Labor Day weekend has a special significance for me … at least since 2011. On the Friday before the long holiday, September 2, 2011, I began my walking regimen.
I dusted off a pair of walking shoes that had reposed in the basement since my last (and failed) attempt at walking on a daily basis for exercise. Yep, I bought those shoes, wore them a couple of times, had good intentions, but never followed through.
But since I had begun working from home in 2011 and sitting in one spot all day long, I knew I had to get out and stretch my legs – it was time to begin walking in earnest.
“Don’t talk the talk unless you can walk the walk!” – Proverb
It was a sickening hot day to begin walking … you know, the kind of morning where you step outside and it feels like you’re in a locale that Jimmy Buffett might sing about. I almost turned back, but then I remembered that gardening season was beginning to wane and I sure wasn’t getting much exercise walking around the house and down the hall.
So … a fitness routine was launched and that first walk on September 2, 2011 would be the impetus to begin a blog about walking two years later, as well as a renewed interest in photography two years after I began Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy.
I’d say that staying on course that first day of my walk was one of the best gifts I’ve ever given myself. So yes … I followed through on that proverb.
That initial trek was just one long block, in part due to the muggy morning, but also I didn’t want to overdo it and risk shin splints. Gradually I increased my walking steps each day, adding more streets and City blocks along the way. The Winter of 2011-2012 was mild, much like last year’s wonderful Winter, so I was able to walk most days of the season. I was proud of my daily 2 ½ mile jaunt to the footbridge on Emmons Boulevard and back.
I’m now up to five miles most days in the late Spring and Summer … that is, if I don’t dilly-dally in the morning and get out the door in a timely fashion. I try for six or seven miles each day of the weekend when I do longer treks. I can’t fathom how many miles I’ve walked at Council Point Park, which I discovered in 2013, but suffice it to say more miles have been walked there than anywhere else.
I have walked 870 miles/1,400 kilometers so far in 2020 and need to reach 1,255 miles/2,020 kilometers by year end. Whew! I must put my nose to the grindstone and keep my feet on the perimeter path, like my furry friend Parker who is featured in these two photos.
Wherever your treks take you this long holiday weekend, whether they are motoring miles, nautical miles, or if they will be footsteps on a nature path like I will choose to do, please stay safe.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
It’s marvelous that you are still walking. I hope the weather will be good so that you can reach your goal.
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Thanks Anne. We are supposed to have a pretty good weekend weather-wise … originally they said one day of rain, but they keep revising the forecast. I used to mark long holiday weekends with anticipated mileage goals. This was just in my mind, not broadcasting it to the world here in my blog in case I fell short of those “mini goals” – originally I wanted to be at 900 miles by the beginning of the ninth month of the year. So I’m not too far off that mark. Luckily when we’ve had rain it is in the afternoon/evening or a whole-day rain, so rain has not impacted me much this year … the heat/humidity has been a real drag though.
I hope I can reach my goal too and when I’m retired, I will be happy that I can walk any time of the day in the cold-weather months. I sometimes skip weekday walks if it is icy and later in the day the ice melts and I could have gone.
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I’m looking forward to your retirement, too.
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You’ve been walking a long time. Congratulations on sticking to it. I have so many friends who don’t stick to anything longer than 3 months! I’ve been walking since I got my Fitbit in December and average 35 to 40 miles a week. Usually closer to 35. I keep my goals simple so I don’t disappoint myself. You have made it fun by making friends along the way even if it’s wildlife! Here’s to a successful fall.
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Like your friends, I did try while still working and didn’t stick with it, but was only walking weekends and holidays. I don’t have a Fitbit, but bought the pedometer the first year I walked and I was amazed how fast the steps rack up. I can put three or four miles if I do a large grocery store shopping (bringing in pantry items for the Winter) and lugging everything up/down the steps. I have enjoyed walking much more having moved out of the neighborhoods and into parks. You don’t have to watch for cars and broken or raised sidewalks is the biggest plus. Thank you – I hope the weather holds up so I can make my goal.
