Inspired by Erin’s tales about how she has become known as the crazy running woman of her neighborhood I thought I’d post a little piece on my own training regime – my three mile morning constitutional.
It’s not really training in the strictest sense of the word, but it did start out that way. A few months before setting off on this June’s fifty odd mile walk of the Cumbria Way I realized that I hadn’t done any hiking in about a year. Fearing that my legs might swell up and my toes drop off if exposed to sudden onset of prolonged exercise I figured I had better get some practice in.
Unfortunately, like many of the people reading this, there are some pretty hefty demands on my time. If I’m not working then I’m generally looking after the kids and so there aren’t that many opportunities for lengthy strolls. in fact I worked out that the only time I could carve out for myself would in the morning before everyone got up.
And so with a steely grimace I set my alarm for 5:50am and resolved to get a good hours walking in at the start of each day. With hills and everything.
And amazingly I’ve never looked back. Not only did these morning constitutionals prepare me very well for the rigors of the Cumbria Way, but I found I really enjoyed them too. What’s more my mood drastically improved as well. For years I’ve been telling my patients that moderate daily exercise has been clinically proven to be as an effective mood lifter as both anti-depressants and therapy; but now I actually believe it too. It’s bloody marvelous stuff.
Of course it does help that the area in which I live is rather beautiful. Especially just after sunrise when there are few others about.
I took the camera out with me this morning to take some illustrative pictures; but unfortunately the battery ran out within ten minutes from my house. I kept taking it out and rubbing it vigorously, and so managed to get a few shots off; but I couldn’t play with the knobs as much as I usually like to do and so the results aren’t as satisfying as I’d like (you have no idea how much the 14 year old boy in me enjoyed writing that sentence.)
I must admit don’t walk every single morning, sometimes the gravitational pull of the pillow is too great to resist. And I’m not too sure what I’m going to do in the winter when everything is dark (the local gym/pool doesn’t open early enough to go there, and I’m not too keen on walking country lanes with no street lights. So I’m not convinced that all this walking will actually prepare me for Hadrian’s Walk in any way as there is likely to be a hefty gap in my exercise.
But as long as I get back into the swing of it when the mornings become lighter again I should be OK, or at least that’s what past experience has told me.
If not then the rest of you can just take turns carrying me. The way I figure it, it’s the least you can do.
Oh, Dan. Dan Dan Dan Dan Danny Dan Dan. I envy you.
Erin´s last blog ..I’m only posting this because, after giving birth, I have nothing left to feel embarassed about
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am
@Erin, for what? Where I live or just my general level of awesomeness?
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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Erin Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
@Dan, Both really. Also, between this post and your status as #7, your neighborhood will be positively swarmed with paparazzi in a matter of days.
Erin´s last blog ..The last virgin of our generation
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Beautiful pics, despite the lack of knob-playing.
If I’m not mistaken, that was my first comment on a blog, ever.
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am
@Noah, a gravatar on your first comment? Impressive, most impressive.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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I love Erin’s comment, hee hee. And yep, that’s real purdy Dan. Makes my treadmill seem even less attractive than usual though. Sighhhh. Thanks for that you evil man.
Jo Beaufoix´s last blog ..Inside the head of a four year old
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:26 am
@Jo Beaufoix, perhaps you could hang some pictures around it or something
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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I saw a dead frog on my walk around my sub-division tonight. I guess he should have talked to the chicken before he crossed the road. Your view is almost as interesting.
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 am
@ImPerceptible, I actually nearly took a photo of a dead wood pigeon I saw on the road, but I decided against it.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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I may have to plan my trip to arrive at your place a day early, just to have a pre-walk walk around your town.
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:28 am
@Idaho Dad, that’s certainly a possibility; as long as all 35 of the other walkers don’t want to stay on our couch too.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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Great stuff Dan. Jogging in winter is good too. And try those flashing light strobes when it gets dark.
I sent you a donation to keep you motivated.
Mark
Mark´s last blog ..Collections 5 – I-Spy books
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:29 am
@Mark, Jogging!? err… no.
Thanks for the donation, exceptionally generous.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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You seem to have forgotten that it is incumbent on all Yorkshire folk not to publish pictures of our county for fear that “outsiders” will want to come-see ?
Shame on you Dan, shame on you – ’twill be your fault now that you can’t get outside your own front door at 6am for soft southern nancies clambering down off their tour buses to come and take photos of your exercise route.
Gary´s last blog ..C2C – A Review – The Final Day
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
@Gary, Where The bloody Heart Is already exposed my village by using it as the setting for their drivel, so the secret is out.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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Damn. I now have officially no excuse for not walking to work. Damn.
Clair´s last blog ..What apps have you installed on your iPhone so far?
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:39 pm
@Clair, fortunately I need my car for work so it’s never been an option. It’s not so much the walking there, but the walking back that I’d object to.
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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so…if you can’t walk anymore..who will push the cartwheel, cause that sounds a bit easier than just carrying?
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Dan Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:40 pm
@Arjan, Well volunteered! I’m assuming you’ll be bringing your own cart? could I have one with comfy cushions please?
Dan´s last blog ..My morning constitutional
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Lovely photographs. I’m the crazy running woman of this neighbourhood (I’d walk, but it’s too s l o w) but NOTHING would drag me from my bed at 5.50 am.
Preseli Mags´s last blog ..London or bust
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Lovely pictures. I’ve got to get over to that part of the world one of these days.
Holmes´s last blog ..The Face of Delirious Joy
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