Day 27: Walking acquainted me with my block in new ways

Walking felt really good in the cool evening air. The coolness kept me from sweating, still I felt that I was exercising.


I set my timer for 15 minutes and started counting steps to get to either end of my block (approximately 235 from corner to corner - and the walkway to my front door is exactly in the center).


With one slight deviation to my route to discard an empty can I found on a neighbors lawn (I counted those steps, too), I walked just over 1,000 steps back and forth, corner to corner on my block.


A few years ago, when I was taking 15 minute power-walks at work, I developed an arm exercise that I do while walking that appreciably increases the intensity without me having to walk faster. The arm routine cycles and repeats over every 8 steps and is complicated enough to engage my brain to focus so I don't get bored. Without going into unnecessary detail (as if I wanted you to try it too), I look like I'm rehearsing a flag routine for a high school marching band when I do these arm moves with my walk. It was no problem for me to be seen by the handful of neighbors/strangers who happened to be out at the time.


I came in and got on the bike after that.


When I log my exercise on startwalkingnow.org, I am asked to enter my level of intensity. Since I have not yet found a way to quantify my intensity levels, I am assigning my levels of intensity is as follows:


Mild/Light 
(a.k.a.: going through the motions or why bother?)
I am walking or biking but not sweating and my heart rate barely gets over 100 bpm. (OK - I would do this if I was getting over an illness or injury - better than not working out at all)


Moderate
(a.k.a.: where I think I should be on most days)
At this level, I definitely break a sweat and my heart rate averages 105 - 130. At this level, I feel like I am where I should be and I'm keeping over-achiever work-out girl in her place.


Vigorous
(a.k.a.: I have deluded myself into thinking I'm an athlete competing for a medal or something.)
At this level, I sweat more and my breathing is more intense. My heart rate is over 130. I will do this rarely.


My results for day 27 are:

Time: 25 min. 
Average Speed 12.7
Distance 5.0
Calories 129
Average Heart Rate 110
Watts: 49
Level: 6


Time walked: 15 minutes

Do something beautiful for your heart today.

~ Cheryl ~