Not Sure Where I’m Going Yet, But I’m on My Way
My Perspective on walking has changed.
I recently posted an article about wanting to do the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I want to do this in about 18 months. I am very active; I run, walk with friends, and take exercise classes. I’m also 72 years old.
Age
That last part is incidental. I’ve always believed the old saying that if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
However, it does mean I have to prep a lot more than I used to. I hate that. If I wanted to do something, I just did it, age be damned. If I want to continue doing all that I want to do, I must continue exercising on a regular basis.
I used to think of walking as a waste as far as exercise was concerned. It was a social thing.
Walking
When I first moved to the complex I live in now, a group of women met at the clubhouse every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30 a.m. They would quickly decide where to walk for a coffee and then head off. We would walk until about 10 or 10:15, have our coffee and chat, and then head back home. We would take the longer route, going for coffee and the shorter one back home. We would be home at 11:15 ish.
I tended to be more active than my neighbours and would do my runs on non-walking days. My walk days were to get to know my new neighbours and enjoy some conversation.
I tended to be more active than my neighbours and would do my runs on non-walking days. My walk days were to get to know my new neighbours and enjoy some conversation.
Now I occasionally walk with my neighbours, but only when my timetable allows. I am either in classes for writing or for specific exercise classes.
This last year, my running has been sporadic at best. No time. Running is where I do my thinking and dreaming. It might be classified as mental health therapy, not physical therapy.
Somethings gotta give
At the end of January, I found something had to give. I was busy all day, every day. I took a little time to think about this. It was at this time that I began to think about walking the Camino. I know — adding one more thing to my schedule.
I spent time reviewing my scheduled exercise classes. Most of them were to meet up with my best friend, and this was exercise plus catchup time.
My friend twisted her knee and had to drop out of the type of classes we were taking at the end of January. Suddenly, I had an excuse to stop the classes.
Around this time, I became more interested in the Camino Walk. While I could walk 20 km in a day, I certainly couldn’t do it daily for a week or so. I needed something to get me started doing some real walking to benefit the Camino I wanted to do.
Lent
Lent came early this year, and while I’m not Catholic, I felt that this might be what I needed to get going. I would commit to walking or running every day during Lent.
My friend is a practicing Catholic. She said she hadn’t seen Lent work in this way. Usually, one gives up something and spends the time reflecting on Christ. But who knows?
Since I think about things in my life while I run, I felt this might be the incentive I needed.
Since February 14th, I have either run or walked each day. I spend 1.5 to 2 hours each day exercising. If I don’t do it in the morning, I have to work to get it in later in the day. Not easy.
Interestingly, running has come back quite easily. My running regime was to run for 10 minutes, then walk for a minute, and repeat this for as long as I wanted to run. Starting back in February, I could only run for 5 minutes, walk a minute, and slowly work back to the ten and one. Lent finished on Holy Thursday (March 28th), and I am back to my ten and one.
I have changed my walking style and am much faster than I used to be. I am usually out for a couple of hours. I no longer do exercise classes. I hate exercising indoors.
I am still working with my friend to get her to walk the Camino with me. We’ll see. In the meantime, I will continue to do my exercises daily. After getting my dose of the outdoors, I feel more energized and ready to tackle the writing I want to get done.
Just starting with a simple program of getting out into the sunshine and walking with a friend can be the beginning of an enjoyable habit that will help both physically and mentally.
I’ve heard that 75% of seniors are deficient in Vitamin D. Think of the extra Vitamin D you’ll get from walking outside. There’s your win-win!
Let me know how you increase your exercise.
