It's Officially Spring!

Today I tried to fit in a quick walk between a few important things I had to do.

This time of year, you never know what the weather will be like, especially in Ohio. (If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes, it will change.) We have had snow this late in the year before, so I tend to be cautious when it comes to predicting spring. To tell the truth, the appearance of crocus or daffodils means nothing!

But today as I walked around the block, I noticed forsythia! I LOVE forsythia! The yellow of these flowers makes me smile. And what I really like is, it rarely snows after forsythia bloom.

Yep, this is a sure sign spring is here to stay! Woo hoo!

Bad Timing

It was supposed to rain this morning, so I opted not to walk with the Buckeye Striders at 8. I didn't set my alarm clock and when I rolled out of bed at 7:30, the sun was shining and it looked great! Hmmm, maybe I made the wrong decision.

As the morning progressed the skies got gray, the sun shined, the skies got gray, the sun shined ... Then there was a huge line of deep black clouds moving in. If I was going to get outside, I was going to have to get out quick.

Because the black clouds were moving fast, and partly because my friend Curtis has been running more than I have, I decided to try to run today. (I'm still training for the Warrior Dash.) I walked quickly to the "big block" and began running. I did a run/walk and was excited that I was able to run farther between walking breaks  than I did the last time I ran.

About three-quarters of the way around the block, the rain started so I tried to run harder. Just as I was about finished with my first lap, the hail started! Hail! I began to run home, but realized that by the time I got there the hail would stop and I would be less inclined to go back out.

It's spring and there are no leaves on the trees in my neighborhood. Still, I stood with my back up against a big tree and tried to use the trunk to block the wind. After just a few minutes the hail stopped and the rain slowed.

At this point I just wanted to finish my two laps as quickly as possible. I started running again, trying to pick up the pace and maybe run a little farther between walking breaks. It didn't work.

My legs were not tired -- in fact, based on how my legs felt, I could have easily run a mile non-stop today. The problem was my lungs! They burned, I gasped for air and just could not catch my breath. My heart pounded pretty hard, too. I hate this feeling! (The only other times I have felt this way have been at the end of long-distance races when I am racewalking as hard as possible, or when I am trying to keep up with some of the fastest Buckeye Striders.)

Just a couple of minutes after I made it back home, the rain stopped and the sun came out again. 

Here is what I learned today:

1. I am the last person who should pick when to workout outside. Many times I choose the worst weather of the day. (If my friend Deb is out, it is almost guaranteed to be the best weather of the day.)
2. I probably do not walk hard enough when I racewalk. I'm definitely not getting my heart rate up as high as  I do when running. 
3. I really need to practice running more if I'm going to be able to run 3 miles for the Warrior Dash.
4. Though I still do not enjoy running, I don't hate it anymore. Though it is hard, and I don't like the pounding, I really like going faster than when I racewalk. It's nice to finish just a little faster, too.
5. When I run, I can tell that I have regained 3 lbs. -- I can feel my stomach jiggle each time a foot hits the ground. That definitely does NOT happen when I racewalk. Maybe if I run more, I'll be disturbed enough by this I'll eat healthy more consistently again.

Changing my Mind for the Better

Earlier today I was feeling so lethargic, all I wanted to do was to go home, sit in a comfortable chair and eat potato chips. I even have potato chips at home.

But a weird thing happened. While driving in the sunshine, I gained some energy! The more I was in the sun, the more I wanted to be outside. Gradually potato chips were not sounding all that great -- I wanted to go for a walk.

By the time I arrived home and changed my clothes I was excited. My plan was to walk to the library, do one lap around the park and head home. Though this route is only 3.2 miles, because of the traffic lights it usually takes more than 55 minutes. Today I was able to do the 1 mile to the library in just over 16 minutes! I must have hit the lights right for a change.

The park was beautiful and there were tons of people there either playing sports, watching sports, or walking around the park -- just like me!

I was testing a new heart rate monitor and had not read the instructions all the way through so I didn't get the chronograph working quite right. Despite that, I'm pretty sure I did the entire route in just under 50 minutes. It felt great!

And a side benefit -- when I got home, the craving for chips was entirely gone.

No Wonder Runners Don't Smile

Running is hard! I have no clue why anyone would voluntarily run.

I say this as a fairly fit person who racewalked nearly 4.5 miles yesterday at a good pace. I say this as a person who has racewalked two full marathons and about 25 half marathons -- six halves last year.

But I need to be able to run 3 miles in June. My family, friends and I have entered a race called the Warrior Dash. Because of the nature of this obstacle course race, I feel I should run it as opposed to racewalking it. (Seriously, I think racewalking to a climbing wall would look a little bit silly -- and I'm used to looking silly.) We have 8 weeks to get ready.

So, when I got up this morning, I put on my cushiest running shoes and went out the door. I walked the 2 min it takes to get to the "big block," hit my stopwatch and started jogging. The plan was to go as far as I could, walk for 1 min, then repeat.

When I was huffing and puffing and I thought my heart would burst, I hit my stopwatch and stopped running. -- 2 min and 51 sec. That was it? I ran for only 2 min and 51 sec? If I had been running as fast as my son, that would have been half a mile. Unfortunately, it wasn't even half a block!

After a minute of walking I wasn't ready to start up again, so I walked another minute. This time I ran for only 1:14 before I had to stop. Slap of reality here -- I had been overly ambitious. I was not going to be running for several minutes and resting for only one. I was going to have to start from scratch just like any other non-runner and run for 1 min and walk for more. (I think this officially makes me a Galloweenie*!)

I continued with something close to running 1 min, walking 2 min until I had gone around the block twice. I ran/jogged for a total of only 8 min and walked for 18 min.

What I like about running is that I cover more ground. Even jogging at this slow pace, I'm faster than when I racewalk outside. (On a treadmill, I was able to racewalk as fast as this jog.) Maybe I can eventually walk faster than I can jog. That would be great!

What I don't like about running is the pounding. I feel like a several ton elephant every time my foot hits the ground -- huge, heavy and not very graceful. Does that ever go away?
_____________________

*Galloway is a running guru who trains people to run/walk long-distance events. When you are near them during a marathon or half marathon they are extremely annoying! It never fails, a group of them will jog past you then suddenly stop running inches in front of you and walk very slowly. At that point you are moving must faster than they are, and you either run into them or have to go around. After a minute or so, they pass you again, get slightly ahead of you and stop -- again! This leap frogging will continue until someone gets far enough ahead of the other to stop it.

Dave McGovern calls them Galloweenies.

Get Faster by Walking with Fast People

Dave McGovern says something similar to: in order to walk faster, practice walking faster. A corollary to that is: walk with people who are faster than you are. I did exactly that today.

Catherine is one of the faster members of the Buckeye Striders. What makes me laugh is: 1) She doesn't realize how fast she is, 2) Her stride is so smooth and her attitude so casual, it seems effortless. I walked with Catherine today.

We started out at a faster pace than what I usually do. I didn't get to warm up and was feeling slightly stiff. Still, I let Catherine set the pace and I kept up with her. After about 5 min I made a comment about how I couldn't go any faster and if she wanted to go ahead, that was fine. She laughed and said she didn't normally start that fast and was thinking that my pace had really improved.

Though we decided to slow slightly, it didn't work. I'm sure she didn't realize that she immediately picked up the pace. I continued to keep up with her and though I was working hard, we were able to hold to conversation. (On long slow days, I don't like to go so fast, I can't have a conversation.)

When we walk on the Olentangy Trail, we start near the Park of Roses, walk straight out for 30 min, then turn around. Because of where we start, we weren't near a mile marker and walked for 11 min before we reached one. Now here is the exciting news to me -- we walked that measurable mile in 13:52! After we turned around, we walked that same measurable mile in 13:29! According to the Cool Running Pace Calculator, if we averaged 13:52 per mile, we walked 4:397 miles. (If I were editing a textbook, I'd round that up to 4.4 miles.)

