(Featuring an attempt on my life by an ignorant motorist!)
I‘ve been walking 4 miles every day – 10,000 daily steps – a marathon weekly – for 105 days now as exercise to keep me fit in lieu of going salsa dancing 6 nights a week. I wore headphones and walked to the beat of salsa music to make it more interesting and, because I‘ve always found walking hard work, this made my walking smooth like dancing and therefore easier for me!
However, as I reduced the time taken from a very slow 90 minutes to reasonably fast 80 minutes (3 miles per hour) it became clear that salsa music was too slow to improve my speed still further as I needed to get to 120 strides a minute consistently to improve so now I walk without music. However, walking to salsa music did improve my walking technique and I can hear whatever music I like in my head while I’m walking smoothly as if I’m salsa dancing.
My latest best time is a bit less than 65 minutes so this has worked very well. Apparently British soldiers walk 4 miles with a 25kg back pack in 60 minutes so that’s my final target though I’m not sure how that can happen because I already feel like I’m walking as fast as I can for a 74 year old man at least! But a target it remains . . .
I walk from where I live to Frydays near Gosport Ferry, eat a snack sitting on a bench in Falkland Gardens overlooking Portsmouth Harbour and then walk back home.
I produce a report every day and I have copied yesterdays below which features an attempt on my life by an ignorant motorist! You can follow this link and scroll down to see the other reports!
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Day 105 Salsa Walk
33:18 + 33:54 = 67:12
On a dull, cool, windy late afternoon I strode off strongly at 119 strides per minute feeling really fit and arrived at the ferry in a better time than yesterday. After eating my dates I felt ready to go fast again and was doing well until I was delayed at around the 1.5 mile mark by a van driver who nearly didn’t stop for me.
He stopped within an inch of my right knee with my hand on the bonnet to stop me falling against the van:
Him: “Sorry mate!”
Me: “It’s a side road, you’re supposed to give way to me!” I said, shouting quite loudly in his ear as I walked to his side of the van!
Him: “I am giving way!”
Me: “But only just!” Still shouting!
Him: “Sorry mate! As he drove off like a bat out of hell!
Me to a sympathetic lady driving the car behind him: “He was trying to fucking kill me!” Shrugging my shoulders and raising my arms in despair!
I knocked off a few seconds for the incident but the time wasn’t as good as yesterday but the total time was better so I was well pleased . . .