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......

[Shell4]

Yesterday at night time I went walking out near the beach with my son. 

[Happylife]

That sounds fantastic. Walking near the beach is so beneficial for both mental and physical health. 

The sound of the waves and the feeling of sand beneath your feet can be very calming which helps to reduce stress and makes you feel happy...

Take care

Happylife

[Shell4]

Yesterday I went walking out near the ocean and on the breakwall. I pushed my little nephew in his pram for a little while

[Shell4]

Early this morning around 6am I started walking on the breakwall. As soon as I opened the car door my body noticed the fresh ocean air. Nice. I headed towards the wall on the path noticing runners too. Some running  back from the direction of the break wall. Some running towards it. I started walking at a slower pace , but soon felt like running. The desire to run was from the caffeine hit from the iced mocha I just finished drinking. And maybe the sugar hit as well. I hardly drink coffee of any sort so when I choose to my body really can get such a dose of incredible energy. Coffee is not a habit of mine as frequent use of it makes anxiety worse. Sleeping patterns worse. Makes me jumpy and on edge. I can only drink it earlier in the day otherwise there would be no sleeping that particular night. So anyway I really enjoyed drinking it this morning.

At 6am it was just light enough to see without a torch. I walked along breathing in the air and physically feeling alive. And I just felt thankful that I was out there. The doggie beach was deserted , the part of the beach I could see. Runners were running past me. Though today I was walking quicker then I normally would become of you know what. I watched a small dog running along with their human person. He kept looking back a few times properly to keeping on  seeing the other dog he just ran past. Very cute. 

I noticed the water on the port side, it was still a little dark looking. But the tall lights on the border of the path made it visible a bit. More and more runners past me in both directions. A couple people were walking like me. But majority were runners. I was approaching light house hill and some of that normally opened path area near it was fenced off , fenced off with a solid fence. I found myself curious to know what was happening behind it. Maybe one day I will find out.The gates on the road going up to the lighthouse were locked as it was still pretty early in the day. I kept walking still feeling the invigorating air on me. I felt just slightly cold but it was ok.

Some moving lights were approaching me. Some bikes. I kept walking now seeing the beach on the right of me and port water on the other side. There are no tall lights on poles now. So ahead was a tad darker though I could tell the sun was just below the horizon as it had a faint light out there. I kept walking towards it. The ocean was a little rough as I noticed the wet below my feet. So I was cautious of getting wet by the water splashing up and over the path. I did hear it at one point just splash behind me as I walked. I heard a roaring sort of sound first then the sound of water hitting the concrete path.

As I was nearing the end of the breakwall, I found myself all by myself. The morning sun was creeping up more but still had not risen. I paused as I got to the end then turned around and walked back. I was glad to soon see two people walking heading towards me. Then a few more runners past me as they were running to the end I guessed.

I few times I heard the water splashing on over on the path. It was getting lighter now. The day was waking up more and more. I turned around a couple of times to see if the sun was up. But it still wasn't. So I just kept walking. I walked right to the end and then some more. Onto another path that goes past the beach kiosk which was opened. People were lining up just outside of it. I walked all past that , heading towards the ocean baths. I lent over the rail looking for the sun. It was just about up now. I walked through the entrance opening of the ocean baths. There were swimmers doing laps. Some people sitting on the seats and some walking around. There was a portable stand selling coffee. I used the bathroom just near there.

As I walked out I stood near the baths and just looked around. I soon left and headed back. I glanced up to the right of me. The sun was out now. A round ball of light and  shadows of light coming through the clouds. Then I felt tiny spots of rain, not a lot, but enough that I had rain drops on my shirt.

I made it back to the car. And I thought I did really enjoy this walk and felt inspired to come more often at this time in the morning.

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Shell,

I really enjoyed reading about your walk early this morning. It really is a wonderful time to be out. I loved hearing how energised you felt in the fresh air, fuelled by coffee, and getting to see all the other morning activity with runners, walkers and dogs. I enjoyed hearing about the swimmers in the ocean baths too. That is such a great way to start the day. I love it when the sun is near the horizon and you get those beams of light that come through the clouds. I have wanted to get out early for a while and you are inspiring me to do it. I seem to usually walk in the afternoon because I seem so slow in the morning lately. I won't be able to go early tomorrow because of another commitment, but might see how I go on Monday morning.

Late this afternoon I went to my favourite spot by the ocean. There is a new walking track that I have been on another section of before. Today I walked on the section I hadn't been on yet. It is through coastal heathland right next to the ocean. It was very windy. I saw a large group of seagulls bobbing about on the ocean which was very rough. I wondered why they did that instead of sitting on nearby rocks, as they didn't seem to be fishing but just sort of going up and down in the choppy ocean. Then I wondered if they were doing that for fun, just as dolphins like to ride the waves. 

