Monday, November 02, 2009

My Obsessive Compulsive Walking Habits

Warning! This post contains at least twenty uses of the word 'I'.

Since the first of November 2005 I have kept a walking log. Obviously this means that I have been using a pedometer for just over four years. There are 32 days unaccounted for due to broken pedometers or computer screw-ups.

I've clocked up 17690642 general steps... of which 5152690 aerobic steps.
The amount of time spent on aerobic walking was 44115 minutes. That's 735 hours, or 30 days. It doesn't sound nearly enough. I am such a slacker!

The 17690642 general steps amount to 7076 miles or thereabouts. I wonder how far I'd have got if I'd just kept going?

The most steps I've ever done in one day was 28187 in June last year. That was the day I climbed Mount Brandon in County Kerry and then took a long beach walk in the evening. That was the day I broke my last camera by sitting on the damn thing. And I was so high on walking I didn't give a damn.

I could do better than this and I'd like to. The current recommended amount of steps per day is 10000. That's not enough on its own to promote health and fitness. I believe 16000 a day would help with weight control and general fitness. For me, finding the time is the difficult part. A winter's day spent at a desk does not allow many spare hours for walking which is why I try for a constitutional every single lunchtime.

So back to the obsessive walking log - it's a bore sometimes filling it in, but between it and this blog I've got a fairly good record of what I've been up to these past four years. And if nobody else cares, I do.

In other news - I've decided to stop drinking.

8 comments:

Craig said...

I'm presuming you meant since November 2005, not 2009.
Or you've been time travelling?

Alcohol is the enemy of fitness and weight-loss. I know.
Good luck with that.

ejh said...

Stopping drinking? Dear god, woman, why?

Nelly said...

Thanks for the edit alert Craig. I have not been time travelling.

Ed - the reason I'm stopping drinking is because I am getting too old for it.

sageweb said...

Wow very cool on all the steppin....you have made me tired now..I need a drink

Anna said...

I once observed my inebriated uncle trying to walk up a short steep hill to the house. He would slowly stagger up almost to the top, then lose his momentum and rapidly run backwards to the bottom. He would pause, curse, and repeat the process. (It was hysterical!)

Now, I'm thinking. By increasing your consumption you might also increase your steps (see above). Or, if you are indeed consuming too much you might end up halfing your steps by quitting (see above).

Think it over...

Tony Adams said...

Good luck.


With the walking.

Nelly said...

Father Tony & the rest of ye (with inbuilt Catholic deference towards The Clergy)

The walking is going OK
The abstinence is going great

Anonymous said...

Jeez, good one you Nelly - i love walking too but only ever seem to cross the city these days.

Good luck on quitting the juice.

Mikey