Transition Zone Squared (3) - November Endgame.

Close to a Wrap-Up

 Looks like a dead end. Not!

November, with wetter and cooler days than most recent months, is coming to a close. The weather, however, has not dampened my desire to get out the door on a regular basis and walk the city streets and pathways. As well, upcoming snowy days will not be a hindrance to my fun and fitness routine.

Using tunnel-vision, I see many miles ahead

 Yesterday I walked downtown and back, part of the way with my son and grandson, and completed an errand at the same time. Many of my walks are now linked to double purposes, i.e., fun and fitness, and picking up or dropping off an item. I think I'm the cheapest delivery service in London!

Walk #22 in November - 7.5 miles

After supper, because I don't get TSN on TV and I wanted to catch up on the Grey Cup game, I grabbed my high-tech Walkman and walked around the Village. The game was a real nail-biter, eh!? (If that wee AM/FM radio lasts another 20 years I'll be very happy.)

A Bit of November Number Crunching:

     I should finish the month with 24 or 25 walks

     I should cover 100-plus miles

     My average walk should be around 4.0 miles

The last 10 weeks look pretty solid

Ten weeks ago I vacationed in PEI, only walked 11 miles. No regrets. Last week I ventured to the Bruce Peninsula, and I took an enjoyable break on two of the days up there. That being said, my 10-week average still looks AOK, right around 25 miles per week.

Vacations affect the 10-week average, but not by much

The jogging routine is over and done for 2016, and next year I will try to complete 60 - 70 jogs. Is there a marathon in my future? We shall see what we shall see.

December approaches and I will keep the following numbers in mind - 25 walks, 4 miles per outing, 100 miles (or so) by the end of the month. Yearly weigh-in should be positive!

Please link to Transition Zone Squared (2) - Walk-Abouts.

Photos GH

Transition Zone Squared (2) - Walk-Abouts.

In Ottawa 2014.

I locked my motorcycle behind the Jail Hostel and saw much of the city by foot. I discovered Ottawa is both big and small - big buildings upon which to gaze and reflect, small corner pubs within reach when my dogs barked and my throat was dry. "Chambly Noir, s'il vous plait. Merci." (Chez Lucien)

TZ2 (a set of 120 walks) has started off with 9 in a row. Lovely

 My sturdy map of Ottawa, near the National Library and Archives

 Significant sites are mapped and numbered - in bronze

Terry Fox: One of Canada's champions

Walk-abouts are my bread and butter when I travel. And between travels I walk the streets of London for fun and fitness and the occasional pit stop when dogs get tired.

"Stout for me, thanks."

Please link to Transition Zone Squared (1).

Photos GH

Transition Zone Squared (1).

November Walkn - Steady, Solid, Squared

No doubt about it. Good habits prevail.

My feet feel good. My legs feel good. And whenever I take them outside for a walk (for about 1 and 1/4 hours), four miles feels good.

Stats for November 9 - 12

From Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 I covered 25 miles. From Nov. 6 - 12 I walked 28 miles. Steady pace, solid performance, just like a Ford pickup but without the expensive monthly payments.

I reached the end of the 'Transition Zone' set of 100 walks on Wednesday (TZ100), confident that I succeeded in improving my jogging pace during that set. I am also confident I will get back to jogging in the spring after completing my next set of 120 walks - which I'll call 'Transition Zone Squared' or TZ2.

If the weather in March 2017 is mild, I may start jogging before the set is complete. As I like to say, we will see what we will see.

By the Numbers;

During the last two full weeks I covered 53 miles

I aim to walk about 25 miles per week for the winter months

The "last-10-weeks average" now stands at 24.6 miles

Temperatures are declining and walkn enjoyment is increasing

Please link to The Transition Zone 20 - Walkn in November.

Photos GH

The Transition Zone 20 - Walkn in November.

Still in The Zone for One More Day

Maybe I'll park the bike in Port Bruce and walk the beach

I finished October with a few proud numbers, including a 92. I walked 122 miles in October and covered 29.5 miles in the last full week. And finally, on October 31, I completed not only the 27th walk in 31 days but the 92nd of 100 walks in The Transition Zone (TZ).

A good start to the week! (Presentation re Dad's Navy Days - tonight!) 

One goal for November - "do as well as last year!"

One goal during the TZ was to see if I would develop into a smoother, more efficient jogger. By the end of 92 outings I can say I was doing just fine. There were outings in which I jogged 4 - 5 km. without much trouble whatsoever. That being said, winter is coming and I am going to stick to 'walking only' for the next few months.

Today or tomorrow I will complete TZ100 and have to decide what my goals will be for the next set of walks. That shouldn't be too tough. How about, "Everybody just stay calm and keep walking for fun and fitness"? Or, TZ#2?

We shall see what we shall see.

 Nice walkn in Port Bruce on Monday

 I found several comfy seats near the shoreline

Bring your own coffee. The Corner View is closed

Please link to The Transition Zone 19 - October Summary.

Photos GH

The Transition Zone 19 - October Summary.

Where Am I Going?

The Walking Man. 

I suggest he swing his arms a bit more.

While in Ottawa last year, I enjoyed a fun and fitness walk to Parliament Hill and environs. Walking is the best way to see Ottawa and one will encounter hordes of people doing the same thing, and one guy covered with sticky paper near the bridge to Hull. I call him The Walking Man Francais (He looks like he's coming from across the river).

He has a purposeful stride very similar to mine, don't you think?

Yesterday, I completed another month of walking and recorded my stats to see where I've been and where I'm going next.

By the Numbers:

I covered 122 miles in October, most of them in my neighbourhood. Many days were coolish, perfect for walking with a purposeful stride - minus the sticky paper.

My last eight days: I walked 29.5 miles last week and 8.5 so far this week. I had errands to run (walk) on four of those days, and that helps me get out the door.

The round trip connected to regular hockey games is two miles long. Good one. 

I track my ten-week average at the end of each week, and 25 miles per week is gradually becoming my target of choice.

 The numbers went into decline due to a vacation in September

For over a year I have been tracking certain stats, and they help me form monthly goals, and opinions about what seems reasonable as I continue The GREAT Canadian Comeback. I am leaning toward making my way to 25 walking/jogging miles per week on average, so many of the numbers will gradually decline. (That's if my psyche will allow that to happen!)

The columns represent the following: Month; outings per month (27 in 31 days in October); outings per month as a percentage; outings % as a cumulative monthly average; monthly mileage; mileage as a cumulative monthly average.

The Transition Man continues.

Please link here to The Transition Zone 18 - Steady Pace.

Photos GH