Though I try to walk fast when alone, I think this shows how I can work harder and faster when I'm with someone who pushes me. (Or did she "pull" me.)

Thanks, Catherine!
___________

The weather was good! Temps in the mid-50s and partly cloudy.

The Slug is Gone!

It might have been the lack of rain today. It might have been the fact I could see the sun! It might also be that I have not exercised much recently, and my body knows it needs it.

Whatever the reason, I am thrilled to say I did three laps (about 1.2 miles each) at Antrim Park today!

The first two laps I was racewalking -- the last lap I did the dreaded run/walk. (I hate being behind people in a race who do the run/walk.) My first lap was in 17:28 for a pace of 14:33. Considering how long it has been since I have walked hard, I can't believe I was that fast. The second lap was in 17:10 for a 14:18 pace. Wow!

Believe it or not, my run/walk lap was 2 min faster! I'll explain about that later.

So, after doing 3.6 miles in 50 min, my legs were throbbing and I felt great! And the side benefit of healthy exercise in sunshine, I was craving a giant healthy salad. I did not have salad ingredients at home, but at least I was again craving healthy foods. That is half the battle afterall.

So I can safely say, the slug is gone! Woo hoo!
__________

Some friends and family members have signed up to run a 3-mile Warrior Dash in June. (Warrior Dash is an obstacle course race.) I'm starting to train to be able to run 3 miles by then. So today, I ran until I needed to stop, walked until I recovered, then ran some more. I'm pretty sure I ran 75% of the 1.2 mile loop. I can't wait until I can run a mile nonstop. And just to clarify, no I am not giving up racewalking.

Walkable San Francisco

Lombard Street.

From my experience last week, San Francisco is a very walkable city. Even if you are not interested in walking the entire city, the availability of trolleys, buses, BART and even tuk tuks give affordable transportation to interesting walkable sections.

I feel as if I walked a major portion of the city and I didn't walk half as much as my friend Deb did! But because of Deb's adventurousness and planning, I got to see major highlights by foot and trolley.

By taking a trolley up Embarcadero to a major cross street, we walked to Lombard Street -- the crookedest street in America. Though mentioned in a previous post, let me just say walking up Lombard is somewhat challenging and we wondered how the residents of this block deal with it (let alone how they deal with all of the tourists). I imagine their legs are very strong.

From Lombard Street, we walked through some very interesting neighborhoods, went to an open house (it was beautiful), and made our way to Coit Tower. Located on Telegraph Hill, it was built in 1933 at the bequest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit to beautify the city of San Francisco. Because it was built during the depression, it helped employ people, which I think adds to why the tower is cool. The view from the top is worth the $5 fee. We did not see a lot of green space in San Francisco -- very few parks of any size, no real lawns -- but the area around the tower is green and well landscaped. Definitely worth the visit.


From Coit Tower: the city, the bay and Alcatraz.



China Gate in the pouring rain.

On one evening, Deb and I walked to Chinatown. I had never been to a Chinatown before and was surprised at how quickly you feel as if you have stepped into a foreign country. Deb said the best time to visit was in the morning when the produce vendors are in the streets, but because of meetings and weather, I didn't get to do that. At night the street is lit up and pretty, but many of the shops are closed. The China Gate is great.

Though there is not much green space in the city, there are a few small parks. Each time we encountered one, we were surprised. Later I discovered we had a map that included walking routes which highlight each of these parks. I had planned to visit several, but on my one day off it was pouring rain and I just couldn't do it.

I wish I remembered
which park this was in.

We did a lot of walking around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, both big tourist areas. There were plenty of street performers here (and in other parts of the city) and it almost felt as if our visit had a soundtrack! The crowds were big and the people-watching was fun. I like the human statues, though they also creep me out a little. We visited a museum of old pinball-type games (I can't remember the name) which was also near the submarine Pampanito, built entirely by women -- Rosie the Riveters. There is an Aquarium we didn't visit, but we did see the famous sea lions near the pier.

Warhol self portrait.

Though not intense walking inside, when the weather was really bad we separately visited the Museum of Modern Art and the Ferry Building. I spent about 3 hours in the museum and nearly dried out before heading back outside. There are four other interesting museums I didn't visit. The Ferry Building was on Embarcadero near our hotel, so was easy to get to. There is a farmers markets there on weekends and the shops inside were nice. Lots of organic restaurants, coffee shops and cooking shops. Later in the week I walked along the water from the Ferry Building toward the double decker bridge. It is very pretty this way with fewer tourists and several nice pieces of public art.

There are plenty of other activities we didn't try, such as renting bikes to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and a tour of Alcatraz. (I'm not sure how much walking is involved in visiting Alcatraz.) There are also plenty of nice stores within walking distance of each other if shopping is an interest. (Deb and I are not big shoppers.)

The double decker bridge.

Disclaimer: San Francisco is extremely hilly. There were plenty of times that we adjusted our walking route to avoid streets because of the hills. At other times, such as on our way to Coit Tower, there was no choice -- we had to climb some pretty steep streets. We just took our time, stopped when we needed to and tried to distract ourselves with sights we couldn't find in Ohio. Though it worked for us, I have to admit that at the end of the day, my legs could tell we walked a lot of hills. I should also point out that Deb and I walk a lot -- though if you are reading this blog about walking, you probably already know that. One final point -- there seem to be a lot of homeless people who can be aggressive with their panhandling. Once it started getting dark we felt much more comfortable riding trolleys.

That being said, I was very pleasantly surprised at how walkable the city was! For the most part we were comfortable walking just about anywhere we wanted to go during the day. And when we did get tired, or the rain was too intense, we hopped on a trolley. I hope I can go back someday when I have more free time and the weather is more cooperative.





At Starbucks Too Long

I think I have officially been at Starbucks WAY TOO LONG! My chai tea latte is ice cold. Not one person here now was here when I arrived. The staff rolled the city trash bins through the restaurant and out the front door to the street. People are starting to look at me weird. My iPod and laptop batteries are starting to die. (I moved twice already and still am not near a power source, and felt weird moving again.) I know that about 75% of the people who come here pull the door handle even though it says "push". Yes, I need to leave. But first a little bit of San Fran.

One of my original intentions coming here was to post photos from walking the city over the past couple of days. I don't have enough time to do that now, but I want to share this photo of Deb and me at the top of Lombard Street. Lombard is the crookedest street in America and the incline is pretty steep. We had to rest several times on our way up. 

At the top of Lombard Street in San Francisco.



What I want to point out in this photo is the tower on top of the hill way in the background. That is Coit Tower. (I know, I never heard of it before either. History lesson on a different date.) It looks pretty far away, right? Well, we walked from Lombard all the way to that tower. Not a direct route, either. From there we walked back to the main street of Embarcadero where we caught a trolley to our hotel.

By the way, all of that walking happened AFTER we finished the 12K race earlier that morning.

Now back to my hotel to have dinner.







12K Across the Golden Gate Bridge was Fun

Walking toward the Golden Gate Bridge about a mile into the race. The hill from down here up to the bridge was grueling!

Though it was cloudy when we left the hotel for the Emerald Across the Bay 12K Race Sunday, we were pleasantly surprised it wasn't raining. (It poured the night before, we got soaked and had been pretty cold when out sightseeing.)

We took a trolley to Aquatic Park to catch a shuttle to Sausalito where the race started. The race would return us to the same place where we caught the shuttles. We arrived earlier than needed because we aren't used to relying on shuttles. Luckily, there were lots of busses, and though the volunteers made sure the participants in the first wave got on first, it didn't take long for us to board and head across the bay. (A few participants who had done the race before said the crowds were much smaller this year.)

