A few years ago I fell off my walking practice. I blame it on the shingles that manifested in March of 2016, because I can trace my fatigue for walking back to a few months before that event. I have never been able to recover. Last year I was struggling with a doctor's insistence that the sun would wreak havoc with the lupus she claimed I had. I wasn't sure what to believe. It caused me to think twice about getting outside, unless it was before sun-up or after sundown.
But since I realized that wasn't an issue, I have struggled with getting back to it. To multiple my underlying angst about this is the fact that I've recently come to crystal clear terms on my status as a worker who will most likely not retire until at least the age of 70. Money is only part of the reason. A big reason is that I love teaching, and just cannot imagine any other life at this time.
Yet, I knew that my obvious lack of fitness could stall this initiative. At the beginning of this school year I really struggled with inflammation in my back muscles from standing on my feet all day after relaxing in a chair most of the summer. Although I am much better now, and easily making it through the day, I don't want to suffer like that again. I feel it is inevitable unless I take charge and make some changes.
Many of the people I work with are work-out crazy -- going to the gym and running is evident in daily Facebook posts. I have tried to become a runner since the late 70's without much success -- it never sticks. So I say good for them, but I've come to understand it isn't for me.
Which leads me back to walking, and the latest trend of fitness: virtual races. A website and app called Yes.Fit has a whole series of races you can do at your own pace, complete with medal and/or t-shirt. What made me actually go to the website and check it out was a co-worker saying she was doing the Mark Twain race. That caught my attention. One quick look at the website revealed running was not mandatory. Walking is perfectly acceptable.
I browsed through the races, getting more and more interested in the possibilities. I came upon the New Year 2019 race: 30 miles through Australia, with a medal that has fireworks over Sydney Harbor and the Opera House. Lights! Color! Music! Water! A New Year! And with winter break coming soon, time to get out and walk a total of 30 miles before New Years Day.
I was in.
Nearly immediately I was out walking in my neighborhood, clocking my first mile. I am aware enough to know that I need to build up to longer and longer walks, but I was thrilled to get my first 1.25 miles in, even though it was already noon by the time I got out of the house.
I am using the Map My Walk app and entering my mileage manually on the Yes.Fit site. I don't have any of the fancy watches or Runkeepers to synch with the app, which is fine with me. Yes.Fit makes it easy for anyone to participate. At my age, I appreciate that!
After my walk, I entered my mileage and was shown on a Google map how far I walked, and I was able to click on Google Earth photos of where I started and ended. This just adds to the fun. There are so many more possibilities for the future. I can walk Scotland, the Great Pacific Highway, the Appalachian Trail, Tuscany, Napa Valley...so many more! And I'm thinking after completing this first race I might do the Gulliver's Travel race, and read the book along with it!
Fitness suddenly got fun in a way I don't recall ever feeling before. Having some friends who are also doing these races helps. Motivation has been lacking for too long. This changed today.
And heck, I figured if I'm going to walk, why not get a medal? Here is the one I am working toward. The next time you see it, I will have it around my neck!!!
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