Walk Gopher [20190720]

Before starting this blog, right after I had my talk with my doctor, I already started devoting time for walking with friends. Usually, we do it once-a-week, for 45 minutes or for 2.5 km, at The academic oval of UP Diliman. It was walking rather than running because I still tire easily, and because I just wanted to start somewhere easy and progress from there. So far, it has been good. We got to finish one round around the oval. Sometimes more than that. However, it was too infrequent. My MD actually recommended brisk walking every other day, if not daily.

I revived this blog when I decided I should do my walking/running everyday.  Yup! That is the challenge. To walk at least 45 minutes or at least 3 km on a daily basis. And like what I wrote in my previous entry, I hope blogging my experience will help in motivating me to do the physical activity regularly. 

The plan is to post to following on a daily basis:

1. A map showing the route I took during my walk/run,

2. The speed, pace, distance and other metrics car of the runtastic app,

3. A selfie of me while doing the activity (as evidence and for vanity’s sake), and

4. The “catch of the day”, a photo of something that caught my attention during walking/running to keep the post (and my walk/run) interesting. 

I’ll also post about my random thoughts and musings while walking/running.

Alright! To start this off, here’s my post about my walk/run last 20 July 2019 (Saturday).

I actually started a little late that day, at almost 10 AM. I wasn’t really planning to walk/run that morning but I just decided to do so. I decided to go to the CCP complex which is near my place.

my route from Rizza Memorial Complex around CCP complex and back

It was little hot, and because that and my late start, I had the place all to myself. The throngs of runners who frequent the place during weekends already went home. I must say I liked the peace.

all the other runners already went home

I walked most of the way.  Towards the end, I tried doing a 1-min run:1-min walk pace like what I used to do when I was training for the marathon. But I ended up doing that for only 5 minutes. Boy, I was really deconditioned.  I’m not disheartened though. I know I can improve on this. I just need to be consistent with doing daily physical activities.

I covered a total distance of 4.75 km in 1 hour and 7 minutes. Not bad! That’s an average pace of 14 minutes to cover one kilometer. That’s part of the goal also. To at least reach my previous pace of 10 minutes per kilometer.

metrics for 20190720

Catch of the day

This painting on the south external wall of the CCP caught my attention as I was walking along  Vicente Sotto street going back to Roxas Boulevard. It was the first time I noticed this painting.

at the south side of CCP

At first I though it was just a bunch of curvy lines. But the more I looked at it, the clearer the image became. It was a person, probably deceased, covered with a cloth. I heard a group of youngster from behind talking about it. That most probably it was a commentary about extra-judicial killings. I’m not really sure what it meant and I would have to search for more information about it. But the painting really has a way of catching your eye and drawing you in.

Well, that’s it for my first day. I imagine as I progress further, I’ll be writing less and less. Hahaha. But let’s see.