The drive to the start was beautiful.

The bus dropped us off, and as we approached the start, there were several groups of port-a-johns and a table with water. We could only progress so far toward the starting line until there was a “wave checkpoint.” Only those participants in the first wave, wearing yellow race bibs, were able to pass. After that wave started the race, then those in the second wave were able to pass. After the second wave started the race, we were able to head to the starting line. It was so well organized and made for a lot less congestion throughout the entire event.

While we were standing around, the sun came out, and I warmed up pretty well, especially since I was wearing a black trash bag.

At the start, local doctors led us in warm ups and stretches! It was fun! Some of the announcements were different. The heavy rains the night before washed out gravel in a few places, and there were branches down, so be careful.

The first half mile or so was downhill with wet roads and lots of huge nuts all over meaning we had to be careful where we stepped. Shortly after the start, the rain began. I can't remember whether it was sprinkles or what, but it was raining at at one point early on, a huge gust of wind blew Deb's hat right off her head!

The biggest hill of the race led up to the Golden Gate Bridge and started less than a mile into the race. The hill was so steep I needed to rest on the way up! This was about the time the rain started again.

We finally made it to the top and were able to get onto the bridge. Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge was very cool! We could see sunshine off in the distance and knew eventually the rain would stop. At the beginning of the bridge it was chilly – the wind gusts and blowing rain were horrible!!! It seemed as if we were on the bridge forever and since it is 1.7 miles long, well it was a good chunk of the race. Near the middle the rain eventually stopped and we could see sun off in the distance. (We were hopeful!) We did notice there were several suicide hotline phones on the bridge and luckily, neither of us felt the desire to jump or the need to use the phone.

After we left the bridge, we went below it to go past Fort Point, past a nature preserve and along the ocean (Crissy Field) and the Presidio. It was very pretty. As we progressed there were tons of walking paths along the shore and beautiful homes across the street from the water. If I lived here, I think I would walk along the water here all of the time.

At some point along this side of the bay there are photographers who take pictures with the bridge behind you. As we turned the corner, we were looking stupid and missed the photographers. So, we asked for a “do over,” and went back, came around the corner and smiled and tried to look like we were racewalking! The photographers were great and took a ton of shots of us!

From there it was a straight shot to Aquatic Park and the after-race party! At the finish line we were just directed to the party. As we approached, there were tables with finisher shirts and there were plenty of sizes left. The long-sleeved cotton shirts are cute, and I decided to take a small. (I'll try to remember not to put it in the dryer.) We received a bottle of water, then walked around the soggy park and received bags of Emerald nuts, Kettle chips (baked), and a few other samples. There was music playing and I heard there was beer available, though I didn't see any. There were not many people hanging around but I think when the weather is nice, people probably stay longer.

At the after race party. The sky
is VERY gray, getting ready to rain.

We had our picture taken near the ocean, got a picture or two of Alcatraz which we could see well from the shore, then it started raining. Actually, it started pouring!

We rushed off as fast as we could to catch a trolley and went back to the hotel.

According to my watch, our finish time was 1:55+. Considering more than two miles we were slower than 16 minutes per mile, I'm not really surprised. Actually I was more surprised that we walked two miles under 15 minutes! Our fastest was 14:10! Since it is still technically winter in Ohio, we had not done any hill training and it has been a little while since I've done any speed.

This is probably one of the best organized races I have ever completed! The waves were done well, they moved a lot of people very efficiently on the shuttles, there were plenty of port-a-johns at the beginning. We were told that there we not as many people as typical for this race, which could add to the fact they handled the crowds well. When we finished there were plenty of shirts in a variety of sizes, too – I have to wonder if that would be the case if there were more people.

Despite the rain, it was a good race and I would recommend it for anyone wanting a chance to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Good Message at the Right Time

Sometimes when I walk alone, I get discouraged. When I'm out and I'm not able to walk as hard as I want, or I feel more tired than expected.

Yesterday, was one of those days. Luckily I had walked straight out more than 3 miles so there was no way I could cut my walk short. (Sometimes you do have to trick yourself to get in all of your miles.) On the return trip, I was getting tired and was feeling a little down. I wished I had someone with me to distract me more than Christopher Moore could. (I was listening to his book "Fool.")

At my lowest point, I was walking under I-270 when I noticed a message penned on the wall of the underpass. I read it, walked past, then turned around and took a picture. 

The author was absolutely right! And the truth is, it was exactly what I needed! I immediately picked up my pace and walked stronger, thinking about how that workout was going to impact the race in San Francisco next week.

In addition, I thought about this for quite a while after I passed those words. And it wasn't just about that day's walk -- this relates to my whole life. Yes, I do control my own fate -- and what am I going to do about it.

So, I will take this tagger's words to heart and with any luck I will think about them often.

Being in the Wrong Place



One of the bridges crossing Alum Creek.

It was about 7:29 this morning when I realized I was in the wrong place. I was at Alum Creek Park Trail in Westerville and my friends were all somewhere else -- waiting for me. None of them ever has their cell phones on, so I couldn't reach anyone to let them know I was in the wrong place. (We do joke about this. I even tried calling. No one answered.)

For a moment, I thought about heading home or going to a park closer to home. Then I decided I was already at the start of a beautiful walking trail, why not go ahead and walk.

This is not the type of trail I would normally walk alone. It has a lot of secluded sections and often there are not many people on it. Not an ideal place for a woman walking alone -- even if it is a Saturday morning. I didn't have any underlying feelings of fear, so I went ahead. The temps were in the high 20s when I started, so I wore gloves, but limited myself to just one long-sleeved shirt under my wind-resistant jacket. I was chilly, but I knew I would be OK.

This trail is beautiful. It follows Alum Creek with bridges crossing over it in several locations. There are tons of trees, a pond with geese, and other than crossing under Schrock Rd. and 270, you feel as if you are somewhere farther outside of the city on much of the trail. And if you pay attention, you'll notice extras such as the plaques on some of the trees identifying the type, artwork posted on utility poles, some small flower beds or benches made from huge pieces of rock (granite?).



Look for the art.

My plan was to head out for 45 min. then turn around to guarantee I walked at least 6 miles. Because my pace has been getting progressively faster, I had no doubt I would walk faster than a 15-minute mile.

Mentally, I had trouble today. I kept checking my watch to see how long I had been out. That makes for a rough walk. I picked up the pace and tried to keep my heart rate higher -- near 150 -- for most of the walk. That was pretty easy on the way out. Heading back I got slower and my heart rate was closer to about 144 for most of the way. Still, I felt I had a good balance of working hard, yet maintaining endurance to finish.

Though I felt bad about missing my friends, for the most part I enjoyed my walk alone. The course was beautiful and as the sun rose and the temperatures got a little warmer, my mood really lifted. (I live in Ohio and we have a lot of gray days this time of year. A sunny morning is a real treat!) 

On the way home, that 70's Dr. John song ran through my mind:

I been in the right place

But it must have been the wrong time

I'd of said the right thing

But I must have used the wrong line...

__________

Note to my Buckeye Strider friends: This error was entirely my fault! And I really do think it is funny that none of you turn on your phones.

How Much Seaweed?

Trader Joe's roasted seaweed.

I admit it, I'm becoming a little obsessed about seaweed. I bought several different kinds and I keep trying to find more information about how to use it to effectively to reduce fat absorption.

Last night, it finally dawned on me how obsessed I had become. While out I spent a lot of time talking about it to our friends who came out simply to enjoy an adult beverage. (I'm pretty sure they did not want to hear about seaweed.)

