Losing a part of me

• I was planning on walking after my afternoon meeting. When we got home from the bank, I looked at the forecast and changed my mind. The current temperature at the time was 78°, but by 1:30pm it would be up to 90°. I did the math and knew that I had just under 2.5 hours to walk, cool down, shower, and be at my computer in time for the call. I could do it if I did not try to overdo it. I did not think it would be a problem, and it would be fine.
• Distance: 9km (10km)
• Duration: 1:27:49 (1:40:51)
• Average Pace (Min/km): 9:44 (10:03)
• Best Split-Pace Kilometre: 9m18s (9m40)
• Steps: 11.4k (12.7k)
• Calories burned: 1,083 (1,203)
• Elevation gain: 39.1 (47.5)
• Average cadence (steps per minute): 130 (126)

Owing mostly to the heat, I never expect to break records when I am in Texas. I hit the ground running though, and I knocked out the first five kilometres in a whopping 47:24, which had my average pace at under 9m30s! I was thrilled, but I was also losing hydration and electrolytes. I stopped at the 6km mark and bought a Gatorade Zero to supplement the bottle of water I was working through. My pace for the last four kilometres was about 10m03s per kilometre, the same pace of my entire walk from yesterday.

I walked into the apartment sweaty and thirsty, but very proud of my accomplishment. I do not expect to be able to maintain this sort of pace every day, but every once in a while, it is good to push myself. I do not know if I did it knowing that I had to hurry home for my meeting, but whatever it was, I did it. Let’s see if I can do it again tomorrow!

Today’s fitness walk was my eleventh such walk for the month of September. It has not been a very successful month, but at least I can finish strong, and spring into October on a good roll. Yes, of the eleven fitness walks of the month, four of them have been in the last five days. If I hit the road tomorrow and Friday, I will have a great streak to end the month with.

Knowing that Leslie and I will be spending most of the weekend entertaining her son, I doubt I will be able to walk Saturday or Sunday, and Monday I am flying to California. Tuesday I will walk, but Wednesday is Yom Kippur, so I will be fasting and at synagogue services all day. Really, with my California jaunt, I likely will not be able to get into the swing of things for October until I am back in Dallas the afternoon of the ninth… but I will make sure to get right back on track starting that afternoon.

Leslie was worried that the boy would want to go for fried chicken this evening, which I would not have been able to eat. Fortunately, when they came in, he announced that he wanted sushi, which is absolutely doable for me. In preparation for the evening meal, I have only had meal replacements today (three of them in fact, exactly what I should be having). All this to say that tomorrow I am looking for a happy number on the scale.

It’s a gorgeous day in Dallas, and I am just happy to be alive, loved, and healthy.

Have a great evening folks!