Walking Desk Progress

So, after the luscious foodiness of the last post, I figured it’s time to have a little recap on how things are going with the old walking desk. You may remember that on March 18th, I began a little experiment.

[Note: If you DO remember, please skip the following paragraph and advance to GO. Do not collect $200. ]

I have been a runner [albeit slow and wheezy] all my adult life, not through sheer love of the sport but more as a way to keep my inclination to avoirdupois in some kind of check. Last summer I injured my knee, which has landed me on the list for surgery and limited the running. Instead of forking out the big bucks for immediate surgery, I got in line with the rest of the poor knee-knackered sods awaiting the knife, and put the money into a new treadmill desk. I’ve been walking and writing rather than sitting and writing ever since. The idea for the treadmill desk was inspired by fellow writers Arthur Slade [whom I will meet this fall in person after being on-line friends for a LONG Time] and Helene Boudreau [also an on-line friend, but one with whom I have had the pleasure of hanging out several times.] In spite of the fact that Slade is sometimes seen in a tin hat and Boudreau has a thing for mermaids, their svelte physiques and general all-around hardiness cannot be denied. And they both walk & write.

So — time for an update.

First — a visual aid…

[Technical Note: I made this map by scanning a google map and prettying it up with Picnik. I’ve worked out the distances using the trip planning function. I tried another [commercial] system to keep track, but it gfaffed out on me, so this is whatcha get.]

I’ve been walking [with the exception of my trip to NYC, where I walked excessively in REAL time, anyway] just about every day. I usually try to rack up one session of 105 minutes long, which nets me about 5.6 km or so. When I can, I do a bit more. My longest walk so far was on April 9th, where I clocked 13.3 km. Sore feet THAT day! Had a good day today — 7.9 km.

So, as you can see from the map above, by the end of May I’d managed to walk just under 473 km while working on my computer. Since then, I’ve added another 65 km this month.

I’m pretty interested in this result. I had no idea I’d be able to go so far — I’m quite pleasantly surprised. I am walking very slowly — 3.3 km/hour. Any faster and I lose the ability to type on my computer. While I walk, I usually catch up on email, read my RSS feeds and twitter, and catch up on phone calls. IOW, mostly grunt-work, as opposed to the creating-story sort of work [though I have done a bit of that, too].

Other results? Well, I am NO thinner, I’ll tell you that. Not running for 9 months has really made a difference, and not in a good way. BUT — I am not hugely larger, either. Just a little on the pudgy side of where I usually am. [Too many grilled cheese sandwiches, you say? Perhaps. Perhaps.]

I am also distinctly less supple than I was 3 months ago. I have to seriously remember to stretch, and in the weeks where I miss my yoga class, I really notice it. My feet are often quite sore at night, but nothing that keeps me awake. My right hamstring is a little tight, but no real injuries to report. I am quite a bit hungrier than usual [and I am usually pretty hungry, anyway — see previous grilled cheese notes…]. I am sleeping very well — quality of sleep is good, whenever I can get it, and I am trying to allow myself more of it.

So my overall report is very positive. This thing makes me happy. And stories like this one show that I’m not the only one finding this crazy idea works pretty well.

I’m enjoying my virtual walk across Canada — and at well past 500 km so far, I’ll keep you updated as to my progress.

 

More soon…

 

~kc