The Walk

Last News Year’s Eve, I was at a party at some friend’s of mine from church when their daughter, Abi, asked me what was my New Year’s resolution. Now Abi is one of the nicest, kind and funny people you could meet, but she has a way of asking such a question, which comes with appropriate body language, that says “I haven’t really made any” is not going to be an appropriate answer!

Anyway 2 minutes later after trying to fudge the answer I’d agreed that I would walk 10k steps every day for a year.

Now that’s not quite as mad as it seems as in both 2016 and  2017 my employers has entered the “Global Challenge” where teams of 7 staff agree to walk 10k steps for 100 days. When in May 2016 my boss (who’s big on Well being) had suggested that we enter a team, I signed up and much to my amazement completed the task. To be honest, I had no real idea what 10k steps was and more importantly what 100 days amounted to and it was only well into June that I realised that it meant walking until early September!  It was, however, therapeutic and by using various techniques, quite achievable. The downside was that once I finished the challenge, I stopped the walking and the weight I’d lost started to return. Thus the 2017 sign up! Which again was achieved.

Since then, however, no real walking, the odd 10k day and the weight had returned. So the challenge was one that I knew was both potentially achievable and more importantly would be good for me.

It started well as I’d walked to the party and therefore the walk home put 2k on my Fitbit in the early hours of January 1st. The first few days were the vital ones as any slip up then and I’m pretty sure as with most New Year resolutions, I’d have given up. But the experience of the previous challenges stood me in good stead as I remembered to walk the long way to lunch, park as far away as is practical from your destination and especially walk to all services/meetings at church. (The last one also helps the climate challenge as is does away with a stupid 5 minute car journey).

The truth is the walking became a habit very quickly and achieving 10k each day was a state of mind rather than a challenge. The year has had it’s challenges in other directions, however, as for example,  my Mum had a month in hospital in May/June. Nothing overly serious, but the daily visits meant that walking had to be adapted. Firstly it’s a big hospital, so everywhere is a good distance apart! Then there were errands to be run to the shops there for all sorts of things and finally you can be creative in walking back to the car park.

Other factors have been the weather, too hot or too cold/wet mean either more or less clothing or find some where in doors with large spaces and air con/heating to walk. The West Quay shopping centre has been a regular haunt!! Ditto M&S/Sainsbury’s at Hedge End and Asda just over the road from my office.

Least steps in a day 10067, the most 18468 (at Greenbelt Festival), about 3.8m steps or c1825 miles over the year. Weight loss of over one stone, healthier mental attitude and two pairs of trainers worn out!

Music and podcasts kept me good company. Music is dangerous though as suddenly something funky comes on and it’s hard not to strut! (Walk the Dinosaur by Was not Was is particularly fun in that respect). Podcasts roll call, Wittertainment (hello to Jason Isaac’s!), The Totally Football Show Podcast, Total Saints Podcast, BBC Radio 4 Friday Night comedy podcast, Brexitcast, Football, Feminism and everything in between and “How to Fail” podcast.

So what’s next.... well more steps I guess? Let’s see how many days 10k steps per day can go on for? Another walk home from last nights party means there’s 2760 steps recorded today at 9.35am and Saints are playing this afternoon so that’s a walk to and from the stadium......