Temp: 80° / Sunny
Time: 1 hr / 18.13 avg pace / 3.29 mph
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 mi / Monthly: 31.9 mi / Total: 38.65 mi

This week’s goal was to walk 13 miles and I walked 14.4. Next week’s goal is to walk 14 miles. Also, I want to spend more time stretching after warming up and then while cooling down. I’ll let you know how it goes next weekend.

Temp: 81° / Partly cloudy
Time: 1hr 33min / 18.10 avg pace / 3.3 mph
Route: 5 mile River Park
Daily: 5.1 mi / Monthly: 28.8 mi / Total: 35.55 mi

Today was somewhat a comedy of errors. My *plan* was to get up early enough to beat the heat and walk a longer trail–4 miles. I had it all mapped out.

I don’t know how many times I hit the snooze button this morning but it must have been a lot. Because I wasn’t up until the time I had originally planned to *leave* the house, this put me behind about a half an hour.  Nevertheless, it was partly cloudy and there was a breeze so I wasn’t hampered too much by the heat.

Now mind you, I haven’t walked the 4 mile trail I have mapped out before, but I knew there was a point where the trail forks and part of it goes through a wooded area. Where the fork comes back out and meets up with the main trail was where I was supposed to turn around. . . “supposed to” being the operative word here. Yeah, I missed it completely and am thinking the intersection that I can see up ahead is a completely different street.

I get to where I can read the street sign and I realize I’ve gone too far; I’ve passed my turn around point.  Not only have I gone past the turn around point but the street sign confirms I’m near the end of the *five mile* trail I have mapped out so I keep going. My reasoning being that I’ve already come this far and I need to know where the landmark for the 5 mile turn around point is anyway.

So, yeah. I walked next week’s distance walk this week and I managed to keep up a good pace. Oh, and I met a squirrel on the trail on the walk back.

Temp: 73° / Sunny
Time: 1 hr / 17.52 avg pace / 3.35 mph
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 mi / Monthly: 23.7 mi / 30.45 mi

I had decided to go slower my first mile to avoid the shin pain in my left shin, but I wasn’t bothered by it today.  (Yippee!)  I was able to find “my zone” in the last half of the first mile and the rest was smooth sailing–uh, er, power walking.  *smile*

I love to hear the birds chirping. . . wish I knew what kinds they all are.  All in all, it was a great walk.

Temp: 75° / Sunny
Time: 8am / 1 hr / 18.13 avg pace
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 20.6 / Total: 27.35

It didn’t get very warm out yesterday because of thunderstorms the night before so it was deliciously cooler this morning! I wanted to get an early start because I knew it was going to be cooler; but having stayed up late to do eBay auctions, I just decided to sleep until I woke and didn’t set my alarm. Unfortunately I can’t do anything about making the overnight lows any lower–but 10° cooler sure is nice. (Thank you, Father.)

There weren’t very many people out on the trail this morning. I practiced a little more “hip swing” in my walk hoping it would help with the pain in my left shin that I have for the first half mile or so. (Remembering to drop the hip a little and kick my foot out–thinking of kicking a ball, but not overstriding–as I go.) It seems that when I power walked before I had the same trouble and I used inserts in my shoes for more arch support and that helped. I will have to try that again although right now money is an issue. (Hmm, when isn’t it??) And, yes, I know that some muscle strengthening exercises will help also.

Goal for this week: 3- 3 mile walks and one longer one–maybe a 4 miler!

Temp: 78° / Partly cloudy
Time: 7am / 1 hr
Route: 3 mile River Parks
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 17.5 miles / Total: 24.25 miles

I managed to get out a *little* earlier today–not that it was any cooler.  LOL  There was a breeze again this morning which really helps to wick away the sweat on my face on the way back.

It was Saturday, so of course, there were a lot of people out on the trail.  There are a lot of runners and joggers of all shapes and sizes, and a lot of bikers of all shapes and sizes.  Walkers, not so much.  And very few of the walkers are power walkers.  I did see three women last weekend and one other power walker today.  It’s nice to see so many couples out together, whether they are biking, running or walking.

Temp: 78° / Partly cloudy
Time: 7:30am / 1 hr
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 14.40 miles / Total: 21.15 miles

It was warm again this morning but there was a nice strong breeze. (Thank you, Father!) I was worried about missing so many days because of the weather this week, but my last mile was an 18 minute mile. It was easier today to get focused on my breathing and stride and stay there. There may be hope for this almost 50-year-old body after all.

Temp: ~75° / Sunny
Time: 7:30am / 1 hr
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 11.30 miles / Total: 18.05 miles

It was humid again today but there was a nice breeze that helped. (Thank you for the breeze, Father.)

Decided to try a bent arm swing like I used to use when power walking even though I’m going at a slower pace. It helps end the puffy fingers you sometimes get if you leave your arms down.

Temp: 75° / Sunny
Time: 8am / 1 hr
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 8.20 / Total: 14.95

Lots and lots of people today — it was a Saturday plus the day after a holiday. Have I mentioned that the trail is used by walkers, runners, bikers and roller bladers? Yeah, there’s a variety of fitness freaks. *smile*

It was very humid because it had rained sometime during the night or early morning. It was a sweaty walk, but it’s good to sweat.

Temp: 73° / Partly cloudy
Time: 8am / 1 hr
Route: 3 mile River Park
Daily: 3.1 miles / Monthly: 5.1 miles / Total: 11.85 miles

A three mile round trip walk. Great walk! I walked just past the park area near the seal statues and back.

My breathing is getting better (meaning I don’t need to focus on it as much in order to avoid a dreaded stitch in the side), no hip pain (which requires concentrating on how I plant my feet), and just a little shin pain on starting out. When I think how hard I’m concentrating on my breathing and my stride, I wonder how my face must look. Probably quite comical. LOL

First mile was a 19 minute mile.

Temp: ~75° / Partly cloudy
Time: 8:30am / 1 hr
Route: 2 mile River Park
Daily: 2 miles / Monthly: 2 miles / Total: 8.75

Shorter walk because I was struggling. Clocked a 20 minute mile for the last one. That seems like a pitiful pace knowing that I was once down to a 12.5 minute mile. [sigh] Is there hope for this almost 50-year-old body?