Dog Tales, Happy Trails

y dog has been able to go on more walks with me lately even though, at her advanced age of 8, she is limited to just two miles of walking outdoor in the heat and humidity.  Why?  Because my walking buddy Kris and I have found some great shady trails to walk on in a park not far from home.

The trails are in Castlewood State Park which is bordered on two sides by the Meramec River just west of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, MO.  I live about an easy 10 minute drive from the park.  Kris is far more familiar with the park than I as she is an avid biker and many cyclists use the parks one street and many trails.  The park is large and has many miles of walking/biking trails, including miles of totally flat trails, some paved walkways, rugged trails that go up and down a scenic river bluff, and about 200 stairs in the side of the bluff that overlooks the river.

The Meramec River as it nears St. Louis is not the most beautiful of rivers.  But, there is often a nice breeze there and the abundant water supply feeds the numerous tall trees that provide lots of shade on the trails.  Entering the shady trails, one immediately notices that the ambient temperature drops about 10 degrees.  That temperature drop provided by the shade along with the river breeze make this a singularly delightful place to walk.  We have gone there to walk every day we could over the last 10 days.

This morning, the park was busier than we have seen it.  Many cyclists and a lot of young families were on the trails.  Groups of friends were wading in the river, others were fishing or boating, and many were sunning themselves on the shore.  In addition there was a group of people preparing to set off on surf boards with paddles.  Not sure what this sport is called, but it looks like fun!  Great upper body workout, I'm thinking.

So, Kris and I have explored many of the park's trails.  We have chosen our favorite so far and it's a loop that takes us about 40 minutes to complete.  We can add to that if we wish by including another section of the trail that will bring us back to our car in another 15 minutes or so.  We are able to walk at a pretty good pace despite the nature of the trail.  There are roots, overhang, some rocks, and the occasional something-or-other plunk in the middle of the trail.  But, if we stick to the flatter areas, we get in a pretty good walk.

We have also been accompanied on our walks by all manner of wildlife - mostly 4 year old humans and lots of deer.  Today, we walked under a railroad track in a small tunnel built in 1930.  The trails are scenic with frequent views of the river, friendly walkers and cyclists, and a great location not far from our homes.  Bet you've got something similar near your home.  Check it out!



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Patty's Great Idea

One of this blog's most faithful readers has written to me about a fresh idea she has come up with to boost her walking time.  She game me permission to reprint her idea here.  So, here it is in her own words:


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I started something new on my walking yesterday. Thought I would share with you.

Since it is too hot and humid outside to walk, I set a timer for 40 minutes.

Then every once in a while I get up and start the timer, and walk for about 10 min. shut the timer off, and forget about it until later, when I do it again...yesterday I got in 30 min. I'm thinking 1 1/2 miles, don't you think so?

anyway, seems like a good idea for me...not to have to do it all at once, and being able to do it inside. I'm sure that it is not as good as doing it all at once, but for right now, I just can't do it all at once. 

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I am thrilled to read Patty's great idea - especially because her thinking (and doing) coincide perfectly with the latest research in exercise physiology.  I can't find the article where I read the information but it was a very reliable source and I'll give you the highlights here.  Then you'll understand why Patty's idea is genius!

150 minutes a week is the recommended duration for the maximum health benefits which are mostly aerobic.  This sort of exercise increases heart health, boosts oxygen supply to the brain, tones muscles, speeds up metabolism, and leads to overall feelings of wellbeing, thwarting depression, the blahs, and lapses in motivation.  But - and here's the kicker that just doesn't seem like it should be - it doesn't matter how you accumulate your 150 minutes each week.  You can do it in equal periods of about 20 minutes a day.  You can do it in only three days a week if you get in just under an hour each day.  OR, YOU CAN do it all on the weekend if you put in 75 minutes each Saturday and Sunday.  

Really!  This seems counterintuitive to me - and would not help with my sleep problems as a daily walk does.  It surely seems like we would all benefit by parsing out our aerobic activities (in this case walking) in daily or four times weekly sessions.  But, like Patty has discovered (and put into action), much smaller sessions are as beneficial as 20-30 minute sessions.  

So, now, no excuses, right?  If Patty can figure out a way to fit in her daily dose of feel-good exercise even in the boiling heat we've had this summer, you can too!  Patty's a smart lady.  And, she has worked her way to health, steadily increasing her walking sessions, and writing to me about the positive benefits she has experienced because of it.  Check out that Guarantee below.  It's still valid.

