Valorie Walks

Lordy, I could have skipped today's walk, and I sure did want to! But I went anyway, and got hit with a bit of hail and then rain all the way home. Ended up with a painful blister on my right foot, too. UNDER the blister bandage that was already in place! Grrrrr...... Total steps: 12,942, aerobic: 11,562; 5.31 miles

I'm getting worse and worse at doing the blogging! The walking is going well, though. Wednesday I walked up over the ridge via the church and school. It was cold, but walking fast in a long-sleeved T-shirt and wearing my gloves for a bit, I was OK. Daddy showed up about the time I was going to leave in the early afternoon, so we sat and watched my photos, and then we had dinner, and I walked in the evening. I saw elk! Total steps: 12,731, aerobic: 10,760, 5.22 miles. Thursday was a walk to the library, via the new library and then home. Total steps: 13,007, aerobic: 10,555, 5.33 miles. Today, Friday was good until the last few thousand steps, when my left foot started hurting. That made the end of the walk mighty slow. :( Total steps: 12,606, aerobic: 11,207 in 95 minutes, 5.17 miles.

I got away early today -- just had my spirulina, an apple, and part of a cup of coffee and set off. It was rather cold, but I had on a long-sleeve T-shirt, and walked pretty fast past the church and school and up over the ridge and back. Total steps: 12,648, aerobic: 11,014 in 94 minutes; 5.19 miles

First shorts day of the year! It was in the low to mid-60s, but rather humid. In fact, I got hit by a few small raindrops about every 20 minutes or so. In between, some sunshine! Altogether a wonderful day for a walk over the ridge and back, via the school and church. Total steps: 12,931, aerobic: 11,252 in 95 minutes; 5.30 miles

Rather nice day -- sunny, if breezy. And downright *windy* on top of the ridge. Walked to the fireplug at the bottom of the hill, and home. I've been eating an apple before leaving to see if that will help with the low blood sugar part-way home. So far, it hasn't, but one cough drop ain't much sugar, either! When I get home I'm not famished , though, so I think I'll keep eating the apple. :-) Total steps: 13,286, aerobic: 11,842 (in 98 minutes, if I remember correctly); 5.45 miles This is the end of week eleven. I'll try to get all my stuff added up tomorrow.

Walked too far today! The route to Keevies was nice -- birds were singing, etc. But I tried to take the old trail which used to go to the fire road, and now heads through the new development. I was confronted by a woman who told me I was trespassing, and was quite unpleasant about it. So our public lands, and public access to trails, is shrinking even out here in the countryside! And sad to say, probably nothing will be done about it. Private property, after all, is the "highest and best use." :( However, the old trail from the lake to third street still exists, and that got me to the church, school, and over the ridge. Should have turned back sooner, as my feet (and spirit) were a wreck by the time I got home. Moderation in all -- even moderation! Total steps: 14,206, aerobic: 12,898; 5.82 miles

SUNSHINE! Finally! Didn't need my shirt at all, to tell the truth. Brought along sunglasses, but I love the sun on my face too much to wear them much. Went up over the ridge via the church and school, then back on Lake Sawyer Road to the Y, and home. Total steps: 14,200, aerobic: 11,530 in 97 minutes; 5.82 miles

Up over the ridge and back, via the church and school. Gosh I was tired and my feet hurt, the last 2000+ steps. Maybe it's jetlag, or I dunno. But I am still waiting for all that abundant energy I'm supposed to get!!! Perhaps it was because it got colder during the walk. As I put more clothes on, I did feel better. I've been forgetting to put on the step meter when I first get up, since I got back. Today I didn't remember until well after noon! Gotta get back into the swing of things. Total steps: 13,320, aerobic: 11,391; 5.46 miles

Well, this was an odd day. Took Kim to the grocery store, and walked around while she shopped for her party. That was 1400-odd steps. Later, Bob had dinner cooking, and assured me it would be a good hour before it was ready to serve (well worth waiting for, too!!!!!). So I walked up to the pond on the ridge, in COLD WIND. Gosh, I wish I had had a hat! Hurried back, and home in just about an hour. Total steps: 11,030, aerobic: 9243 in 78 minutes; 4.52 miles

Lousy walk -- but boy oh boy did I get the steps! Finally got into stride after the second hill, turned around, and got a SORE foot. It was hard not to limp. Then when my left foot finally felt better, the right one started to hurt -- even more. Eventually I realized there might be a bit of sand in my shoe, at the ball of my right foot. By the time I found somewhere to sit, it felt PAINFUL. Took off the shoe and socks, and put on the thin blister bandage I was fortunately carrying. Put everything back on, and realized that it had turned COLD. Within five minutes of coming inside, it was pouring, and almost cold enough to snow. Lordy! Once I recovered after dinner, I went to the Supermall and found a couple of shirts at Marshalls. LOVE that store! So I got even more steps! Not enough to make up for Easter, but oh well! Total steps: 15,607, aerobic: 12,183; 6.4 miles

Good day! Although I started late, and sometimes, especially up top on the ridge it was COLD and windy. When it was still and in a patch of sunlight, though it was pleasant. The blister seems to be healing OK, and I realized today -- most of the time my feet don't hurt any more! Maybe soon they won't hurt at ALL. I can only hope. :-) Total steps: 14,498, aerobic: 11,525; 5.94 miles

Took off a bit early today, and that was GOOD, because I got pretty tired, and seemed to walk more slowly than usual on the way home, and it started to pour down rain as I got out of the shower! Gosh, it was sorta cold out, but sunny for part of my walk over the ridge and back. Man, that shower felt good today! Total steps: 13,110, aerobic 11,333 in 101 minutes; 5.37 miles.

Wooooo hoooo! I felt like an athlete out there today, at least until I hit the wall. I think I'll up my spirulina to a teaspoonful and a half, and see if I can keep that feeling going all the way! Fortunately my blood sugar didn't run out until I was down the final hill coming off the ridge. I forgot my water AND my emergency sugar (a roll of life-savers). Just about then the balls of my feet starting hurting too. :( But it was GREAT until then! My stride seemed longer, and it just felt GOOD to be out there walking, even up the hills, which didn't seem very high today at all! Total steps: 12,401, aerobic: 10,998 in 96 minutes; 5.08 miles

I'm back, baby! Started late on a rainy day, but there was mostly a break in the rain. Went up and over the ridge to the bottom of the hill, and back. Still not walking without pain and effort, but oh, well. Walked mostly on the pavement, and that was easier than my usual, and not as hard on my feet as I had feared. Hard on the ball of the foot, though. Total steps: 12,800, aerobic: 11,497; 5.25 miles

Did the ridge both ways again, and walked a bit farther than yesterday. Total steps: 11,189, aerobic: 10,727 in 99 minutes; 4.59 miles.

Decided to do the ridge in both directions rather than walking along the road. MUCH better, but more hills. Which is better, but slower. Total steps: 10,901, aerobic, 10,185; 4.47 miles.

Tired and sad when I set off, so I didn't actually care that I came in under but oh so close to 10K, LOL! Almost made it, and that was good enough for today. I walked to the school through the woods, and then on the road up to the beginning of the Ridge road. I think next time I walk the ridge, I'll walk from the school over the ridge and back. That should get me just over 10K steps, AND get all that nice hill walking. It's harder, but better, I think. Feet are somewhat better today, but everything is still sore, every day. So I've gotta be doing some muscle-building. :-) Total steps: 11,096, aerobic 9947 in 90 minutes; 4.55 miles.