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That is awesome Linda and that you have tracked how much you walk over the years. Congratulations and here is to many more miles, more wildlife to see and adventures to partake of. 🙂
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Thank you Sandra – I did make an estimate of the years before I kept track (I have a log) and it is in my blog somewhere. I searched around when I wrote the post last night to mention how many since Day #1, but couldn’t find it (the search words don’t always find a post I have discovered). Next year I will go back to only adding one more mile to the next year, which is what I did for previous years – people challenged me for both 2019 and 2020 – specifically this year to walk the same amount of kilometers as the year … that’s where the 2,020 km comes from. When I’m retired, it won’t be a problem reaching a goal as I can go mid-day if it rains or is icy/snowy in the morning. I hope there will be many more nature trips on the road ahead.
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Congratulations on your ability to follow-thru on your walking dreams. Your blog is a wonderful example of what can happen. Here’s to many more healthy miles.
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Thank you Ally. For many years I took the bus to work downtown. I would stand on the main street waiting for the bus and many walkers would pass me by; they were all retirees. I’d chit-chat with them and they would tell me how many miles they walked – I’d be amazed and decided I wanted to do that when I retired. Because of working from home, the opportunity came sooner than I thought. I am happy I started this exercise regimen, blog and taking photos again, which was a hobby I enjoyed when I used to travel.
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💕💕💕
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Congrats on your walking anniversary!
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Thanks AJ – only four months to go and I hope the weather cooperates for me.
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My fingers are crossed for you
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Thanks AJ!
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Way to go Linda! I remember that warm winter well. It was the first year we owned the farm and my husband and I spent a lot of time out their clearing the land. Cutting brush with lopping shears. I wouldn’t mind if we have a winter like that this year. 🙂
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Thanks Ruth! The best thing I’ve done for myself! That was a wonderful Winter and I walked nearly every day – we had snow just a handful of times and just minimal snowfalls. I often think “would I have pursued the walking as much if I’d lost traction on the regiment during the usually bad Winter months?” I don’t have a treadmill so that I could keep walking. I would like another Winter like 2011-2012 – you lucked out being able to work all Winter clearing brush, etc. Last year wasn’t too bad either, though snow the first week of November was no prize and we had one big heavy snow, but I never took the car in the snow one time.
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Pingback: Walk the walk! | LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2020 – Windows From Heaven finding Hope,Comfort,and Inspiration,wherever we might find it!
Thank you for reblogging this post – I appreciate it.
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That is very impressive, Linda! 🙂 Just make sure that you wear top-notch walking shoes or you will be paying for it later on as you age. I think that the arch support in shoes is very important and good shoes with arch supports or with inserts for arch support… is (are) a necessity.
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Thanks Tom! Unless we get bad weather, I should be on track to finish and meet my goal. I started wearing Easy Spirit Punter style and have stuck with that style since 2011. In fact, I have a pair waiting in the wings, and just ordered another two pair a few weeks ago. My shoe store went out of business last year when the woman retired – it had been in business 57 years and the place where I bought my walking shoes and Minnetonka moccasins for in the house. I was sorry to see her go – I asked her advice on what kind of walking shoes to get before I began walking regularly and also asked her advice on Winter hiking boots (New Balance she recommended). I do agree with you – arch support is important, as is not letting the shoes to become run over or walking with run-down heels.
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Congratulations Linda, but you’re making me feel guilty having neglected my walking all summer. I need to start up again consistently. Today was beautiful and no humidity so I visited a couple of waterfront parks. It’s so much nicer when you have something pleasant to look at.
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Thanks Joni! I know I enjoyed walking more after I discovered Council Point Park in 2013, then I started exploring bigger park in 2017. You have the beaches to walk like you had in your last post … we don’t have beaches with sand around where I live, so that’s why I never have any beach shots. I am hoping to meet my goal – walked 7 miles today … getting heavy eyes, but they are shooting off fireworks right now, so guess I’ll stay up as long as possible.
