New level unlocked y’all. I almost can't believe it, and I'm both ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. If you've been keeping up with me, you know I've been doing a lot of walking. It became a thing for me last year following my back injury. I have also found it to be mentally relaxing for me. I can tell it has become increasingly challenging for me to do my strength training workouts (even though I know I need to) but some days a walk is all I can muster up. I think perimenopause has a lot to do with these changes, but we'll talk about that later.
The month of May was a big walking month for me. I set out on a journey with a few friends to complete the challenge of walking 10 miles in one day. I didn't know if people would take me up on the challenge, but they did. Once we set our weekend to do it, some walked Saturday, and the others did on Sunday. To be honest, we didn't do any special preparation, we just made-up in our minds to do it, and we did. I'm sure it helped that we were coming off of a couple of 30 day walking challenges, but outside of that we just went for it.
Now, if I had to give any tips for completing such a challenge they would be:
Have a good pair of walking shoes! Please don't try to do this in just any old pair. The shoe makes a difference, and your body will thank you.
Start early: We did our walk in May so the tricky part for us was the weather. It was starting to warm up, and we absolutely did not want to be out there in the heat of the day. It took us about 3 1/2 to finish, so getting started around 7:00 AM allowed us to finish the walk comfortably, and still have the day to ourselves.
Map your route: Going out my concern was the need for a restroom. Since I was uncertain about one being available, I did not drink anything before I started. I made it through, but if you have access to restrooms, use them and please stay hydrated.
Protect yourself: Carry sunscreen for your body, and your lips. Maybe consider a sun visor, and even some protection for safety like a taser. Safety first friends!
Get a walking buddy: I was fortunate to have my sister willingly join me and encourage me to do it. Having someone to talk to was so good, and helped time pass quickly. Now, I know some people will look at you like you're crazy and refuse, but even if that is the case, grab your safety tools, turn on your audiobook, and go for it
Even as I write this, I find it hard to believe I did it, but I'm so proud. By the time the month of May was over I realized I had walked 100 miles! So, the disappointing thing was my app began to malfunction and was down for about three or four days, including the day of my 10-mile walk. At the end of the month, my app reflected 92 miles, but I know I ended up with about 106 miles total. I really wanted to see that number on the screen, but I have to settle for the knowledge of my achievement.
I'm still walking, but as the weather gets hotter, it becomes more challenging to walk outside unless it's in the evening for me. So, we'll see how the summer months go, but I think we’ll prepare for a nice fall walking challenge, and I’d love for you to join me. How are you staying active this summer?
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