cover overhead and I’m sure I looked silly carrying a rolled up umbrella on such a pleasant day!
At the 3 mile mark, I took the first of three two minute rest stops, the other two coming at the 4 1/2 mile and 5 3/4 mile marks. Completed the walk in an elapsed time of 148 minutes, which, when subtracting for the rest stops, averages out to 23.6 minutes to the mile which constitutes a good start to the week and certainly worked out to be a much longer walk than I had envisioned when first starting out this morning!
ONE MILE BEFORE THE RAINS RESUMED
Posted by Ed
There were heavy rains all day yesterday and through most of the night last night. On arising this morning, the heavy overcast, low menacing clouds, and general dampness were all indications that the weather forecast for the coming day was accurate and we could expect more of the same today. Right at the moment, however, there was no rain, just a widespread dreariness about the morning, so I decided to try to get at least a short walk in before the rains resumed.
Once started, the skies became increasingly threatening. After walking for one half mile, I felt the raindrops starting to fall, so headed back and was satisfied with a one mile walk today, in 24 minutes.
Looks like I timed it pretty well. I’ve only been back for twenty minutes and it’s pouring buckets outside now!
THE ONE MILE WALK THAT WASN’T
Posted by Ed
Got up feeling blah and listless, not wanting to walk at all but remembered that I hadn’t walked yesterday and didn’t want to go two successive days without walking. On the “no-walking-today” side of the ledger was the fact that it had been raining and blowing hard all night, everything was wet and dreary outside, and would be so especially on the Path segment of my usual route with puddles and slick mud underfoot, skies were heavily overcast, and there was a serious threat of more rain to come this morning. Still, a second day without walking would put me behind in my schedule for the month to improve both the number of walks and the distance walked for each succeeding month.
Eventually the pro arguments won the day and I reluctantly got dressed and headed out the door, having decided to do something, even if not much, just to be able to say that I had walked today. I immediately determined that by walking outward bound one half mile, then back, actually constituted a real walk, even if only one of one mile. Reaching the half mile mark, however, and noticing that my back was loosening up and feeling more comfortable, I decided that another quarter mile was manageable and would add up to a 1 1/2 mile round trip, so continued on.
At the 3/4 mark, observing that the skies were less threatening, and that the morning breeze was at my back, I decided to complete the full mile before turning back, which would give me a two-mile walk for the morning and keep the month’s statistics in line for increased mileage for the current month.
However, at the one mile mark, where I could see a good half mile down the Riverwalk, noticing that there was little traffic and no activity, not even dog walkers out and about, I decided that another 1/4 mile would fit in easily to my total distance for the morning, so continued on, only to repeat that same scenario at the end of that 1/4 mile section, continuing on to the Riverwalk’s one mile marker before turning around and heading for home.
A mile and one half outward bound and a return of the same distance made for a total of three miles, instead of the original one mile I had planned for the morning, in a total walking time of 71 minutes, or an average of 23.6 minutes per mile.
But this walk was a classic study in procrastination! The only matter left in doubt now is, I wonder what being decisive would feel like!
SIX IN SUCCESSION DESPITE THE DRIZZLE
Posted by Ed
As soon as I started, I noticed that it was beginning to drizzle. Thinking that it would only get worse the longer I walked, I went back to get my umbrella before starting out.
Didn’t go far today but did complete my sixth walk in a row which may be a record for me. As best as I can remember I have never walked more the five days in a row previous to today. Because of the heavy overcast in addition to the time of year it was actually still dark when I started out and cars still had their headlights on even when I was finishing up. This far north, there are still two months of ‘days-getting-shorter’ so will have to get use to that!
Followed my usual route–didn’t want to get lost in the dark!!–from the streets to the path to the Trail to the Riverwalk and completed the walk in one hour and twelve minutes, or an average of 24 minutes to the mile but, again, I think the actual distance is greater than three miles, more like somewhere between 3 1/4 and 3 1/2 but for official purposes I’ll stick with the even three miles.
Usually there is a breeze in the morning but today there was definitely a cold wind blowing from the east, strong enough to nearly rip the umbrella from my grip. I was glad to be able to get to the sheltered areas, along the path and the Trail, of my walk rather than be on the exposed spaces on the streets and the Riverwalk.
An enjoyable but uneventful walk this morning. Will try for seven in a row tomorrow.
SHORTER AND MORE COMFORTABLE
Posted by Ed
Kept my walk down to 3 miles this morning and felt much more comfortable and better coordinated than I felt on my 5 miler yesterday. Made a little variation of my route this morning, too, walking along the side of the highway for about a mile on my way out rather than on the pathway to the Trail but came back the usual route for the return trip. It was another cool, overcast, breezy day but pleasant enough. Absoluteldy no other activity on the Trail or Riverwalk this morning.