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We had fireworks last night in the neighbourhood too – funny I don’t remember having that when I was a kid – only at the start of summer? Linda – I drafted a new blog in the block editor and went to add a media block but changed my mind about adding a picture and then couldn’t delete the prompt. How do I delete a blog? Think I might stay with classic for awhile, I haven’t the patience for this at the moment. Also, I couldn’t double up on photos, the way I could in the old editor, only one photo at a time? Thanks if you can help. I’ll gmail you some time when I can figure out how to get into gmail – it’s been telling me lately that my browser may be out of date but it isn’t…….Joni
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I am sorry Joni – I am just reading this now. I slept in this morning due to the storm and rain, left for a walk late and was not here at WP until just now. I was going through pictures this afternoon – a month’s worth of pictures from weekend treks and my eyes are running together. You can delete a picture or a paragraph by going all the way down the scroll down menu and it says “delete block” … I do that all the time since I draft in Word and because I use so many pictures, I put asterisks and a description where I want to add pictures, so that when I cut-and-paste the text from Notepad (have to go from Word to Notepad to WordPress to keep it justified) it still has my “notes” so I add the picture or pictures, then have to delete the notation. Also, you will notice that when you put in pictures the text will adjust upward – it may look like you have a big gap, but if you click the text, it tightens up the gap. To delete a whole blog post, just click the link for your draft and you should have the option to delete it. I have only deleted one thing and it was a blog post I had already set to publish for Wordless Wednesday and then I found out about the word “splooting” – I wanted to retool that blog post because I just had “We are Acting Squirrelly” for the title. Because of my issues in the past with revising a post and then it does not appear in Reader, I just deleted it and redid it altogether … the deleted post goes into the area where your “pending” and “approved” and “SPAM” is, then just delete it for good. I keep getting the message that my browser is out of date and to use “Edge” … I don’t want to use “Edge” and I am still on Windows 7 so don’t want to use something for a Windows 10 interface. I don’t like Microsoft and I have to use Microsoft for work – Apple/Mac is not compatible, but a lot of things Microsoft does does not sit well with me at all. I was on Chrome earlier today and I was also in photos and I left Chrome “up” – returned to use it and it had the Edge MSN interface and said “you are using an outdated browser” – it was not changed, it was merely to show what it looked like. I clicked it off and it went away.
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Thanks Linda…..I’m really confused and frustrated with WP tonight. I’m trying to do a new post and can’t figure out if I’m in classic or block. The draft is now centred in the middle of the page instead of on the side and all my side toolbar stuff has disappeared? I clicked on the title to try and bring up tags and categories etc and it doesn’t work. I really need to go back and do a tutorial, but the ones I’ve looked at so far don’t see to address these small annoying things…..grr……
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I know – I was very confused in the beginning and to make things worse, I thought I was pretty clear on what I was doing and they began tweaking things again – there used to be three common items I used: images, paragraph and headlines … that’s all I use, nothing else, and they were up at the top, now they have all kinds of categories and I have to “search” in the search feature to find what I want. It seems to me every time I go to make a post, there is something new … sometimes Preview works, sometimes it doesn’t work, but I switch browsers and it is fine. I was told to use “Firefox” for optimal result when I had the issue with the posts not showing up in Reader. So that is the only browser where Preview doesn’t not work half the time – I have to use another browser, try Preview – then it’s fine. Since I am already totally in the Block Editor, I don’t think the option of Classic or a Hybrid Classic/Block shows up for me now.
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Thanks Linda….I know how to delete a whole blog post, but I don’t see this, “You can delete a picture or a paragraph by going all the way down the scroll down menu and it says “delete block”??? I’ll look tomorrow. I think I’ve been half in classic and half in block and the draft has jumped from the right side to the left side and sometimes it’s in the centre, and sometimes I can’t get the classic toolbar to come up and so I hit add block and other times it’s popping up all over. I drafted a blog tonight with 24 pics in it, and very little text and it took me 2 1/2 hours……maybe tomorrow I’ll just do a test draft and play around with things. I think when I start in classic it should stay in classic, why should I have to keep choosing classic blocks, and then other times it’s in block with the block toolbar? Thanks for your help Linda….going to bed early tonight as I hardly slept last night due to the thunderstorm and then the hydro was out during the night too. Tonight another thunderstorm and rain tomorrow again……so depressing. As for my browser – I’ll call the tech people. I thought the browser automatically updated, as I’ve never had that before with my main internet. My Firefox is up to date, but not Google Chrome. You go to bed early too!