Despite this obsession, I still could not find out how much seaweed it is necessary to consume to make a difference. Though the package of roasted nori I found said a serving is half a package -- about 5 grams -- I wasn't sure what that meant for fat absorption or even when to eat the seaweed for the best results. Even then, how would I know for sure it was even working?

So today, after reading the exact same information from Newcastle University on several different websites, I was frustrated. I know the seaweed will absorb up to 75% of the fat consumed and has been determined to be as effective as the drug Alli -- but how much to eat and when? (You all know that I would never take a weight loss drug like Alli -- for so many reasons, but the final is the horrible side effects.)

Finally, I found something close to what I was looking for -- according to an Active.com article, eating only 1.5 grams will make an impact. Still, I'm not sure how much of an impact. How much fat will it absorb? And better yet, how will I know if it is working?

Because Trader Joe's roasted nori sheets are so light, 5 grams is a lot of seaweed! I'm not confident I can eat that much at a time. In fact, because I'm not really fond of the fish flavor (though I am getting a little used to it), I found if I stuff several pieces in my mouth at one time, it's a lot less difficult than eating several individual sheets.

So, though I don't have definite answers to all of my questions yet, I think I will continue eating a little nori before some of my bigger meals. From everything I've read, it won't hurt me, and if the professed benefits are true, then all the better!
_______________________

BTW: I am working hard to eat healthier. I've been increasing the number of fruits and vegetables I eat and reducing the amount of red meat and unhealthy fats. I'm hoping adding a little seaweed will help me achieve my health and fitness (and weight loss) goals just a little bit quicker.

Walking in Sunshine, Oh Yeah

It was beautiful in Ohio today! The sun was bright and the temps were in the mid-40s with almost no breeze. I couldn't wait to get home to walk.

My original plan was to head to Antrim Park and do 4 laps around the lake. I was a little worried that by the time I drove there I wouldn't have time to walk as far as I wanted since it starts to get dark a little after 6. I don't feel safe near Antrim in the dark.

At the last minute I decided to walk to the library instead. That way I wouldn't be wasting time driving to a starting location and if it started to get dark on my way home, I would feel fairly safe on the busy street that leads to my neighborhood.

Temps were in the mid-40s when I left the house. I was chilly and my hands were cold, but I refused to go back home to add layers or gloves. I wanted to work hard enough I would get overheated.

On the way to the library, I decided to do two laps of the park for a total of 4.4 miles walked. Halfway through the first lap, I decided the sun was setting too fast and I would do just one lap. Being the decisive person I am, I changed my mind again -- as I finished that lap I decided to do the second one.

As the sun got lower, so did the temperatures. My hands were pretty cold even though my core was warm and I was sweating under the jacket.

I picked up the pace and my heart rate was well over 150. Though it was a much harder effort than I have been walking lately, it didn't feel like I was working too hard. It felt very comfortable.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long at any of the traffic lights, so I felt I was able to keep a good pace.

So, I walked the 4.4 miles in 1:05, 2 minutes faster than I walked the same route Sunday! Even with stopping a little for lights, my average pace was 14:46. My fastest loop was at a 13:24 minute mile! Not bad at all.

Though I am glad I was walking at a pretty good pace, and my IT bands felt great, the highlight of the day was walking in the sun. It has been so gray in Ohio, I really needed it! Because I was out, I will be much better able to deal with whatever grayness the day has to offer tomorrow.
______________________

Mile 1 - 17:01 (Traffic lights.)
Mile 2.2 - 16:11 (13:29 per mile pace.)
Mile 3.2 - 16:05 (13:24 per mile pace.)
Mile 4 - 16:22 (Traffic lights.)

Picking up Distance

Because I'm entered in the Emerald Across the Bay 12K March 20, I need to pick up my training distance a little. 12K is only 7.46 miles -- I know I could walk that distance tomorrow, but I haven't in a while.

I wasn't able to walk with the Buckeye Striders on Saturday, so I did a 4-mile route on my own Sunday. Not in the mood to drive anywhere, I left from our house, walked to the library 1-mile, did two 1.2-mile loops at the park, then walked home. It was relatively warm, though gray, and it felt good to be out.

The thing I don't like about walking this route is the traffic and traffic lights on the main street between my house and the library. Sometimes the cars can be loud, which is annoying, and if I hit the lights wrong, I end up standing at intersections longer than I would like. For example, heading to the library took over 17 min., but it took only 16 min. to return.

My goal was to make this a true long slow distance day. I didn't walk very hard, keeping my heart rate below 140. The main purpose was just to finish the distance.

So, that said, I walked 4.4 miles in 1:07, which would have been a 15:13 pace if I didn't have to wait at traffic lights. I'm happy with that. Speed workouts in the near future.

Eat Seaweed for Weightloss?

On RealAge.com, http://www.realage.com/tips/roasted-seaweed-snacks-fat-blockers?eid=1098930009&memberid=12259079 there is an article about eating seaweed helping to block the absorption of fat. Now I won't take fad drugs or weight loss drugs that claim the same thing, but eating seaweed to block fat -- that doesn't sound like a bad thing.

So, excited about this idea, I went to the Asian market down the street to find toasted nori. There were two problems with this plan: 1) I don't read Japanese or Chinese and most of the products in the store had very little English on them. 2) I have no idea what toasted nori looks like or where it would be.

I walked around the store for a while -- totally conspicuous as the only non-Asian person there. I looked in the snack aisle (I think it was the snack aisle), I looked at cookies, crackers and other treats, then I saw tons of different types of noodles, there were lots of packages of green stuff that could have been seaweed, but the only nori I found was a jar of shreded seaweed that might be for cooking. I bought it.

After getting it home I popped a big handful of shreds into my mouth. The texture wasn't bad, but the taste -- fishy! I don't think this is the "snack" I was looking for.

I'm not giving up. I'll try again and next time I will ask. In the meantime, I might try putting the seaweed I have into a soup -- a fish-based soup.

Taking it Easy

Because I have been stiff and my IT bands have been sore, I decided to take it a little easy Saturday morning when walking with the Buckeye Striders. I was happy there were a couple people I haven't seen in a while and decided I would walk at Barbara's pace. We had a great time catching up and walking at a comfortable pace.

The funny thing was, at 32 degrees, it felt cold! We've had a pretty hard winter and temps have been much lower than average. Then this past week, the temps got up in the 50s and the snow melted. Now after being used to frigid temps, 32 feels cold.

Regardless, the easy pace did a great job of helping to relax my sore muscles. And later I was even able to get my husband to use The Stick on my IT bands.

It was a good walk both mentally and physically!

The Stick is my Friend!

My legs are stiff! A few Nike Club Workouts, a couple intense walking sessions, ineffective stretching ... My legs are tight and stiff.

So after today's walk around Antrim Lake in the sun, I was sitting around feeling stiff thinking about how I need a massage, when it ocurred to me -- I have The Stick!

I have a love/hate relationship with The Stick. First, if used correctly, it is great for relieving the pain and stiffness in muscles. Second, in order to get that kind of relief, you have to really dig in with it, and that really, really HURTS! Is the cure worse than the ailment? I don't know.

The problem is, I can't apply enough pressure to get that total relief. When it starts to hurt, I stop. I can't help it -- I'm a wimp. What I really need is to get someone who doesn't mind causing me pain to roll out my legs. Before all of you come running to volunteer, I was thinking I would ask my husband.

But it's a Good Sore

My entire body is sore -- my legs and hips, shoulders, abs and even my biceps. This is from a combination of Nike Training Club workouts and yesterday's racewalk workout. Whew!

To loosen up my legs, and maybe release some of the stiffness, I decided to take a casual walk outside in the sun. The temps were in the high 40s, the sun was shining and the day was beautiful!

There was one problem -- as I walked, the muscles in my legs and hips didn't loosen up. More than an hour later, I still did not felt any better.

