I am a slow learner. Every time I've worked out at a gym or taken a class, the instructor always has us stretch at the beginning to warm up, and at the end in the cool down. I've heard workout gurus on TV say "Always stretch before you work out and after". Me? Not so much. I take off on my daily walk, down the hill to the entrance to the neighborhood (1/2 mile) turn around and come back up. At home, I'm usually ready to just grab a towel to dry off and then collapse. I think those 3 days of pain finally woke me up. I've learned to stretch.
I'm not fond of walking up and down hills. I kind of liked walking in Florida where it was flat. I didn't hurt as much! Well, hills are what I've got so I guess it's time to learn to manage them.
The downhill part is fine! I've often grumbled that it's not fair that the only way to my house at the end of my walk is uphill, when I'm already tired. But the other day I realized how lucky I actually am.
So far I've managed to walk right after breakfast, because it is cooler then. I don't do much in the way of warm-ups, but the first half mile is all downhill, so that has become my warm-up. The other day as I was walking I felt like I was getting shin-splints. At the bottom of the hill I took a few moments to stretch out my legs and calves before I began the walk back up. On the way up I realized that the reason I don't get shin splints often when I walk is because that uphill climb has the same stretching effect. The front of my legs get the break, while the calves do the work.
And at home, I no longer collapse, but take several minutes to stretch my legs, back, arms and neck. You know what? I haven't had a sore day since! Who'd have guessed!
Today's total--12,600 steps
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