I think that the actual distance today was something greater than 3 miles but have no way to measure it exactly. I felt that I was walking at a faster then usual pace but my actual time was (assuming that it was a three mile walk) slightly slower than usual. Total time walking was 70 minutes, with no rest stops, which averages out to 23 plus minutes to the mile whereas my usual time is just over 22 minutes to the mile. But it really doesn’t matter as I’m not striving for any particular time or time improvement, although I do try to notice what my walking pace is. One item which does matter is that today was the fifth day in succession that I have walked. Will try to add to that in the coming days but have some other commitments forthcoming and may not be able to keep up the morning walks. We’ll see.
ANOTHER FIVE
Posted by Ed
Completed another five miler–making two in succession–today on a cool, somewhat cloudy, morning which included a brisk breeze coming in off the river. There was very little traffic on the Trail as today is the annual running/walking of the Great Columbia Crossing which features some 2500 to 3000 runners/walkers, mostly locals, making their way across the Astoria-Megler Bridge in a 10K outing. I’m assuming that the breeze is much stronger and colder for those crossing the wide open stretches of that bridge then it feels to those of us walking on the more sheltered Trail.
Completed the outing in an even 2 hours elapsed time but, with two rest stops, the total walking time was one hour, fifty six minutes or an average time of 23.2 minutes per mile. However, today’s walk felt much slower than the same distance yesterday and I was less in sync and less comfortable today than yesterday. I’m coming to the realization that a five mile walk is a stretch for me and that three miles is probably more in my comfort zone so I’ll most likely do a shorter walk tomorrow.
AN OUTING
Posted by Ed
Just a routine walk this morning; nothing unusual happened and nothing out of the ordinary observed. Covered a total of 5 miles in just short of 2 hours which averaged out to 22.8 minutes per mile.
There was medium activity on the Trail this morning but nothing unusual for a Saturday morning. It seemed quite a few walkers were interested in the sea lions gathered, as always, on the docks near the mooring basin and who were raising their usual din in the morning awakening. These were obviously tourists just arising from their night’s sleep at one of the local inns or hotels and out to investigate the racket raised by the blubbery mammals on the wharves nearby.
Also noticeable this morning were the unusually high number of dog walkers, especially those with frisky, smallish, untrained and unleashed dogs who like to nip and snap at the heels of passersby. These dogs are a real nuisance to those of us who don’t have nor especially appreciate misbehaving dogs on the Trail. Most annoying though are the owners of these mischevious dogs who act as though it is the walker who is just passing by, and not their dog, which is the real culprit upsetting the morning’s calm but a well placed kick by a crotchty old man (like me!) under the jaw or in the flank of the real culprit gets the dog owner’s misplaced attention back on track, not to mention the dog’s unruliness headed in another direction. I might want to consider carrying a walking stick in the future!
SHORT AND SLOW
Posted by Ed
Definitely a leisurely walk today. After yesterday’s 6 mile walk, following a day of not walking, only covered 2 miles today in 47 minutes, or an average of 23.5 minutes per mile. Again, a heavily overcast and foggy day but no rain this morning. Legs and hips were a little tight at the start of my walk–I don’t do any stretching exercises before walking, just start off at a relaxed, slow pace and build up to a normal walking pace and rhythm–but by the end of the first half mile, was moving along rather comfortably and smoothly and continued that form the rest of the way. Am anticipating doing at least one extended walk over the coming week-end. With rain in the forecastm however, we’ll have to see how that plan develops.
DAYS OFF PAY OFF!
Posted by Ed
My new theory is that taking a day off from walking produces immediate benefits! I didn’t walk yesterday. At the start of today’s walk, noticed that my legs, hips, back, and feet all felt particularly relaxed, comfortable and synchronized even though the day itself was heavily overcast, dreary, and threatening rain.
My initially thinking was that a three mile outing would be a good-enough walk for today. However, when I passed the mile and one half turn around point still feeling very comfortable, I decided to continue on. At the 2 1/2 mile mark, was still walking at a comfortable gait and at a reasonably quick pace so kept on for another 1/2 mile to the three mile mark before turning back. Also, at that point, decided to take a two-minute rest stop before starting the return segment, the only rest stop which I allowed myself on today’s walk.
I completed the walk in an elapsed time of 1 hour and 15 minutes which, when subtracting for the rest stop, averaged out to 22.2 minutes to the mile. I am pleased with that outing but am especially pleased at how comfortable and steady I felt during this walk today.
I think that the day off yesterday helped to produce the pleasant walk today although I’m not sure why that is true except that, as I’ve always accepted as true–even though I have no scientific proof to document the fact–that while performing physical activity, it is during rest periods or during the resting part of interval training, that growth and development takes place. Whether that’s true or not is immaterial: I certainly felt relaxed, even vigorous, during my walk today and already look forward to tomorrow’s walk!