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I have noticed that the interface is different depending on the browser Joni. Right now I am on the old laptop (2009 HP) and I am using “Secure Browser” – I’ve had it on there for year, but I was using Gmail earlier.
I sent some things to my regular computer and use Gmail to do that – I set up the Gmail account to do videos – haven’t tried that on the phone yet. Yes, just scroll down in that one block and it will save “remove block” … the very end. I hope I could help as it probably looks very different in what I see as I am totally Gutenberg … preview what you do in different browsers. I only use Firefox for creating posts (or deleting SPAM) – nothing more so nothing collects in the cache. I like Firefox as it is always updating itself automatically. I am following in your footsteps – we had that same storm and there will be two overnight – ugh. And a week of rain – double ugh.
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I forgot to say that I never remember having fireworks any other time either. This is a whole new concept here … years ago we had neighbors who used to go out on their front porch at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve and they took pots and lids and bang them together. They still live there and are very nice and stopped doing that … but no one had ever done that before.
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Your “one step” away from becoming Michigan’s Forest Gump!
I bet your so happy you started walking! It’s lead you on many great adventures!
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I am hoping for great weather the end of the year to finish my goal Wayne … I walked 7 miles today at two large parks. I do hope we don’t have lots of soggy/wet/rainy days nor ice/snow to reach that goal. I am happy I started walking – I truly believe it was one of the best things I’ve done for myself as it did become the start of many great adventures!
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good for you! Your a true inspiration!
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Thanks Wayne – I am happy to be an inspiration. Hopefully I didn’t bite off more than I can chew. At least one good thing that is “2020” will hopefully happen if I reach my 2,020 km goal. We have another cool morning, 53 degrees. It will be an exhilarating walk for sure. I am breaking out a sweatshirt today … Wednesday we’re back to the muggies again.
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Nature likes you to suffer!
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Yes it does!
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Hally walk-iversary, Linda! So, walking was the start of everything. First walking, then blogging about your walks, then photographing the interesting sights you see to add to your blog.
Good luck with your ambitious goal this year. It seems like you are on track to meet or exceed it. I am wishing for some good walking weather for you this fall!
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Thanks Laurie – I walked a lot today – it was very cool here (nice change from the humidity and heat) so I got about seven miles walked at two large parks this morning. Unless we have a lot of rain or early snow, I hope to make that goal – I would not have added so many miles to this year’s goal, but I was challenged to go 2,020 km to match the year … that was before the year 2020 turned into a year we would like to forget.
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congrats on the anniversary – and next year will be a decade!
– and my my – form just one long block to now reaching step goals and having adventures – quite the testimony to walk a walking regime can bring
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Thanks Yvette – I almost “fudged” a little and said if technically I began in 2011, it could be actually be a decade, but that was pushing it a little. I have high hopes to continue for a long time. My favorite walking shoes were on sale at Macy’s for 40% off recently so I got two more pair to join the other brand-new pair. They are like slippers to me. I’ve never had a heel blister (something any walker would dread) in all my years of walking.
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oh the right sneakers are everything and you were smart to buy up a couple of the pairs you love.
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I really hope to add more walking into my life in the coming years – I was every day for a while this year – now – barely three times a week
but I have been doing the pull-ups on an one the door pull up bar – started by just holding for 40 to 60 seconds (fast counting) and now I can three pull ups.
also – did my first yoga class this week – first one in months – felt good.
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and so cheers to a decade of walking and many more years to come for you
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Well it is a safe exercise right now in a pandemic and I am lucky to have a wide variety of places to go for short walks or longer walks on the weekend. The store I bought my walking shoes the last decade closed last year. The Easy Spirit Punters were recommended by the owner who was an avid walker herself.
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I so admire your commitment to walking. Are you a power walker? I don’t see how you could be with all the pictures and visits from the critters. How long do you walk each day when you go for 6 miles?
