I’m walking All by myself
So, my UP stopped working about a week in. I'm waiting for the replacement band to be sent, but the benefits have been outstanding. One of the things I really enjoyed was the reminder to get my ass out of my chair every now and then to move around. Without the band to remind me, I get up at around 11ish and 3ish to walk around. At first, I was just doing laps on my floor. But it was getting a) boring, and b) kind of embarrassing to just walk by people every day over and over. I kept on trying to look purposeful, but it's hard when you're essentially doing laps. I did take it up and down a floor, to mix it up a bit, but even that got old over time. And I had less of a reason to be wandering around those floors than my own. Plus, it took a lot of laps to get me anywhere near the 10,000 step goal I try to meet every day.
So about two weeks ago, I took it outside. And I discovered a really lovely water garden in the building next door. The building has been there for maybe five years, and it is one of ours. Occasionally there are events over there that I attend, but I've never really explored beyond the places that I've been invited. I've always known that there was a water fountain out by the patio, but I didn't know how extensive the water feature was. It extends beyond the main patio into three subsidiary patios all the way around to the back of the building. And the landscaping is really lovely too.
It's sort of sad, because in the two weeks that I've been doing this, I've only run into maybe three other people. There are tables and chairs set up for people to sit on, but no one seems to use them.
But that doesn't mean that I can't.
So when I have an appropriate lull in work in mid-morning and mid-afternoon, I hie myself down 13 flights of steps, and head out the door. The security guards are onto me, and they nod at me as I pass their kiosk.
I usually walk to the end of the block, cross the street, and then head back towards our buildings. Then I cross the street again, and head into the water garden area. I walk the perimeter of the patio, which winds me around the building's various corners. I end up near the rear bike racks, but even back there, the landscaping is really pretty. I pass the bikes and walk to the very end of the building. Then I make my way back to the patios, to the main water feature, still walking the perimeter. The path takes me back to a sidewalk, which leads to the bayou or the street. I choose the bayou, and I walk along the bike path until I hit the street, hook a left, walk along the side of my building (where all the smokers hang out), hook another left, and head into my building's front door.
I usually cover about 2,000 steps doing all of this. I think it's roughly a mile. It takes about 17-23 minutes, and I'm usually walking pretty briskly. Twice a day, and I'm done with half my steps goal. Add in a workout or a walk to get lunch, plus a Celosa walk, and getting my activity goal for the day in isn't that hard.
Yesterday, it rained in the morning, and I was irritated that I couldn't do my walk. Even though it was still wet outside, I made sure to go when it stopped raining in the afternoon (plus I went to the gym and ran three miles...).
I am really irritated that I've been working in this building for nearly ten years (anniversary is April 1), and it's taken me this long to explore my surroundings. There's a really pretty park if I choose to keep on walking instead of turning around at the intersection. It has a series of water features that are really lovely, and the trees over there are really nice. It's been there for decades, and I pass it in my car every day when I drive to and from work. But I've never gone over there except when then first opened it when I was about 16 years old. When I have slightly more time, maybe during lunch one day, I'll head over to enjoy it.
Even on the days that I don't go to the gym, I know that I've at least gotten some exercise. There were days last fall when I didn't move more than maybe 3000 steps. Now, it's almost impossible not to make it over 7,000, and since I've started this, I've only had one day that I didn't make my goal. And that was Sunday, when I was driving back to Houston from San Antonio.
This is a really easy habit to get into. It's a lovely break up of the day. I feel like I'm doing something, even if it's not a crazy workout. I'm a little concerned that this will get difficult during the warmer months, but I'll cross that bridge (and attempt to explore the inside of that building) when I come to it.
In the meantime, I'm just happy that I have this lovely garden to myself. Though I'm a little sad that no one else chooses to use it.
So about two weeks ago, I took it outside. And I discovered a really lovely water garden in the building next door. The building has been there for maybe five years, and it is one of ours. Occasionally there are events over there that I attend, but I've never really explored beyond the places that I've been invited. I've always known that there was a water fountain out by the patio, but I didn't know how extensive the water feature was. It extends beyond the main patio into three subsidiary patios all the way around to the back of the building. And the landscaping is really lovely too.
It's sort of sad, because in the two weeks that I've been doing this, I've only run into maybe three other people. There are tables and chairs set up for people to sit on, but no one seems to use them.
But that doesn't mean that I can't.
So when I have an appropriate lull in work in mid-morning and mid-afternoon, I hie myself down 13 flights of steps, and head out the door. The security guards are onto me, and they nod at me as I pass their kiosk.
I usually walk to the end of the block, cross the street, and then head back towards our buildings. Then I cross the street again, and head into the water garden area. I walk the perimeter of the patio, which winds me around the building's various corners. I end up near the rear bike racks, but even back there, the landscaping is really pretty. I pass the bikes and walk to the very end of the building. Then I make my way back to the patios, to the main water feature, still walking the perimeter. The path takes me back to a sidewalk, which leads to the bayou or the street. I choose the bayou, and I walk along the bike path until I hit the street, hook a left, walk along the side of my building (where all the smokers hang out), hook another left, and head into my building's front door.
I usually cover about 2,000 steps doing all of this. I think it's roughly a mile. It takes about 17-23 minutes, and I'm usually walking pretty briskly. Twice a day, and I'm done with half my steps goal. Add in a workout or a walk to get lunch, plus a Celosa walk, and getting my activity goal for the day in isn't that hard.
Yesterday, it rained in the morning, and I was irritated that I couldn't do my walk. Even though it was still wet outside, I made sure to go when it stopped raining in the afternoon (plus I went to the gym and ran three miles...).
I am really irritated that I've been working in this building for nearly ten years (anniversary is April 1), and it's taken me this long to explore my surroundings. There's a really pretty park if I choose to keep on walking instead of turning around at the intersection. It has a series of water features that are really lovely, and the trees over there are really nice. It's been there for decades, and I pass it in my car every day when I drive to and from work. But I've never gone over there except when then first opened it when I was about 16 years old. When I have slightly more time, maybe during lunch one day, I'll head over to enjoy it.
Even on the days that I don't go to the gym, I know that I've at least gotten some exercise. There were days last fall when I didn't move more than maybe 3000 steps. Now, it's almost impossible not to make it over 7,000, and since I've started this, I've only had one day that I didn't make my goal. And that was Sunday, when I was driving back to Houston from San Antonio.
This is a really easy habit to get into. It's a lovely break up of the day. I feel like I'm doing something, even if it's not a crazy workout. I'm a little concerned that this will get difficult during the warmer months, but I'll cross that bridge (and attempt to explore the inside of that building) when I come to it.
In the meantime, I'm just happy that I have this lovely garden to myself. Though I'm a little sad that no one else chooses to use it.