Sounds like it is a good day to take off from exercise and it might be time for a little ibuprofen and stretching.

Getting Faster

I did another indoor track workout Saturday and it was great!

Because it has been extra cold this winter, I have not been outside as much as usual. This time of year I tend to not focus on speed, but just work on getting outside even if it is just in a heavy winter coat and boots. That is why access to an indoor track is so nice! Not burdened with winter wear, we can work on speed. And Deb and I both want to be faster.

We walked in the middle of the track. I have to admit -- I HATE being in the first two lanes. You have to go around so many more times to do the same distance. I would rather be in the outside lane (not practical with all of the people there hanging out on the edge), but the middle seems to be a good compromise. As we did last week, Deb was one lane closer to the middle and I tried to pick up the pace on the curves to keep up with her as she maintained a steady pace.

We started out a little faster than I should have. Still a little stiff and sore from the Nike Training Club workouts I did this week, I probably needed to warm up more. We picked up the pace and both of us were breathing hard while we walked. I kept up with Deb for the most part. There were only a few times when she got ahead of me on the curves and I had to work harder to catch up. It was great!

The only thing I didn't do is one lap as fast as possible. I typically like to finish with a fast lap to train myself to finish a race strong. It definitely helps -- I usually get a second wind near the end of a race and can go faster at the finish.

So, I think Larry would be proud of us! Two weeks in a row Deb and I have been working hard. We have faster leg turnover and I think we are faster too. (Yes, Larry, I am pumping my arms!)

I really hope I can keep up this faster pace for a long distance. I'm looking forward to breaking a 3-hour half marathon this year!
__________

I wore the Chinese racewalking shoes. They are great because they are so light and flexible. This weekend my right ankle started to feel wobbly in them. I think ankle strengthening exercises are in order.

I wore my heart rate monitor yesterday. It indicated my peak HR was only 141. Hmmmm. It sure felt as if I was working harder than that. We used the 140 benchmark as our "pace" for a couple of half marathons last year. I felt as if we were walking much harder than we did in those races.

Track Workout Saturday

You know the weather is bad when you are looking forward to walking on an indoor track. Yep, it is winter in Ohio and the track at Capital University sounded wonderful for the Buckeye Striders' weekly walk yesterday!

My plan was to work on speed and form since it is so much easier for me to do that inside. Deb walked in Lane 2 or 3, Cheryl tended to be in Lane 3 or 4, and I was mostly in Lane 5. When we reached the curve of the track, I picked up my pace to try to keep up with Deb. It was challenging, especially when she and Cheryl started picking up the pace on the curves so I had to work a little bit harder. (Funny!) Despite the teasing, I was able to keep up -- most of the time.

I did feel faster and when I did my last half-loop sprint, I felt my form held up pretty well, too! I'm pretty excited because it felt good and Deb said she thought I was faster. (Thanks, Deb!)

In addition to the positive vibes and positive feedback, I can tell I had a good workout -- I'm stiff today. I'm stiff enough that I am limiting the number of times I make myself go upstairs for anything! (Ouch!)

So, though I'm looking forward to some sunny days and outside workouts, I'm really enjoying the occasional trip to the indoor track.

The Sea Monster is Gone!

Today there was a little sunshine, so I decided it is time for me to get back outside to walk. Because it was only 20 degrees out, I bundled up in my heavy winter coat, some winter shoes and went out into the neighborhood in blue jeans.

I'm one of those people who walk the same route quite a bit. When I plan to be out for just a quick walk, like today, I usually head north and then do a quick loop around the "big block." When I do just one loop, I usually go a little bit farther down one block and loop back. It doesn't add much distance, but I like to go by the house with the great lawn decoration -- a giant sea monster. What I love about the sea monster is that it is in several pieces, and when put in the grass correctly, it looks as if it is swimming through the yard with parts of the body breaking the surface as it swims. I have wanted to get pictures of this guy for several months, but keep thinking I'll do it next time.

Well today, I was looking forward to seeing the sea monster gliding through the snow. I walked down the north side of the street, crossed over to where the sea monster lives, looked up and he was gone! The monster has been in that yard for so long, I can't remember him not being there. I could see the patches of green grass where the pieces used to sit with footprints leading toward the house. Darn! I never got a photo of it!

So I was somewhat depressed as I walked through the rest of the neighborhood, dodging ice patches and trying to avoid cars (because many of the sidewalks were horrible).

The good news is, I have broken the chain of dark grey cold days preventing me from going outside. It is time for me to get acclimated again, and this is the start.

Still, I'm going to really miss that sea monster!

The Rule Is ...

Even though today was colder than yesterday (low 20s) I was so worried about being overdressed, I made a concerted effort not to be. So with one long-sleeved technical shirt under my windproof jacket and a single weight pair of yoga pants, I head outside into the crisp, sunny morning.

The rule is -- you should feel a little bit cold when you start out or you are overdressed. (I have tried this rule on a number of occasions, and I am frequently wrong.) I was a little bit cold when I left the house today. I made it to the end of the block and realized I was not going to warm up enough, so I went back home, added a short-sleeved shirt over my technical shirt, and went back out. Perfect! Though my face was cold, I was determined not to use a gaiter today.

The streets were pretty clear and dry, so I did not have to worry much about ice and snow. Still, it was a little bit difficult moving my legs as fast as I wanted to. They just would not go faster. In addition, my heart rate would not go above 144 -- probably because I could not move my legs faster.

I adjusted my route so that three loops around the big block was a little bit farther than yesterday's workout and I ended up being out for 51 min.

Here are things I learned today: I did not need the gaiter, though I would have liked it for the first 30 mins. Two shirts under the jacket was enough when one shirt was heavier than a standard technical shirt. I needed  to wear either my thermal pants instead or a pair of leggings under the yoga pants. I am pretty sure one of the reasons I could not move my legs faster is because my legs were just a little bit too cold. The shoes I wore today were a little bit stiffer than the Chinese racewalking shoes and I think that might be the other reason I couldn't move faster -- I was not very efficient rolling my feet.

It's not a good idea to work on speed every single day anyway, so the fact I couldn't go faster is not really a concern. I probably should have stayed out a little bit longer so I could say my long day was actually somewhat long. (51 min is not very long.)

Despite the few minor negatives, overall it was just a really good morning to be out in the sunshine walking!

Walking Outside in the Winter

Today I decided to walk outside. I haven't done that much since Christmas and I really missed it. Because I have not been outside much, I wasn't as experienced planning what to wear as I used to be.

I went down the street and around the big block. My main focus was to have good form and practice pushing off with my toes since I haven't figured out how to do that on a treadmill. I don't know why, but I have difficulty maintaining that smooth (not bouncing) feeling outside. As long as I was focusing on it, I was fine. As soon as I started thinking about something else I noticed bouncing and not feeling smooth.

After one loop around the big block, I was way too hot and starting to sweat. I opened the vents of my jacket and ended up unzipping the neck beneath my gaiter. Hmmm. Maybe I didn't need the gaiter. (I hate having a cold neck!)

After my planned three loops I went home to find my husband had taken the truck to buy a newspaper (my fault it wasn't delivered -- long story) and my stainless steel water bottle that had been sitting on the back bumper was somewhere in the street between our house and the gas station. Thank goodness I found it in the street about half a block away. It has a new dent and lots more scratches, but is otherwise unharmed.

So, I'm not sure how cold it was, but I definitely was overdressed today. I probably just need to walk outside a little more often to get re-acclimated.
________

I walked for 37 min. My max heart rate was 173 and I averaged about 155. I'm beginning to think that my race heart rate should be higher than 140 -- the milestone I used last year to PR during the Air Force half marathon.