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Hi Diane – No, you are right, I am not a power walker. In fact, there are two women who are power walkers at the Park. One (Linda) is the woman I saw at the two Metroparks on her bicycle about six weeks ago. I’ve not seen her since that Sunday. I saw one (Maggie) last weekend. She works for the school system, and they are back to school (administrative staff only), so if I see her it will be on weekends only. I used to see them 3-4 days a week and I walked with them a few times and could not keep up. They slowed down for me but I walked one loop and that was it … I don’t really find power walking enjoyable because I like to stop and take pictures and feed the squirrels and birds. I was thinking, and almost mentioned it in this post, that if I did not stop for pictures and feeding peanuts, I likely would have many more miles. On a daily basis on weekdays I either drive to the Park and do five “loops” and if I walk through the neighborhood, from my house to the Park is one mile each way. That takes me twenty minutes to do one mile.
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Last time I walked it took me 30 or 35 minutes….lol I wasn’t taking pictures either!
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That’s okay Diane – I don’t walk fast as it takes the enjoyment out of walking for me. I will tell you something funny though. Every year Michigan has the walk across the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day. It has been going on for years and an average of 60,000 people go across the Bridge. The total distance is five miles from where you get on at the beginning of the Bridge to where you exit the Bridge. It is an item on my bucket list to do this one day. They cancelled it back in May due to COVID. Anyway, our former Governor (Snyder) was an avid walker and he did the Bridge walk in just under one hour – I said “no way!”
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Is it 5 miles one way? How do you get back to your car?
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Almost a decade of conscious walking – congratulations, Linda! There’s probably nothing more simple or better any of us could do for our physical health and mental well-being.
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I agree Barbara – I am not into power walking, just walking and taking it all in as I walk, which I especially love doing in parks. I am sure I would be walking more miles if I didn’t stop to feed the critters and take pictures, but that’s part of what draws me to the park every day … it is a pleasurable experience. The Park I walk in daily was on lockdown for a month – it was not the same walking in the neighborhood.
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Impressive indeed Linda. What is your average walk length?
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Thanks Michael – I usually walk five miles from late Spring and all Summer and once the sun gets up later in the morning, I only get 3 1/2 to 4 miles. On the weekends I generally go at least 6, sometimes 7 miles. Snow/ice is when the walking takes a hit. I really should have a treadmill like you do, but there is nowhere to put it in the basement. Lots of clutter, although I do have an exercise bicycle down there.
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Keep on walking, Linda!
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Thanks Pam – I tell no lies when I say walking is the best thing I ever did for myself.
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It’s bike 🚲 riding for me, Linda. And also the nightly walks with the pooch, Apollo. 🐕
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All good exercise Pam – when I saw the walker from Council Point Park on her bike at one of the Metroparks a few months ago, she told me she rides 30-35 miles a day. That’s a lot of miles. They have great bike path trails that connect three or four Metroparks together without going through street traffic and the entire round trip is 49 miles Apollo benefits as well as you. 🙂
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Wow, quite a roundtrip!
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Yes, you would not want to sit down for a while. My boss used to ride daily (weather permitting) to Belle Isle which is an island park near the office. He’d go out mid-day, ride over to Belle Island and around the perimeter of the island several times, racking up 26 miles by the time he got back to the office. He did that up to two years ago when traffic got too crazy, so now he drives over and rides. He is now 73 years old.
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And probably in good shape!
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Yes, especially for his age and he is bummed because all year around he swims with a swim team at a local high school He/wife pay for pool time at 6:30 a.m. six days a week. He does 1 1/2 miles daily. He also swims two nights a week. Gyms/pools opened in Michigan today but not his swim program. He swam in an outdoor pool since Memorial Day but it closed on Labor Day.
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I used to swim 🏊♀️ in high school. Logged a lot of pool hours. Now I bike.🚲🤪
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So did my boss – he swam competitively and and won a scholarship to Northwestern University. He did undergrad there but got his law degree at Wayne State University in Detroit. Good exercise as to swimming, but too bad the season is so short, unless you have access to an indoor pool three seasons of the year. At least biking can be done in Spring and Fall as well.
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I’ve always admired the way you stick to your walking routine – rain, shine, or snow. Walking is so simple and easy, and most of us can start just by walking out our doors. Happy walk-a-versary!
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Thanks Janis – I am glad I began the walking regimen, the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am making the most of it now as Fall will soon start to close in, then Winter – sigh.
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