Winter Walks
Jan 7th, 2008 by QuirkyVegan
I have been limiting my computer time recently to spend more quality time with the HTB and get a bit more active. Funny, because Lea Woodward wrote this guest post for Zen Habits on a similar theme.
Last week I went a bit crazy and spent some serious cash (well for me anyway) on a new pair of Berghaus walking boots. HTB and I went for a country walk over fields and through the woods, before ending up in the pub (for a nice veggie hotpot and coke since I’m off the booze). Three and a half miles was quite sufficient for a non-fit person like myself. It was bright but cold, which is good. I can cope with cold weather, because you just wrap up extra warm. What I can’t stand is lashing rain and relentless wind, and those sorts of walks with super-athletic friends who turn it into a route-march. No, I’m more of a leisurely-type walker, and fortunately so is HTB.
I also went walking round the park at lunch time for a good half hour with a friend from work on Friday. It was good as it was a nice chance to catch up and get away from my desk (my new, goldfish-bowl style existence in the college job shop). This weekend, HTB and I have also gone for a couple of walks along the sea-front, which is a good hour’s leisurely walk. Hopefully the weather will be favourable for another country walk next weekend.
The Christmas tree and associated decorations are all down now. HTB and I planted the tree in the back garden, we’ll see if it grows or not. The roots were quite crammed in the bottom of the pot and HTB had to saw the pot off without harming the roots. I don’t think that HTB really enjoyed digging the hole for the tree, it was quite cloddy and muddy outside.
This week I also went to the gym and booked an induction. The idea is that I can go in the mornings before work, as the gym opens at 7pm and is about 100 metres from the Goldfish Bowl. The thinking behind this is that:
1) I don’t mind getting up early. True, I’m no fan of the dark mornings, but I can cope. In fact I might not need to get up any earlier if I plan properly.
2) It gets it over with for the day and leaves me feeling smug that I DID IT!
3) Exercise is supposed to boost your endorphins, so that will help set me up for the day.
4) It won’t cut into my study time (the OU course starts back in February) or my cuddle time with HTB.
It remains to be seen how this will work out. I *intend* to get up at 6.30 am, get dressed into my gym gear, have a cup of tea, take my work clothes/makeup with me, do 30mins at the gym and then get showered and ready for work. I start work at 8.30, so including the time it takes me to drive to work (usually 20 mins, but since I will avoid the school run traffic it will take about half that), I think I would be ok.
I want to do it every day as it’s easier to build it into a routine if you do it every day rather than 2-3 times a week. Too easy to make excuses 
So who else is getting active? Are you an active person who has any tips for the couch-potato at this keyboard?
