"Just wakin' da dawg!!!" 2.1 - 216.12

Since I am in the winding down portion of my training regimen and nobody had a chance to take the dog out for a walk to day..I volunteered.. I had a lovely stroll around my neighborhood and saw some really neat old houses..very soothing...well soothing for me, the dog was a little skittish at first, but every time he would get nervous, I'd make him sit, let him get used to the strange sounds and calm him down..

I am kinda sore from my Self-Defense class last night, our instructor warned us we'd be in for a tough work-out..

and...

boy-o-boy did he ever deliver the goods!!

The intensity was non-stop,!! In between training drills, kicking drills, push-ups, sit-ups and then drills and more drills!! I got a great work-out..very tough, but I loved it..The mirror in the work-out room ended up covered in condensation!! I think I was responsible for most of it..if you don't know why then you haven't read the title of my blog! :-)

iPOD: Didn't bring it out

Time: Just strolled around with the dog..easy-peasy

"Feets! do your stuff!!" 6 - 214.02

Well this is a last long walk until the half marathon next week..


It feels kinda weird with the marathon being so close, I cannot believe I found a training plan and managed to stick to it for 14 weeks..Where did the time go?

I wonder if I could stick to other training plans? I kjeep seeing those "before and after" fitness programs for sale on tv.. maybe I should try one of those...

Today was great weather for a walk and I really needed to clear my head, so I am glad I went out..

iPOD: "(There's) Always Something To Remind Me" by The Absolute Zeros (A Bacharach cover)

Time: 104 Minutes

Fatty is gettin' faster! 3.23 - 208.02

Oh boy! I set a record tonight for my original 3.23 mile walk..It was a very nice night for a walk and I kept a great pace for the whole route..

Saturday is a short 6 mile walk and then next week is easy-peezy until the half marathon

iPOD: "Knock'em out" by Lily Allen

Time: 50 Minutes..(When I first did this walk 14 weeks ago it took me over an hour)

"Holy cow! I think I can see my neck!!" 3.23 - 204.79

So this is the begining of my "taper down" phase as I approach the half marathon. All my walks will taper down in distance so my body can recover enough to have strong walk on the big day!

Today I walked the original 3.23 mile walk I created in google way back on Jan 22nd.. I have noticed an improvement in my fitness level as I got the walk done in a record time...and I had none of the aches and strains I did on day one..

This makes me really happy..

I think I am getting a little skinnier too!!! I was walking by a plate glass window and I think I actually saw my neck!!!..I used to look like my head was a huge pumpkin attached to an even larger pumpkin!...now I look like I my head is a huge pumpkin attached to stump an even larger pumpkin!!

iPOD: "Dixie Cannonball" by Gene Autry

Time: 52 Minutes

"I love you all, the cops too" 8.13 - 201.46

I guess I should explain the very odd heading for today's blog post.

It all started...when...instead of my usual "head west until I hit the Shaughnessy/Kerrisdale neighborhoods and then walk home".. I decided to change my 8-mile route and head north towards the docks and then south up Commercial Drive.

The waterfront is a very interesting area currently going through a socio-economic flux where the thin edge of the gentrification wedge has started to take place. So in between garages, old dockworker hotels, warehouses and abandoned buildings there are now trendy condos..(granted they all have high security fences!! :P)...but the middle class types have taken root like dandelions in the front yard and the fact there are Starbucks and drive through McDonalds pushing out the old "Chinese/Canadian Cafes" there mean these people ain't goin' anywhere! (holy smokes..I am one of them too..)..But there is also still a lot of poverty down there and all the nasty stuff that goes with it..ie. Drugs and Prostitution. Which, fortunately you don't see much of during the light of day, so fat ol' sweaty me in my goofy vest and wickable shorts didn't get hassled at all..So..as I was walking along the street down near the docks, I saw hand painted in drippy green letters in an old boarded up store front doorway "I love you all, the cops too"...

I wonder who wrote that and why?

I wish I had the literary tools to express how much I enjoy walking and how much I love the city of Vancouver.. As I was walking home up Commercial Drive I couldn't believe how much that street has changed over the last 20 years.. When I first came to Vancouver, I lived a few blocks off of Commercial and the area was a lot rougher and edgey..and more interesting...now it has a veneer of "hip"..*sigh*..I guess it's for the better though..

so two weeks until the half marathon..then what? do I keep blogging? what will I do to motivate myself?

iPOD: "Velvet Pants" by The Propellerheads

Time: 140 Minutes

Gonna get my walk on...yo....4.47 - 193.33

so I really did not look forward to taking the very crowded skytrain home after work tonight.

I decided instead to walk home, in doing so I got my Thursday walk in at an earlier time and I also avoided the urban rush hour crowd which I really dislike..I am sure as individulas they are all very fine, witty and decent people..but as a unknown faceless crowd? they creep me out!!

As I get older I am starting to turn more and more into Howard Hughes..in a few more years it'll be kleenex boxes on my feet and jars of urine in the garage...more than likly my own..

So the walk home was a little longer than my usual 4.1 miles and it was pretty much all up hill..with a lot stop lights too..a few months back I walked this route and it was really hard, this time it wasn't as hard! I must be getting fitter.. :P

iPOD: "The Red Swing" by Puffy Yumi Ami

Time: 80 Minutes

"Zig-Zag away from the knife thrower" 4.1 - 188.86

Today's title is based upon a conversation I observed yesterday at the end of my self-defence class.