*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Walking It Off - The Teen Version

I'm an Alateen Adult Sponsor.  This means that kids whose lives have been adversely affected by the alcohol use of a loved one or friend come to weekly meetings to discuss their issues, using the Twelve Steps of Al-Anon.  The kids are supposed to be teens (hence the name AlaTEEN), but we have a couple kids who are younger (11 and 12).  These kids are smart and in pain.  They love the alcoholics in their lives (typically a parent or sibling) but do not feel safe around them.  They often have no other safe haven, no place they feel free to discuss what's going on in their homes or heads or hearts.  As an Adult Sponsor, it is my job to be sure the environment of the meetings remains safe for them, that their confidences are kept, that they can tell the truth about their loved ones and themselves.

I write this so that you will understand the background of this small story - which made me feel really good.  This past week, we were discussing character defects.  The first obstacle the kids face is that the reason they first come to the meetings is not the reason they return.  They are not coming for the alcoholic, rather they come to meetings to gain tools so they can be happier, feel safer, no matter what the alcoholics around them might be doing.  So, the character defects we discussed were those of the people in the room rather than the alcoholics at home.

The kids identified some of their character defects - the usual - anger, gossiping, trying to control others, fear, etc.  Having identified some character defects, we discussed ways to deal with them using the tools of the program.  One kid who identified that anger was one of his worst defects came out with his method of dealing with it - 'I walk it off.'  He no longer gets in fights in school.  He walks it off.

I told him I have a blog about 'walking it off' and that one of the things I have walked off is my anger.  Have I told you about my anger?  I have come to learn that anger is a DRUG!  It was my drug of choice.  I controlled my environment with anger.  I got my way at home or at the grocery store using anger.  It is a powerful drug, a powerful emotion, an addictive substance because I felt so self righteous, knowing I was RIGHT DAMMIT and would have my way.

Once I identified - learned from a teenager years ago - that anger was my drug and that I might not want to continue to live that way - that I didn't much like the person I was or became during my 'red outs' (rages), I had to get tools to deal with it.  I had to learn how to not have anger control my life or define me.  One of my first tools was to 'walk it off'.  My walker's rambles began as a way to take my sail out of my children's wind (their anger which they had learned well from me).  They would fuss and I would put on my walking shoes and hit the street rather than get angry back at them.

Such freedom!  Walking - the physical act of moving my body and releasing endorphins rather than screams - became my first defense against the chaos in my home.  As the power of my walks grew, as the comfort I obtained from them grew and became predictable and welcomed, I became a much less angry person.  I pretty much walked it entirely off.

In those days, my walks were my dog, my God, and me (with my anger blowing against my back).  The more I walked, the better I felt.  I happened to lose a lot of weight during that first year of walking.  That was a happy side effect of my new found 'anti-anger' tools.

So, I told this young man about walking.  He has discovered this on his own and he's ELEVEN YEARS OLD!  He is light years ahead of me.  He has craziness at home and he has learned a really good way to cope, to not get sucked in, to stay out of trouble at school.

Alateen Adult Sponsors are volunteers.  But, I can assure you we get a great paycheck for our efforts.  My paycheck this week was humungous.  I hope this kid finds his way to my blog.  Right now, he's not particularly interested.  That's okay.  He's making great progress on his own.  But, if he finds his way here, I think he might share some great insights with us that would benefit all of us.  I've already been paid, thank you!


*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Independence Day!  July 4 every year.  This new country gained its autonomy by separating itself from its 'parent'.  The leaders of this country and its citizens had a vision of a nation where every person would be free to find his/her own way, where every voice would be heard and counted, where every child could grow up to reach his/her full potential - becoming a business owner, artist, farmer, inventor, or President.  This new country was an experiment that has succeeded in wondrous ways.  But, this brave new world was not achieved without some missteps, some faltering, some backsliding.  The United States of America was not/is not perfect.  It's just the best ever.

What does this have to do with walking?  Well, 200+ years ago, our forefathers (and their womenfolk) started on a long journey, uncertain of what difficulties the path might hold and how much winding turns it might take.  There was no guarantee of success.  There was just the notion - the vision of a better way and the determination to try to get there.

So, you have an idea of who you want to be.  You want to be healthier, feel better, get in shape, lose weight, acquire a better lifestyle.  You might not know exactly how to attain your goal.  You might not be sure of the exact steps you must take to get there.  You DO KNOW that you want a change and are willing to start off on that path.  That day was your Independence Day - the day you decided to change your personal history.

If you have yet to start on that journey, stick around here, read some more of my articles, ask questions.  We have been on this journey for a while and we know how it starts and some of its turns and hazards.  Just move forward.  Take the first few steps each day and we'll help you continue.  Let us know how you are doing.  We just might learn something from a newbie too!

I am forever on my personal Step Zero - HOW.  Honest, Open, Willing.  I have a strong yearning to improve my well being.  That's why I write these articles.  They are for me.  But, I really hope they will inspire you too.

My personal Independence Day was October 2, 1997.  I've been improving since then.  Join me!



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.