Steady As She Goes 11

Oh, It's Cycling Time Again

I love comfort stations!

With a sore left foot, I know I have to scale back on my walking/shuffling/jogging routine, but I feel I should have no trouble adjusting to a bicycle. (Though my butt cheeks may say otherwise for the first several rides).

When I stopped serious long-distance running in early 2006, it wasn't long before I was cycling on a regular basis and playing hockey - albeit shoddily - once per week. So, my legs know how to go 'round and 'round, and with a new bike to sit upon, my attitude is pretty positive.

Several walkers, runners and cyclists visit the park regularly

First ride: 1HR 20MIN to the west end of Springbank Park, with an extra loop around the park thrown in for good measure.

Note to self - The 'shit bugs' ("Cough. Hack!") should be gone in a week.

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Photos GH

Steady As She Goes 10

Sore Left Foot

I came to London in 1968 (to UWO) and lived on 2nd floor of Dunlish

Apt. at Dundas and English, above a bank (now The Coffeehouse)

This is a 'typical Gord' move:

I have a sore left foot and could have bicycled to Old East London yesterday (to pick up Ethiopian Dark Roast at Asmara Caffee on Dundas St.), but after setting out for two blocks I decided not to turn back - hey, my foot is not hurting that much - and ride my comfortable 18-speed. About five miles later I knew I should have started a careful recovery program that afternoon.

That being said, I will start today to reduce walking miles and increase cycling miles. All I have to do is find my bike helmet!

Photos from along the way:

 "I will ride - starting today - as much as possible"

The walk was worth it - to get my morning dark roast

I'm going to call the problem with my left foot an overuse injury until I learn more. I will Google 'walking injury' or 'foot injuries' for starters. Hopefully, the problem will be minor.

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Photos by GH

Steady As She Goes 9

Steady Miles, More Shufflin'

Long legs help me cover plenty of miles each month

Another month is nearing its end, as is my set of 90 brisk walks that include shuffling off to Buffalo. I predict I will walk/shuffle about 120 miles in June, including more shuffling than in any other month. And since I can honestly say I am comfortably improving my shuffling or jogging speed over the course of a typical four-miler, a chief goal I set for myself ("Speed Up, Man") is being accomplished.

I past the 100-mile mark on June 25th, a four-miles-per-day average. AOK

8 miles yesterday during my 10th walk-a-jog of the month. Solid

I have one worry moving forward. My left foot is a bit sore and tender at times, hopefully just a minor set-back. I will cycle more as I determine what type of injury I am dealing with, as I move into my next set of brisk walks and further walk-a-jogging.

Am I paying the price for going too far too fast (high mileage months)? Do I need to reduce the frequency and speed of my shuffling/jogging? We shall see what we shall see.

Fortunately, I have the time to mount The GREAT Canadian Comeback, so I will take the time. I see no problem reducing my monthly mileage or shuffling along at a slower pace, because there are other components to walking/running I can be working on to improve, e.g., strength and flexibility.

More photos from along the way:

I try to keep my mouth shut during 'billion bugs' season

There are a lot of smooth runners in London, Ontario

Stay tuned.

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Steady As She Goes 8

The Transition Zone

All is AOK at Greenway

I see many other walkers, joggers, cyclists and so on, as I walk and shuffle and walk and jog along the Terry Fox Pathway in Greenway Park. I don't pass anybody at the speed I travel, but (!), that time isn't far away in dog years.

While I was jogging this morning I passed one quarter-mile marker, then another, before resuming my walk.

"That felt pretty easy," I said. "I must be making grand progress."

My regular shuffling is taking me farther and faster

And I am. The GREAT Canadian Comeback is on the right track. I am jogging more and walking less. I am shaving a few more minutes off my travelling time with each passing week, and - mark my words - within a week or two I will pass somebody who, like me, is slowly but surely making an effort to get or stay fit by walking, shuffling, walking, jogging, etc.

Oh yeah, I'll just fly by.

I guess I'd better make up some kind of quick greeting for when that happens:

- Hi, how are you? I'd say more but I'm actually passing you by. Bye!

- Good work. You're looking good. See ya later.

I'm sure I'll be in a transition zone (from walker to runner) for quite some time, but seeing a bit of progress now and again gives one a lift.

Photos from along the way -

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Photos by GH

Steady As She Goes 7

Satisfying Forward Progress

I have had a good start to this last full week of June

I don't have the time, energy, money or inclination to have a personal coach, someone who would watch over and review my progress with me on a regular basis, talk to me about when I'm on the wrong path or going down a good one, so... I have to deal with me. And that's been going fairly well since I gave up long distance running and returned to a less-demanding schedule that now includes regular walking (with a touch of shuffling and jogging).

Though I would like to make room in my 'always busy' schedule for a few flexibility and strength-training exercises, I feel I am still on a good path and making satisfying forward progress. Why, if I keep moving forward in such a way for the next 20 years, I'll be hailed as a local phenom.