During the class we had been practicing a "knife deflection and then run away drill"..

basically you fake out the attacker, slap the knife hand away from your body and then apply a vigorous kicking to their gentitalia followed by a hasty retreat..The drill had very practical approach to this potential threat without a lot of fancy stances and arm waving tom-foolery...

So after the class a fellow student asked the instructor if we should generally flee in a direct manner or run away in a zig-zag pattern in case the attacker decides to throw his knife at you..
The instructor was very polite in his response and explained that during such an event as a knife attack there would be so much adrenaline going through your system that you are only going to be able to perform some very simple instinctive movements and flee, no time to ponder..and hopefully the attacker would be busy dealing with some very bruised testicles and have no desire to persue you or hurl his knife at your back...

also knife throwing is hard and since the odds are you will never be attacked by circus folk or Ninjas..so "zig-zag" running isn't part of the drill unless of course you are a pirate..but then you'd catch the knife or throw yours first..

So todays walk was great!!! I was really sore after class the night before and was afraid it would end up being a march of pain down a trail of tears...but it turned out as I walked the pain went away and I felt great!! I even broke my time for this particular 4.1 mile route!!

An odd thing I noticed was the area near the graveyard smells lovely..

spooky...

iPOD: "Pump It UP" by Elvis Costello

Time: 67 Minutes

"Nice day for a walk" 10.2 - 184.76

Beautiful day for a walk, I could smell the blossoms in the air and enjoyed a wamr wind for part of my stroll..

I saw a lot of runners out today... (more folks are outside now the weather is nice)

and on the downside... I saw more way more junkies too (more folks are outside now the weather is nice)

Great weather and I think I was a little over dressed..next week, short sleeved shirt and no gloves..

I can't beleieve I have been at this for 12 weeks, I gotta say I am very happy I took it upon myself to start this training, I am feeling a lot better about myself both physically and emotionally, I still have a long ways to go before I am "skinny"..but I think it is ok to pat myself on the back today..

I begin the taper down process now so less mega long walks..I am 3 weeks away from the half marathon..

iPOD: "Listen To The Music" by The Doobie Brothers

Time: 182 Minutes

"Daffodils and little orange caps"..4.1 - 174.56

Well, I have say that adding the cross-training with my self-defence class has really helped my walking times improve!! All that punching and kicking is a great workout and uses different muscles and adds an anerobic aspect to my training..

My whole walk today was strong and fast and I feel like I have energy to spare..

I am enjoying the spring evenings while walking and have found out I have a fondness for daffodils..

*ahem*

I am confident enough in my masculinity to admit that.. :P

On the downside... I have noticed a lot more orange needle caps lying in the gutters along my walking route..There were a lot of prostitutes out today as well.. very sad..

Still light out though..

iPOD: "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer

Time: 67 Minutes!! (record for this route!!)

"A little more pepper for Mr. Fancy High Stepper!!" 4.1 - 170.46

For the life of me I had no idea where that the title for this blog came from..

Not like anyboy really reads the damn thing..or..*sniff*...cares...

I had a really strong walk today, no real pain and I totally kicked ass on the 2nd half..

Pure speed baby!!! pure speed!!!

Gotta remember to wear my shades next time cause for the first half of my walk I was strolling towards a setting sun...

I think Monday's "Self Defence" class really helped me today (more on that in a new blog)

iPOD: "Pianolo" by Perez Pardo and his Orchestra

Time: 71 Minutes

"Grease is the word" 13 - 166.36

Well I got my 13 mile walk done in a really good time, I was virtually pain free and kept a great pace for the enitre route. I was very happy..shoulda greased up first though...:P

It is kinda strange walking through a cross section of the full socio-econimic diversity of Vancouver.. I walk by surly crack addicts standing on Kingsway and Fraser that stare at me with open hostility to stolling near private school kids tooling around Kerrisdale in high performance autos that I stare at with open hostility.. Interesting..

I had some serious hills on this route and whoa momma!!! Do I love powering up hills!!

I had to stop at a 7-11 along the way to buy a sports drink..this is now part of training plan, after the 8 mile mark I get something to drink...my drink of choice is the orange gatorade..

I sure miss running..but until I get light enough and strong enough I will walk.. I have decided I will train so I will be able to run again...

iPOD: "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Time: 3:38 !!!

"I am a sturdy little fellow full of zip and dash" 4.1 - 153.36

I wish I could claim credit for the title of this post..but I am paraphrasing a line from a favorite webcomic of mine..

The great achewood

I felt really strong today and I think the reason why I was so sore was because I was walking a lot faster than usual.. also..

also..

My so called shorter route is actually the same as the longer one! :P

but..

BUT!!!

I am 3 minutes faster than my previous faster time on this route!!!

getting ready for the big 13 this saturday!!!

iPOD: :Ironfist" by Motorhead

Time: 71 minutes

The Boy With The Rocket Powered Bum! 4.1 - 149.26

I had a really good walk today, no real leg or back pain and the weather was a lot warmer than last week.

Nothing else really to report..this saturday is my 13 mile pre-race walk

*gulp*

next week I am going to take a month long self defence class on the days I do not walk. Hopefully this will be a good form of cross training, I am really looking forward to the class

iPOD: "Caravan" by The James Buzon Trio

Time: 68 Minutes