Thoughts on Gyms

Though I am enjoying the one-month gym membership my sister gave me as a gift, I'm not sure it is really me.

First, being outside year-round helps my mental attitude. Sun in the winter, or a walk in fluffy or crunchy snow are fun! Walking outside helps to keep me from getting depressed.

The nice thing about the gym is it doesn't matter how cold it is, I can still get in some major miles. Plus, I love the fact I can work on form next to a mirror. It is so much easier to feel walking smooth and not bouncing while on a treadmill, though I am having a hard time pushing off with my toes.

It is really difficult to do major miles on a treadmill. Even though I did only 35 min today, and I even did intervals to break up the monotony, it was still hard to finish. I just get bored too easily.

I really like the weight-lifting equipment. At the same time, we have a bunch of free weights at home and I can probably work up a good routine there.

So, I can see the benefit of gym membership, and I am enjoying it. I just don't think it is something I would be able to keep up because of boredom.
____________

Today I walked for about 40 min total -- 5  min as warmup before weightlifting, then 35 min after. I used the first 5 min as warmup, then alternated a 1-min sprint at a 12-min-mile pace with 3 min at a 15-min-mile. I ended up walking 2.33 miles. My peak heart rate was 173, average heart rate was 133. The treadmill said I burned about 200 calories.

Did I Keep my 2010 Resolutions?

Though my resolutions did not make it to this blog, I'm going to use this venue to let you know how successful I was:

• Lose that pesky 10 lbs I’ve been fighting for a while.
  Yes I did! I actually lost 12 lbs, though I'm working on losing the 2 I gained back over the holidays. I was told by losing that small amount of weight, I had a good chance at being faster. I am getting faster, so maybe there is something to it.

• Purge clothes I don’t wear and get rid of stuff I don’t need. Buy clothes that fit.  Did this one, too, though there are a few more things in my drawers I could probably still throw away. The biggest thing was getting rid of the stuff that was too big so I won't be tempted to gain the weight back again. It was also key to buy clothes that fit. I had been walking around too long with safety pins holding my pants up. Had a good shopping spree at the end of the year!

• Have my hair professionally colored all year long to avoid the orange brassy color I am known for. Do it more often to avoid the skunk look.  Yes! I had only one month where I went too long.

• Stop procrastinating – like waiting until January 3 to write a list of resolutions.
  I'm still working on this, but I am getting better (though I have not written this year's resolutions yet).

• Follow through with all of the physicals and medical checkups I should be doing every year.
  Partially successful. I found a new doctor and went. I have an appointment for a physical early this year. I still have two regular health tests to schedule, but I had to wait until after the first of the year.

• Take out the trash. (I don’t know why, but I can let a trash can overflow for days!)  Again, I'm getting better and no longer require a reward when I do take out the trash.

• Try to spend a few minutes in silence every day.
  Absolutely not! Now that I have a new iPod, not likely to happen.

• Be more patient, less judgmental and say fewer negative things. Be friendlier.
  Though doing better, there is always room for improvement.

• Have more fun. Play with my dogs more often.
  Yes!

• Be more generous with my time and money.
  Yes, but I still need more work when it comes to giving time. Luckily, we have friends who need to recruit volunteers, and we always jump to help them.

• Sleep more. Eat better. Exercise more.
  Did not do so well with sleep, but I am eating better (which is why I lost weight) and I have been exercising regularly.

• Read for fun.
  I read several books!

• Have a good beer once in a while.
  Yep! I still drink cheap beer, but I will splurge on a good one a little more often.

• Plant daffodils.
  It was the last day in December when the soil was still thawed enough, but I finally did it. This spring I will be so happy I did!

• Reduce stress – especially about turning 50.
  Yes, it is getting better. I can even say "I am 50" aloud without cringing!

I'm still working on this year's resolutions. I hope to post them soon!

Now What?

Now that I have both a new 1 mile and 5K PR, I'm not quite sure what to do. Do I rest a few days? Do I immediately work on speed? How slow is slow for a long slow workout?

There are a few things I know:

• I have been training at too slow of a pace for way too long. I've been working on distance and endurance, not speed.
• Speed is not easy.
• I need to find a happy medium between speed and endurance.
• I need to focus more on form, too.

Today, my legs are still a little sore. My 35-min walk was not intended to be for speed, but I did notice today's slow pace was faster than last week's slow pace.

My plan is to go through some old training schedules and make sure I add in weekly speed workouts and train for real this entire year. I'm sure it will be part of my resolution list -- once I write it.

Yesterday's Official PR!

I was finally able to access Athlinks today and it is official -- my 5K PR was yesterday at 41:16! In addition, my 1 mile PR was yesterday, too!

My previous 5K personal record was 42:50, so yesterday I cut 1 min and 34 sec from that finish time. My previous fastest mile was 13:26 (during the News and Sentinel Half Marathon). My current 1 mile PR is now 13:14.

What is more impressive to me about the 1 mile speed is that lately I've been averaging about 14 min per mile and when I sprint it has been about 13:40 to 13:50.

Yes, I'm pretty excited!

UPDATE: According to the race website, my finish time yesterday was 39:37 with an average pace of 12:49. I'm not sure how they got that since according to my watch, my fastest mile was 13:14.

First Race of the Year -- New Year's River Run

NOTE: Photo was added 1-2-11.

Me after the New Year's River Run 5K. 

It was raining with temps in the mid-50s when I arrived at the New Year's Day River Run 5K today. There were several members of the Buckeye Striders at the race: Steve and Sharon, Jack, Catherine, Laura, Cheryl and her husband John.

The race was not chip timed, still I felt funny about moving any closer to the front of the pack. I know starting back will affect my official finish time, but I was not expecting to win any awards.

We were pretty fortunate. While we were waiting for the race to start, the rain became a light drizzle and it had stopped entirely by the time the race started. The course was an out and back on the bike trail along the Olentangy River downtown.

I have been training for speed on a treadmill over the last week and wanted to see how fast I could go. Though I started out with some of my faster friends, they left me in the dust pretty early. (Or should I say, they left me in goose droppings.) I did the first mile in 13:24. There was a runner behind me shuffling her feet in a really annoying way, so I tried to pick up the pace and move away from her. There was a tall woman running ahead of me I was also trying to catch. The second mile was 13:18! Woo hoo! I passed the runner and had my sights on catching Cheryl, who was not too far ahead of me. The last 1.1 miles was in 14:34, which is about a 13:14 mile! By my watch I finished in 41:16! Added 1-2: I believe 13:14 is my fastest mile ever and 41:16 my fastest 5K! (According to our watches, I finished just 1 sec behind Cheryl.)

In the last leg of the race, the tall runner passed me back and I could not catch her again. Though I got much closer to Cheryl, I couldn't catch her either. On the good side, I did pass a couple more runners and I was pushing pretty hard and feeling strong despite a late night last night.

There was pizza at the end of the race and plenty of water (though no water on the course). After standing around for a little bit, we hurried to our cars to avoid the heavy rain that came back.

For only a $20 race fee, I was happy with this race. The cotton T-shirts are nice and sometimes I prefer a nice cotton shirt as opposed to a cheap technical shirt. The course was out and back, which was OK with the number of people in this event, but if it gets much bigger, it would not work on this bike trail. The goose droppings everywhere were annoying, but the race directors cannot control that. Because of the rain, there were a few huge puddles on the course and some muddy spots. Still, rain on January 1 is much better than snow.

Overall, not a bad 5K.
____________

Truth in blogging here: I did stay out way too late last night, drank too much coffee before heading home and ended up not able to sleep once I got to bed. I woke up feeling totally tired and was not expecting to do as well as I did. Imagine if I had slept well! Photos to come!

Walk Outside? Go to Gym?

