WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (16).

WALKN One Marathon Per Week.

Overtop the Horton Street extension, walkn toward Harris Park

Atop the tracks between Horton and York Streets

This week (January 15 - 21) I have covered my miles in a variety of ways, with a marathon of miles (26.2) as my target. I think the goal is a good one, easy to remember, appropriate for a retired marathon runner and certainly within my limits (I walked slightly more than one marathon per week in 2016, on average).

 Thanks to global warming, Sunday was easy walkn.

Sunday's walk on the Terry Fox Pathway (6.75 miles) on a sunny day started the week in fine style. Monday's walk to Berkshire Village - easy kap-easy. On Tuesday, after a 3 PM visit, I was loaned a book (by the son of a WW2 correspondent) and spent part of the evening readn and ridn.

Walkn, playing hockey, more ridn, plus - walkn to a hockey game.

Variety is the spice of life.

Tonight (Friday, Jan. 20), after I walk downtown for supper with friend Bernie (currently, a fast marathoner), I will have covered this week's "walking marathon." Not bad for an old geezer.

More Photos From Along the Way:

I prefer snow over rain in January!!

 Please link to WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (15).

Photos GH

WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (15).

Can I Walk a Marathon Per Week?

There are many scenic walkways in London.

Several thoughts run - or briskly walk - through my head as I consider my fun and fitness (or walking/shuffling/jogging) goals for 2017.

In no particular order.... I realize I walked a lot of miles in 2016, i.e., 1439 miles in all. Should I match that total, or cover more or fewer miles in 2017? I shuffled and jogged 60 times last year, and developed a relatively smooth and easy stride. Where does jogging fit in during 2017? My desire to get out the door is consistently strong, I nurse no minor injuries, the streets are generally bare, routes are scenic, the air is fresh, I like afternoon or evening walks in the one to one and a half hour range, and I seem to be consistently hitting 20 - 30 miles per week without difficulty.

 On Wed., Jan 11 I walked before my hockey game. Smooth move.

Friday the 13th weather was good. I easily completed walk No. 54

(out of 120, the Transition Zone Squared set, i.e., TZ2) 

I like my routine and I don't think it needs much tweaking. Sure, I could do more stretching and strength training, and I think I will.... gradually, and in the near future. For certain, I seem to be aiming for 26.25 miles (marathon distance) per week with Saturdays off.

Will I be able to walk a marathon per week for 52 weeks in 2017? If I do, I would cover 1363 miles, down a bit from 2016.

We shall see what we shall see.

Photos from along the way:

Stay tuned for more WALKN in London, Ontario.

Please link to WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (14).

Photos GH

WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (14).

Tough SLUGN Equals Easy RIDN.

Sunday Photo - Yeh, I'll give it a try!

I lasted 25 minutes. The cold didn't send me back home, nor did the snow in the face. It was the footing. Two steps forward, one back. Walkn in tire tracks was easier but drivers couldn't see me very well. So..... I trudged home, grabbed a good book and put on my cycling shorts.

I completed 26.5 miles - a marathon - last week

Readn and Ridn is a great alternative to SLUGN

The sidewalks and streets in Old South have been ploughed so I bet I will have an easier time today.

Yesterday's storm created havoc on the 401, but not near Bruce St.

Please link to WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (13).

Photos GH

Photos From Along the Way (2).

Ice Necklaces, and Walking Near the Thames.

Fortunately, I saved one of my old pocket cameras a few years back. It's coming in handy now - after I wiped off the dust - and after I dropped my newest pocket camera on the railroad tracks the other day....

 The two willows mark my turn-around-point, for a four-mile walk

Access to the tracks is just down the hill. 

And what was I doing walking on the railroad tracks anyway?

I thought I'd get a good picture or two before continuing with my day's walk.

Please link to Photos From Along the Way

Photos GH

WALKN Miles in 2017. TZ2 (13).

The Wind at My Back.

Not much colour in downtown London on a gray day.

In spite of gray colours and squalls, I enjoyed my walk to Gibbons Park in North London yesterday. I walked into a thick curtain of blowing snow when I past Oxford Street and, trying to maintain a positive frame of mind, I reminded myself the wind would be at my back once I turned around at my two-mile marker (i.e., a tall and sturdy pair of willow trees beside the Gibbons pool).

I will soon finish my first marathon (26.2 miles) of 2017

I have covered 21.25 miles so far this week and if I complete 5 miles today (e.g., a 3-miler in the 'hood followed by a walk to a London Knights game this evening) I will finish my first marathon of the new year. 

I wonder how many I will be able to finish before year's end? In 2016 I covered 1439 miles, equal to 54.9 marathons, so the number 50 seems a reasonable goal. Of course, I'm not running 50 marathons (which would be an incredible feat, though not impossible), but the idea of covering the same distance as 50 marathons is an interesting one, especially to this former marathoner.

Marathoners like hill workouts. So do marathon walkers, one at a time : )

So, off we go. We shall see what we shall see.

Please link to Transition Zone Squared (12).

Photos GH

Transition Zone Squared (12).

Off to a Good Start, Eddie!

City streets and sidewalks almost clear sailing.

'Make hay while the sun shines' is my motto for this first month of 2017. The pathways are clear so I'll be walking outdoors as much as possible, and riding the bike when blinding blizzards sweep the land. I'll ride as well when I am absorbed by a good book, because readn and ridn go together like cheezn crackers. : )

 Four miles per day keeps me going like Steady Eddie

Batman lives in Wortley Village!!??

Not even Batman's shadow will slow me down.

Please link to Transition Zone Squared (11).

Photos GH

Transition Zone Squared (11).

2016 Year End News Report.

"I walked a lot of miles and didn't fall in once!"

This morning I tallied my WALKN miles for the full year and my eyes almost popped out. How far??

In 366 days I walked (and jogged) 314 times and covered 1438.75 miles. That's about 4.6 miles per outing and 119.9 miles per month. In other words, my WALKN in 2016 was pretty steady and solid.

 I started the last week of 2016 with energy (and a good book)

With snow on the ground I added 'bike ridn' to my fun and fitness routine (above). I can read while ridn on my recumbent bike and finished my latest read in four days. Easy kap-easy.

 On Dec. 30 I walked 5 miles, ended the week w 26.5 miles

More miles ahead

In 2016 I also took over a million photos and thought thousands of good thoughts while walkn/jogn/readn and ridn. I'm hopn to do the same in 2017.

Maybe see you out there.

Please link to Transition Zone Squared (10).

Photos GH