walking fool

Inspired by Ob's 7-mile hike in the mountains and Dip's unending bicycle riding, and an article I read about some folks on the St. James trail across Spain, and the fact that I have no reason to be careful now, decided it was time to push myself to a more challenging distance in walking. Thurs I did 2009 steps. Fri I went further and was psyched until I got home and discovered my stepper had not been on. Bummer. I know it counts, even if it is not counted, but I am so much more enthusiastic when I can measure and increase periodically. Today I went to Rockville RD and back and around all the buildings on this side of the road. I was really dragging my feet on the last block. But it only counted 16oo steps.  Puzzled. My stride was set at 30 inches, so I figure, as I went faster today, my strides were not 30 inches.  Or maybe my strides were longer. This concept is not clear in my mind. Shorter steps would count more steps per mile, right?  Actually, more like 15" because I walk pretty small steps because of balance. So I fumbled around for 1/2 hour and finally figured how to reset stride length. Can't wait till tomorrow's trek. Today was a perfect day. Sixty-three degrees and windy and partial sun.

My goal, at least today, is to branch out, so I can walk far enough to pass something interesting. Maybe a store. Or a café. There are some places across Rockville Rd, but mostly around here is a vast automobile friendly wasteland. Around and around these buildings feel like a mouse on a treadmill some days. I just have to make sure I don't get too wobbly before I can get back home.

Have an appointment to have another chest scan in Sept. I'm interested to see if the aneurysm has grown--or maybe even shrunk? Using the 5lb dumbbells for everything except overhead press now. Hurts shoulder on overhead press. So I continue to use only 3 lbs on those.

This post is just for me to keep track of me. Wandering the roads in confusion and aspiration.