A Week's Work (7)

The Weather has been Very Good for Walking and Running

The Week of October 11 - 17: Perfect for "Speedy Pop Man" 

"The coast is clear. Run like the wind, or maybe a light breezer."

Hey that rhymes with geezer : )

Introduction:

On four occasions last week I walked or ran on the west branch of the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP: It includes the Terry Fox Pathway and two tidy 'comfort stations'), even though there are three branches, along with unlimited routes I could access in the 7 - 8.25-mile range from my house in Old South London. If anything, I'm a geezer who likes his routines.

I like morning coffee as much as the next person, three meals per day, daily walks or runs, and a couple of other productive or beneficial habits. Vacuuming... not so much.

And speaking of geezers, I really don't mind the term/label. It sounds faintly friendly and relatively accurate.

That being said, one day (Warning: I may have shared this story before, but give me a break, eh. It's my blog : ) while running through Gibbons Park in Old North, I passed a relatively young man from behind. He was nicely dressed and carrying a musical instrument (brass) in a solid, black case. He gave me lots of room and visa versa (Covid - 19 is on almost everyone's mind these days), and shortly after I passed him I did my turn-around for my return trip home to Wortley Village.

Within a minute or two I noticed Mr. Dress-up again - coming toward me, still dressed up with some place to go - and as we approached one another I gave a quick wave, and as we passed he said (louder than needed), "Hey, Speedy Pop Man!"

The recognition made me laugh and I thought, "Sounds better than 'Old Geezer.' I'll take it."

I took it, and here are "Speedy Pop Man's" records for the past week:.

Good weather, good runs (9.5-mi. run on Sunday), walks, and a super birthday

get-together for my youngest son (age 47). Yup, "Speedy Pop Man" is a geezer!

I am now adding one km to my usual walk day. Will it become a routine?

Good weekly mileage. "Speedy Pop Man" = "Steady Eddie"

Photos from Along the Way:

MAPLE LEAVES ARE EVERYWHERE!

Home, sweet home.

Please link to A Week's Work in October 2020 (6) for more brilliant information about running logs and photographs : )

Photos GH

A Week's Work in October 2020 (6)

A Solid Week by Steady Eddie, Always Ready : )

Also Known as "Speedy Pop Man"

The week started with a walk, run and walk for 22.75 miles (36.6 km)

Introduction:

It's Friday PM (15 minutes away from Happy Hour), and my planned 'fun and fitness' routine is finished for the week. I alternated 7-mile walks and 8.25-mile runs (approx.) for 6 days and finished with a grand total of 47 miles (75.6 km). 

I may take tomorrow off, though a wee walk to the local hardware store and Attic Books on Dundas St. in downtown London (a 2.5-mile roundtrip) wouldn't be out of order.

As one can see, I had a very colourful week and some excellent weather

I've covered over 200 miles in the last four weeks, so my weekly average is slowly creeping over 45-miles per week. Not bad for a "Speedy Pop Man" - a nickname I may adopt for the purposes of this blog - something a young man (much younger than me!) called out to me after I passed him for the second time near Gibbons Park.

A Few Fotos From Along the Way:

For information about a walking or running program suited to your needs, contact Gord at gordh7700@gmail.com

For more short blurbs, please link to A Week's Work in October 2020 (5)

Photos GH

A Week's Work in October 2020 (5)

The First Half of the Week - A1

Current routine is easy to figure out, in miles. Walk, Run, Walk... repeat

Introduction:

Today, Oct. 7, will be a "run day." I'll likely go west on the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP) to my regular 'turn-around-point' (5.5-Km distance-marker, west of Wonderland Gardens) and, in total, cover 8.25 miles.

By the end of the week, with 3 walks (about 7 miles each) and 3 runs (usually 8.25 miles each) on alternate days, and a wee walking/shopping trip on Saturday (I see I need more Libby's brown beans, and could stand to buy another used book re WWII), I should cover about 45 - 50 miles in all. 

That's not a bad fun and fitness routine at all, in my opinion.

Photos from along the way:

All photos taken recently on the TVP, all but one (self-portrait : ) 

while on the north branch, depicting the walk home from U.W.O

This week's motto:

Stay active while we still can.

For more details, please link to A Week's Work (4)

Photos GH

Photos From Along the Way: Late September 2020 (2)

The End of a Long-Distance Month

Clouds opened as I snapped this frame. Good thing camera has protective case!

Introduction:

The month of September was record setting, but not for rain.

Sure, I got wet once or twice while walking or running my miles on the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP), including the always-popular Terry Fox Pathway, but the record related to total miles travelled in one month.

For the first time since I started keeping accurate accounts, I passed 221 miles total (walking + running) in one month. It works out to 7.92 miles per outing (i.e., 28 days out of 30). Two or three long runs, in preparation for the now-cancelled Hamilton 30 Km road race, put me over the previous record (218.5 mi., Jan. 2020). 

Though I have a few factors that really work in my favour as a middle- or long-distance walker/runner (sturdy legs, injury-free 99% of the time, born to walk, know how to easily train myself to run, don't mind spending $160+ for good shoes, and more), I think the secret is that - a number of years ago now - I won the battle of getting off the couch and getting out the door on a regular basis, e.g., 80 - 90% of the days per month. 

There's a long and exciting story (oh, I'm sure it would be exciting : ) in there somewhere, and I'll be sure to write it someday. Until then, I'll take a camera on some of my walks, tell my story a 1,000 words at a time.

Photos from along the way:

The Great Wall is a major undertaking

Good view from Oxford St. bridge, looking south toward Blackfriars

Old cement embankments are disappearing in favour of The Wall

So, lots of noise and action both on and under Oxford St.

One of my favourite wee bridges, in Gibbons Park

Getting close to home in Wortley Village

For more recent photos, please link to Photos From Along the Way: Late September 2020

Photos GH