June's temperature is warming up so I may start heading out the door for my walks earlier in the day. And now that a couple of busy periods in my schedule have passed (I've dropped my walk 6 times this month!), I should be able to complete a healthy number of walking/shuffling miles before the 1st of July.

I may beat the heat by walking on green paths, not tarmac

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Photos GH

Steady Eddie's Photo Gallery

Photos from Along the Way

Yesterday I enjoyed an easy four-miler (plus a titch more) in my 'go-to' walking zone in London, i.e., Greenway Park. I almost had the place to myself.

The noise of traffic on busy streets soon faded away

Safe and quiet - two reasons why I like Greenway Pk.

I can walk/jog surrounded by green. Awesome

I call this section the 'Handy-Dandy Comfort Station Half-Mile'

There's a short cut home, but I usually go the long way

I see Tuckey's Hardware - way down there - and I'm tuckered out : )

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Photos GH

Steady As She Goes 6

Talking to Myself: It's OK

I flew past "The Spit" (WW2 navy base) and walked around it

Hey, Gord. It's OK to skip a Sunday long walk and go for a motorcycle ride. It's summertime and you paid a hefty price for that insurance policy. Go use it.

Hey, Gord. it's OK to focus for 4 - 5 days on other important things you have on your plate right now.

Gord, I bet you've done more walking and shuffling in the last 8 months than in the year before. Remember that when 'the short term' gets busy.

And you're shuffling is almost akin to jogging now. You're going farther than you were last month - at a steady JOGN pace - between walking breaks, you're not complaining of injuries, and you'll soon be back to a less hectic routine.

Smile. It's OK.

* * * * *

I had a rewarding trip to Vancouver Island (related to WW2 research re my 'Dad's Navy Days') in May and came back home to a busy workshop, the lure of the motorcycle and a few other projects that interest me. Soon my schedule will be a little less cramped, and conflicted feelings ("Why are you motorcycling? You should be walking! You're whole fitness routine is going down the tubes.") won't interrupt my day as often.

Meanwhile, I'll walk and shuffle and jog as time allows and enjoy the process of working my way toward a healthy fun and fitness routine - slowly but surely.

Hey, it's noon. Time for a salad and an easy four-miler.

I walked east, over a bridge in Courtenay, to look west

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Photos GH

Steady As She Goes 5

Quick Update About Shuffling

Good walking, but no shuffling in early June

Since starting my 'shufflin' off to Buffalo' set of walks on March 29th, I've walked 64 times, and I've included shufflin' 16 times - or 25% of the time.

The 25% is a happy coincidence. I wasn't aiming to have the percentage of shuffles work out in such a nicely rounded fashion. Once or twice a week is on my mind along with the cautionary slogan, "If you've got the time, take your time, Gordie."

Yesterday's walk was wet and wild! Heavy on the rain and JOGN

Yesterday's walk was going along nicely, with some smooth shufflin' going on at regular intervals, until rain fell, accompanied by a stiff, cold breeze. Then I had to make a decision - take shelter or carry on. I chose to cut short my planned 8-mile route by a quarter-mile in each direction (out and back) and carry on, with the hopes of hitting clear skies again.

On the way back home I did a bit of shuffling that I'd like to call 'Gord's old-time running'. I plodded along for over a mile and felt like I was a long-distance runner again. My pace, breathing and heart-rate were strong and steady, and I could have run farther if I'd wanted. But I wisely chose to slow down and get back into the walking-shuffling routine. (Hey, I've got the time.)

There are no bad walking routes in the Comox Valley

All that walking around on some hilly turf during my recent trip to Vancouver Island did not hurt me one bit!

I feel I've been staying within my limits for several months and the limits are growing slow and steady-like. I feel there is no need to push myself harder or faster. Why, by October I should be ready to enter a five-kilometre road race and get that new T-shirt I've been dreaming about. : )

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Photos GH

Steady As She Goes 4

Another Month in the Record Books

"I finished May with walk No. 60 out of 90. That's something!"

Really, I'm a 'numbers guy'. At the end of the month I like to tally up my walks, miles and averages, and see how I'm doing. So, this morning I looked at May's numbers and can honestly say I'm doing AOK. Steady Eddie is on the move.

By the Numbers:

I'm two-thirds of the way through my "Speed Up Man" set (i.e., 90 brisk walks with some shuffling thrown in for good measure).

I walked 26 of 31 days. Not bad for a month that included a trip to BC, a birdhouse sale and a few motorcycle rides.

My GOTD rate (i.e., Get Out the Door percentage) might be down, compared to other months, but I covered an 'above average' number of miles.

I shuffled during 7 of 26 outings and feel I am making very good progress in that challenging department.

*****

June will also be a challenging month 'distraction-wise' but I feel confident I will get out the door regularly and continue to make progress with my shuffling off to Buffalo. 'Shuffles' two times per week (on average) will very likely help me develop a smoother, stronger stride. Why, I bet I will look more like a real jogger by the end of the summer.

Photos from along the way:

 "Paths are almost empty on a weekday"

"A smooth skater heads toward downtown London"

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Photos GH