Last year sometime, I picked up a freebie pedometer as part of the JP Walks program in my 'hood. (Yet another reason to love where I live.) I used it for a few weeks, just to see if I was really walking as much as I think I do or claim I do. No such luck. Even with a 8-minute walk to the T on each end and with the regular trips for lunch and an added walk to my next appointment rather than using the T, I was still usually below the recommended 10,000 steps a day. (Which, by the way, is about 5 miles.) I can't even begin to imagine how few steps the average car-driving, desk-sitting commuter takes each day.
Anyway, using it motivated me for a bit and I had a little competition going with myself for a while. This wore off rather quickly.
Just last week, neighbor-friend Katie said, "I've been using my pedometer. I love it." She's a teacher, so she does quite well in the steps department. And, she's a teacher without a regular classroom, so she moves even more than the average teacher does. I found my pedometer that night and challenged her to a three day cumulative total competition.
It was a stupid week for me to do such a thing, considering I had to drive to work twice in those three days due to needing the car for work events. When all was said and done, I had somewhere between 22,000 and 23,000 and she righteously kicked my ass with somewhere around the 32,500 mark. I was amazed.
So, when I saw her Sunday night, after she and her partner Chris fed me an amazing black bean veggie burger, I asked for a rematch. Five days, Monday - Friday this week. She accepted. I was determined to win this time.
I got up at 6:15 on Monday morning and walked from my house to the JP Pond, around the Pond once and back to my house. Total trip? About 7500 steps, almost 4 miles. I repeated this Wednesday and Thursday morning, with different routes each day to keep things fresh. Not only did it score me a total of 22,500 steps or so, but can I just say how amazing JP is at 6:15 in the morning in May? It's quiet and fresh and everything smells delicious. The houses look shiny and the noise of the T doesn't even get annoying.
I've been making sure to walk at lunch. I went to Fanueil Hall for lunch one day and Tuesday I had an event down by Copley and I walked there from work. Extra 5000 steps!
I got an email from Katie on Wednesday lamenting the fact that she had left her pedometer at home that day. For a split second, I considered saying that we could just forget Wednesday, but then I realized I didn't want to give up my hard work. Instead I replied and said that maybe I'd actually beat her this time!
Right now it's Thursday night and I have a total of 56,443 with another whole day to go. Tomorrow, I'll definitely drag myself out of bed at 6:15 a.m. again because believe it or not, I'm looking at an apartment down the street at 6:30. That's when the dude was available and since I figured I'd be walking by anyway, why the hell not?
My original goal for myself for the 5 days was 50,000. I revised that this morning to 65,000. That means only 8600 to go tomorrow. I think I'll break that. Perhaps I'll even hit 70,000. That'd be cool. Maybe I don't even need Katie. Maybe I just need to keep up with myself this summer.
Side note: on Wednesday morning when I got up at 6:15 to leave, my roommate was already in the shower. Early for him, I think. I decided to just leave and figure out some way to pee along the way. I quickly figured out there wasn't anywhere open till 7 and that I was uncomfortable as hell. So I copped a squat behind a bush on the Southwest Corridor Park alongside the T and hoped a cop or a dog didn't come by at just that moment. They didn't, and I went along my merry way much happier afterwards. Some things never change. You can take the girl 13 years out of college, but you can't take the college pee-where-you-need-to out of the girl.
Get out and walk! Get to know your neighborhood. Look into people's back yards while they aren't looking. Smile at the cute guy who's leaving early for work in a suit. Tie your house key to your sneaker, stick your license in your pocket (or your bra) and jam to "Gin and Juice". I dare ya.
UPDATE: The final tally on Friday night was 70,545. WOO HOO!
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