Though it was sunny and beautiful outside today, I ended up going to the gym rather than walk outside. Since the membership is good for only 30 days, I feel I have to use use it whenever I have the time.

And, because membership is only for a month, I decided to work too many machines today. I know you should work only one set of major muscles at a time and alternate days. Today I worked ALL of them!

I'm a little achy and I'm pretty tired. Tomorrow will be walking only as I get ready for New Year's Eve and the New Year's Day race I'm entered in. I wonder how fast I'll be able to go?

Breaking Speed Records -- Treadmill Sprints

After warming up for 10 min on a treadmill today, I did 1-min long sprints at a 12-min per mile pace followed by 3 mins at a 15-min per mile pace! And I did this about six times. As far as I know, this is the fastest I have ever walked!

Throughout the workout, I tried to maintain proper racewalking form, working very hard to be smooth and avoid bouncing and pounding. When I got distracted, I did tend to lose the "smooth" feeling and thud too much.

My original plan was to do as many sprints as possible, then walk at a reasonable pace for an entire hour. After 30-min, I really thought I would go mad if I kept at it. Still, I decided to do my best to stick it out for 45 min. Even watching TV, listening to a book on my iPod and changing the pace did not help much. Those last few minutes were pretty tough mentally.

After a few minutes of rest, I decided to see what my absolute fastest pace is. I maintained an 11-min mile for about 15 secs and then got down below 11! I was pumping my arms and legs so fast, I'm not sure what the actual pace was, but it was faster than 11! Woo hoo!

So, being that I was on a treadmill where the "ground" was moving and all I had to do was pick up my feet, I'm not sure how that will translate to walking outside. Still, I think having the opportunity to do this type of intense sprint workout in the winter should help my race pace.

I can't wait to find out!

Becoming a Gym Rat?

My sister gave me a one-month membership to her gym for Christmas. Though I belonged to a gym many years ago, I cancelled that membership because I didn't use it -- well, that and the fact it was a crappy gym. I know she really likes this place, so I was excited to give it a try.

Today I met her there so she could show me around and we could work out. Wow, was this place nice!

First it was clean and did not have a weird odor like the previous gym I went to. Second it is huge! There was plenty of everything so there was very little waiting for machines.

We did several machines for shoulders and abs and then went on the treadmills for a while. TONS of treadmills! I started out racewalking at 15-min miles, then got progressively faster. I got down to racewalking a 12-min mile, but for just 5 min. Still, I was excited. That is the fastest I have ever walked! Woo hoo!

Because we are planning to run a warrior race in June, I am going to have to run 3 miles. So I tried running, too. I was able to run for about 5 min., two times. Boy, is running easier on a treadmill than it is outside. Sunday when I ran half a block, I felt as heavy as an elephant and when I hit the ground, I thudded. On the treadmill, I felt much lighter and wasn't thudding at all.

So, the gym is pretty cool and has some great amentities. The equipment is great, in good condition and there are plenty of machines. Racewalking and running on the treadmill was so much easier than outside.

My knees are a little sore from running yesterday and I can tell my shoulders and and abs will be sore tomorrow. Still, other than the knees, it's a good sore. And if I play it right, maybe I'll be able to actually work on speed this winter instead of just hoping to not to lose any ground I've gained throughout the year.

So, in the meantime, ice and ibuprofen are my friends as I work on strengthening my knees.

Gift Ideas for Walkers -- Part II

No bad photography with this half of the list as it continues:

6) Books about Walking, Health and Fitness or Healthy Eating -- There are lots of books about walking, but if the person you are buying for is trying marathon walking or racewalking, you need to check out the books written by Dave McGovern. He is smart and a very good writer. For books on nutrition, try any of Nancy Clark's books. I just purchased her book on sports nutrition for my son (who does not read my blog) and her book on nutrition for marathoners for me. The Dr. Oz books titled "You" are also good. Though not about walking, I loved the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

7) Heart Rate Monitor -- Heart rate monitors are great! They give you a much better idea of the amount of effort you are putting forth. I have PR'd twice this year by basing my race pace on my heart rate. I have a low-end Timex that is very easy to use, but does not store information. It is enough for me. Friends of mine have really high-end models that store results for a month and can download workouts to their computer or special web sites. Those are also great, but are much more expensive.

8) Water Bottle -- I'm not talking about one of those cheap plastic water bottles that cause dangerous chemicals to enter your drinking water. I have a great Nathan brand stainless steel water bottle that I love! It doesn't work in the water bottle carrier I use for distance workouts, but I use it for hiking, when driving around the city, baseball games, or just about any situation other than carrying it in my water bottle carrier.

9) Race Registration -- If you know your walker would love to do a race, pay the registration fee. It's a great way to inspire your walker and give him or her a reason to train all year. FYI -- for anyone planning to buy me a gift, I'd love to enter a race in Hawaii.:-) Can you include airfare, too?

10) SPI Belt -- SPI Belt was the original, but there are other brands of small bags that go around the waist for carrying essentials during a race. What I love is that the belt is elastic, so it can get tight enough that it won't bounce. The bag stretches to carry everything from a cell phone or camera, your keys and a gel or Clif Shot Bloks. The SPI Belt brand also has clips to attach your race number, so you don't have to put safety pin holes in your favorite shirt or jacket. I use mine for training walks in the summer when I don't have pockets and for races.

11) Wind-proof Jacket -- I can walk all year round if I can just stop the wind. I have a great jacket by asics that is both wind-proof and water resistant! With the right amount of layers, it is great for most of the winter. In the spring and fall it helps protect me from the rain and wind. Mine has plenty of vents I can open when needed to prevent overheating. I might be unusual, but I prefer a light jacket I can add layers under to a heavy jacket.

12) New Shoes -- No, you probably cannot go out and buy new shoes for your favorite walker. But, you can purchase a gift card to their favorite running and walking store. And if your favorite walker is not buying his or her shoes from a good running/walking store, now is the time to get them started. It is very important to have a professional fit shoes to your feet based on the type of walking you do. A good pair of walking shoes can range from $80 to over $100.

So, without dropping too many brand names, and without enough photos, I hope these two blog postings will help you to shop (even at the last minute) for your favorite walker!

Gift Ideas for Walkers -- Part I

When WALK! Magazine was still around, every winter I would come up with a gift-giving guide. Back then, I would get ideas from readers and I would get samples to try ... it was really fun trying and selecting items. I don't have the same input I used to have from other sources, so this year's Gift Ideas for Walkers includes either items I've received or would like to receive. Here goes:

1) Wicking sport socks. There are tons of options for wicking socks: double layer, padded, seamless, wool, thick and cushioned, thin and tight, even "toe socks". My favorites are double-layered socks (Wright Socks) because they help prevent blisters, but are not so thick they make my shoes too tight. I also like wool socks, by Smart Wool, when it is cold out. (I can't wear wool socks when it is hot.) The good thing is, even if your walker already wears wicking socks, buying the same brand he or she currently wears is still a good idea. People often forget their socks wear out!

My fleece flap mittens buttoned open.

2) Mittens with a flap. These are perfect for fast walkers who don't want to stuff mittens in their pockets after they warm up. Wear them as regular mittens when you start out, then when your hands are too hot, flip them open. The pair I have is fleece and have a button at the tip of the fingers to keep them open. They were purchased at Target a couple of years back. (I also have a great wool pair from Argentina.) You can find a variety of styles at J Crew, Land's End, K-Mart, and some heavy pairs at LL Bean.
 
3) Neck gaiter. Scarves are a pain in the neck. (I couldn't resist.) They are bulky, get tangled, come untied, the ends get in the way... Because I hate having a cold neck, I LOVE my gaiter! It's fleece and made by Polartec. I bought it a couple years ago, but I forget where. There are lots of style and fabric options for neck gaiters and they can be purchased at outdoor sports stores, running stores and even LL Bean and other websites. Once you have used one, you won't want to do any winter walking without it.

