Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Guest_1055]

I chose to walk on the Coastal walk tonight. Its a bit further south from the breakwall. It is mostly all lit up, lit up from very tall lights on poles. I was walking by myself... so yeah.

It was super windy out there and I could hear the waves like roaring. I could see some of the ocean as I walked along too. The waves were coming in quick, but not large. Which surprised me.

The wind felt cool on my skin, I liked it. It was refreshing compared to our house. It can get stuffy at our place.

I walked past picnic tables, which I have sat at before. Up from those, is a bit of a hill. The hill goes around a corner, and their is a lot of dense vegetation on the left now. It blocks the ocean for a while. On the right is tall apartments, the people living in those would have a beautiful view.

The path levels out, then goes down hill again. You can see the ocean a bit more. It was still roaring away. I kept walking along. Its very flat now, the path. It is flat for a bit of a distance. I walked past a couple of beach side cafes, that were all shut up for the night. I walked to the ocean baths that are here. I looked to see if anyone was in them swimming. But there wasn't. I turned around at the bird /wildlife board thingy. And walked all the way back

[Guest_1055]

This afternoon I went walking with my sister on the breakwater path.

The ocean was quite choppy out near the end of the breakwall. And the wind was blowing strong. At times we got lightly sprayed with water whilst walking out.

Think the beach was closed today. Might have something to do with that volcano eruption.. Not sure.

[Guest_1055]

Went for walk on the beach today. And on the breakwall path. It was so nice out there, so nice to be in the mildly warm sunshine.

I walked in the water, I really could feel myself wanting to swim in the cool water. Just feel too self conscious to do it at the moment. Maybe I can find a quieter beach.

Anyways I did like feeling the coolness on feet and legs. I walked to the end of the beach. And stood leaning up against a flat rock. That also felt cool on my back. The coolness coming right though my shirt. I looked at the ocean for a while. I also noticed shells today on the sand. You don't normally see them here on this beach.

Then as I was simply standing there. This medium sized dog with a wide pink collar came up to me and sat at my feet. Sooo cute. He was one of those short haired dogs with many rolls of wrinkles on her face. Her name was Luna. Luna was on the collar. I gave her a pat. She was super friendly and had a bit of an attitude maybe, because when her humans came it appeared she was digging her feet into the sand. As if to say, "I am not coming" It was adorable. Maybe they were trying to train her. Idk. She eventually went with them. I feel like I had made a friend with this Luna dog. It made me happy.

After a while I headed up to the breakwall path. Just needed to walk up a small sand dune. Not that big really, but left me puffed. So I sat looking over the port for a while. Just plonked myself in the sand along side the path. I watched some boats in the water. They were not cargo ships, maybe fishing vessels of some kind.

After the rest. The second one on this walk

I walked all the way back on the path

[Lillylane]

Hi Shelll and all,

What a lovely experience to have met a dog like Luna - she sounds like a such a sweetie!

My motivation to go walking has been a bit low lately but I’m hoping to get back into it for health reasons (mentally and physically). I did walk this morning so that’s a start, and it was nice and cool.

LL

[Guest_1055]

Hello LL,

Oh yes it is a start. Good on you. Yeah motivation can sort of disappear for various reasons.

I am not always good at doing this... but at times when I haven't been motivated, I will just go for a walk anyway. And the motivation kind of appears again while I am walking.

Did you walk around where people's gardens are?

Luna definitely was a sweet dog. Such a cute wrinkly face and way about her

Shelley

[Guest_1055]

Walking along the path on the breakwater tonight, I saw this little boy properly around 2 years old. A little one that looked like he was from India. He was swinging from his father's hip almost upside down. I absolutely loved its laughter. It just felt nice to hear.

The breeze was so welcoming coming off the ocean.

[Guest_1055]

Breakwall walk last night..

This morning I walked in a large park that had 2 avenues of tall trees. Was bordered by farmland. Had a childrens play ground in it. And timber picnic tables scattered around up near the carpark.

I made my way to the avenue of trees, because it looked quite and restful. And was so very shady. And I once I was walking underneath these trees, I felt so cool. What's that drawing term where you look in a straight line and the end appears narrow compared with at the beginning? Well that is how these trees looked as I peered down the middle. So beautiful. I walked barefoot under here. There was a bit of a worn path through the grass. The grass was such a glossy deep green colour. And it felt soft, as I did walk through that as well. The grass was soft and green mostly near the trees though. Some of the other grass not so green and soft. I walked to the end of this avenue. Perhaps you could call it a man planted forest. It had a forest feel to it. Then I turned at a 90 angle and walked down the other avenue.

On the way back, I noticed black cows all huddled together getting some shade under a wide tree in the adjoining farmland. And up near the carpark where 2 horses also under the shade of a wide tree. They were watching the coming and going of carpark. That is what it looked like to me.

[Guest_1055]

Later on today I finally braved it and went swimming at the beach. It was a quiter beach... I bit more south then the beaches near the breakwall. Nice cool water, beautiful fresh air.

[Guest_1055]

Been almost a week since I went for a walk. I went today on the breakwall. It was super windy... Not breezy... But windy. So windy that it was challenging to walk. Especially back. Gritty sand was blowing into my face, and legs. And I felt that tiny sting when the grains of sand hit my skin. It was challenging walking into the wind, as it felt like I was being pushed back. That's life isn't it. It cannot all be pleasant. I didn't like the stinging sensation either. But I guess it told me I was physically alive.

I didn't walk right to the end as the spray from the waves on the breakwall were unpredictable.

[Guest_1055]

I went for a walk this afternoon and yesterday on breakwall Path. I wasn't feeling that good emotionally, but I did notice that I did feel a little better after the walk. Not a lot. But some. Breathing in fresh ocean air just feels different to the air where we live. We don't live that far from the ocean. But still it feels different to me.

Yesterday I looked over the rail at the doggy beach. And there was a small sausage dog running.... but it didn't quite look like running, more like bouncing along. Soooo adorable. It just looked happy.

The waves were a bit rough yesterday... so sprays of water were rising up and over the path. Every now and then, I would feel a mist of water.

Today I also walked not only on Breakwall Path but a walk to find a new woolworths. A mini metro one. It definitely was mini.