Headlamp attached to brim of hat.

4) Headlamp. In the winter I often do not get the chance to walk outside until after it is dark. I feel a whole lot safer walking at night wearing a headlamp. Lighting up my path is not nearly as important as being seen. When wearing a lamp, I know any cars can see me as qucikly as I can see them. I have a couple different types: one clips to the brim of a baseball-style hat and is a lot brighter than the others; another has an elastic band to go around my head and hold the light to my forehead; the third hooks over an ear. My favorite is the one with the elastic band since I can use it whether I'm wearing a hat or not.

Crash Wear reflective vest.

5) Reflective vest. This goes with the headlamp and helps cars to see you when it is dark. I have two. One is just a generic orange reflective vest. The other, made by Crashwear, is really cute! The body of mine is bright yellow and the reflective patches are in the shape of flowers. They also come in orange, pink or black. If you don't like flowers, they have a more manly version with a circle design. It has Velco-close pockets on the inside (to protect my MP3 player) and outside. Because they were originally designed for scooter riders, they offer some wind and rain protection. The newest designs include a faux fur lining! I don't feel silly wearing it. It doesn't do any good to have protective gear if it isn't worn.

That is all for now. Part II will be posted in a couple of days.

Stomp the Grapes Shirt

I almost forgot to post a photo of the Stomp the Grapes shirt, hat and socks! The shirt is a great purple and the design is pretty. (Hard to tell from the photo I took.) Both the hat and the socks are wicking. It's a shame the shirt doesn't fit.

Walking Before the Snow

This time of year the decision to walk (or not) is more affected by the weather than other times of the year. Snow, ice, freezing temps and strong winds can keep even the most hardy of us inside. That is why we end up glued to the Weather Channel and talk about our walking plans up to the very last minute.

Deb is usually right when it comes to weather. (Well, she is often right about other things, too, but when it comes to weather I take her opinion as gospel.) She assured us that yesterday's snow would not arrive until after we were done walking, and that most likely it would hit south of Columbus.

It was about 27 degrees when we started at 8 a.m. at Sharon Woods park. Lucky for us, there was no wind. We had about 14 members of our club walking -- it was great!

I ended up with the fast group. (I know. Funny, huh?) I told them upfront that if they wanted to go faster it was fine with me. Lucky for me they did not. (I was with Elaine, Nancy, Catherine and our new member Vince.)

The good part about being with the fast group is they pushed me! Our first mile was 13:45. That is often my race pace. Then the two women in front slowed a little and we did 1 mile at about 14 and the last miles were faster.

We did nearly 4 miles in 55 minutes! I'm pretty happy! (The 4-mile mark we use is not really accurate, but I don't have GPS. If it had been 4 miles, that would have been a 13:45 pace for each mile. I know that didn't happen.)

The really good news is, the snow did not even start until we left the restaurant after breakfast. We ended up with just a light dusting though it seemed to fall for several hours. Deb was right again! It waited until after we walked and most of the precipitation was south of us.
 _______

For 27 degrees I wore two long-sleeved shirts, thermal pants, windproof jacket, ear muffs and gloves. Because there was no wind, I ended up being overdressed. Last week wearing this few layers at the same temp, I froze! Either I'm getting used to it or the lack of wind made all of the difference.

Over-dressed

Because I froze Friday when it was 27 degrees, I decided I needed an extra layer of fleece for this morning's walk in 22 degrees. What I had not anticipated was that I was walking in the neighborhood, not at the windy lake.

In my defense, I had planned to just add a fleece vest under my windproof jacket, but I couldn't find it. I ended up adding a fleece long-sleeved jacket, which was way too much!

My plan was to do four laps around the big block at the end of our street or an hour -- whichever came first. After the first lap, I was roasting! I had my jacket mostly unzipped and the vents in the front of the jacket open. During the second lap, the flaps on my gloves were open. In the third lap my fleece jacket was also unzipped. The fourth lap, I just hurried and roasted.

I was a little faster than usual around that block finishing in just 48 minutes -- not bad! And considering how hard I was pushing, I know I went farther than 3 miles.

I have just about burned off all of the extra calories from Thanksgiving and the OSU vs Michigan potluck!

Cold This Morning!

Since I bailed on my plans to walk at Antrim Park Thanksgiving morning, I decided to head out there today and do the 3 miles I had planned.

First, my car door would not open. I ended up climbing in from the passenger side. I felt pretty silly at the gas station climbing over the passenger seat to get out and then get back in my car. While pumping the gas, I realized it was a LOT colder than I thought it was. The wind was blowing and I was freezing!

I ended up going back home and picking up gloves, ear muffs and my gaiter to wear around my neck. (I hate when my neck is cold.) Again I climbed over the passenger seat to get out and get back in the car, then went off to Antrim.

I parked the car with the driver side door in the sun, hoping it would thaw by the time I finished walking. By the time I got to the start of the bike trail, I was frozen. Though it was 27 degrees, it felt colder. I knew if I walked for at least 10 minutes I would start to warm up and be fine. Let me rephrase that -- I THOUGHT if I walked for 10 minutes I would warm up.

The first thing I noticed was there were fewer than 10 people walking and running on the trail. (I thought that was odd.) At the same time there were about 20 fisherman scattered around the lake. Though it was pretty chilly I turned to my right for the first lap.

As is usual in this park and around this lake, in the shade I froze, in the sun I warmed up, and in the areas where there is no tree coverage the wind made me even colder. I thought I would be warmer than I was after the first lap. There was no way I could justify quitting after only one lap! So, despite being uncomfortable I did the second lap. OK, I was still cold and I was uncomfortable enough to justify going home. So, I walked back to my car -- the door had thawed -- and I went home.

What I don't like about this time of year is, when it is cold, it is shockingly cold. There is no real chance to get acclimated -- the temps vary too much. Because of this, I never know how to dress. Today I was obviously under-dressed.

Thanksgiving Walk

My son and I had made plans to head to Antrim Park Thanksgiving morning to get in some miles before we pigged out for the day. My only stipulation was, if it was raining, I wasn't going. I woke up to rain and decided I was off the hook!

My son, being a little more dedicated than I am right now, decided to go for a run anyway. He was gone more than an hour, and when he is just jogging like that, I think he averages about an 8-min mile. Needless to say, he made me feel like a sloth! (And it stopped raining right before he went.)

When he returned I thought, OK, if he can go running, I can go out walking. So I got changed into my walking clothes, walked out the front door, into a like sprinkle. Yuck. At least it wasn't full-blown rain. I went inside to get a hat, then did two laps in the neighborhood. Just as I was a few driveways from home, it started raining for real.

Though it was cold and wet, I'm glad I burned off a few calories before spending the rest of the day eating.

Missing WALK

Recently, I was asked for a writing sample. I don't get to write as often as I used to and my most recent stories have been for WALK! Magazine. WALK! has been "gone" long enough that I don't remember what's in every single issue, so I ended up having to read back issues.

I found myself smiling as I read about The Fatman Walking, Subway's Jared and my coverage of Dr. Sabgir and Walk With a Doc. I remember how much I enjoyed talking with and meeting these interesting people and others I had the opportunity to interview. I also remember how much I enjoyed publishing the magazine and how excited I was when it started to take off.

It also made me feel sad that I couldn't figure out how to make the magazine work financially. If only it had generated money (any money) so that I could quit my full-time job... Working 80 hours a week and not sleeping was catching up with me. Oh, well.

No matter what the future holds for me, I will always be happy I tried to make a go with WALK. I'm glad I took the chance. And though I miss the writing and interviewing, I'm glad I now have time to sleep.