I only went so far and then turned back to go to my favourite rocky hill to watch the sunset. Just before that I visited a rock pool below the hill where I have seen an octopus before and small, stripy fish. I did not see any creatures in the rock pool today. The sea was spilling into the pool from both ends with the tide being quite high. I then climbed the hill and lay down and had a rest on the rock which was warm from the sun. I watched the fluffy clouds above me. When I sat up the sun was a big golden ball near the horizon. The rocks up there looked almost red in the setting sun. When I got back to near the car park there were tourists taking photos. I'm really glad I went out there today.

[Shell4]

Hi ER,

Yes the sun rising is beautiful like everything is brand new sort of thing going on. And walking amongst all those fit people running felt like I was in their " fit club". This encouraged me I think.

Ah a new track for you. Or rather part of a new track. Can be adventurous. I have seen sea gulls bopping on the water too. I don't know why they do it but they look cute.

An octopus... Maybe I will take a look into some rock pools as well next time I am out there. Your warm rock place always sounds like a nice calm spot to rest.

I am glad you went on out too. Being near the ocean, breathing in the fresh air just feels good. 

[Shell4]

Just arrived back home from a walk around the neighbourhood here. It was about a 30 minute walk. We walked to the end of our street, turned right then straight up a slightly hilled road. There is a servo across the main road which is opened 24 hours. It was light up a lot tonight.

Walking up this slight hilly section had me puffing a little. We past the children's playground on the left and a few houses. Further up there is a home that is always busy looking. It has a lot of cars parked outside. The area around the house is full of many kinds of plants that give it a jungle type look. Tonight I noticed their front door opened which allowed this cooking type aroma come waffling out. Maybe some kind of spicy thing. It kind of smelt nice. 

You can smell quite a few different scents when you walk around the neighbourhood here. Earlier we smelt some kind of laundry liquid ( we thought) perhaps from someone washing there clothes.

Anyway after the spicy house we crossed a street then continued on up. Up to the end ,then up on a path near the traffic lights. There is a school just here. The school sign has some letters missing in the name of the school. So it says something.......... sfield public school.

It was pretty dark out tonight with just a tad if breeze. I looked at the leaves on some trees they were not moving much at all. We were going to walk to the tyre place but we were chatting and walked right by it. So we continued to the next intersection turned here and walked back home.

[Shell4]

Tonight I walked in our neighbourhood with my son.

We turned right this time from our front path and walked to the other end of the avenue. At this end is a school,we turned left and walked past the local fire station. It is here I heard some bats, that noise that they make. I don't really like that noise at all. We quickly went on to the intersection and turned another left. This takes us along the main road, we walked on the path here. Past the Catholic primary school. Yes there are three schools very close to us. Normally you can see the Catholic school vegetable gardens through the fence, but not tonight it had some kind of netting on the fence. Not sure why. We walked on by the light of my phone torch. We walked past house after house. And the servo was coming up on the right all with its lights on. We turn slightly left up to the slightly hilly road that we normally walk on. Someone was leaving in their car and I heard another person say "goodbye and have fun" to them. We walked on chatting up this road. It gives an opportunity for my son to talk with me. I have learnt so much tech related stuff from him as that is what he is in to.

We walk past the children's playground and now heading along towards the spice house on the corner. There were no waffling aromas coming from any open doors. I was getting a little puffed, but all good. I am hoping I will become more fit soon and then will be able to walk better and enjoy it more. There we not many cars tonight on the road. I could feel a very gentle breeze. On we went up to the lights near the next school. We walked past the tyre place to the same intersection we got to last time. Turned around and walked back. I am thankful I walked tonight.

[Eagle Ray]

Hi Shell,

Your night walks sound lovely. There is a really different atmosphere at night. I feel like maybe because it is darker we become more aware of other things, like smelling different scents and hearing different sounds. I remember you mentioning the house with the jungle type look before. I like seeing houses surrounded by plants. I love walking at night actually. I have walked down by the river here at night when it is very still and the moon is shining down on it. So beautiful. When I was visiting here 10 years ago before I lived here, I was up before dawn with some other people, and we saw thousands of silver fish jumping out of the water. I really like the way you describe your night walks and I feel like I'm actually there.

Yesterday I went for a walk in the late morning again in the woodland across the road from here. It was gently warm, neither too hot nor cold. The sunlight was shining through the canopies of the trees creating a dappled shadow effect on the ground. At one stage a dirt bike rider went past me, but he slowed down so he didn't create too much dust, so I didn't get covered in it, and he waved as he went past.

Today I went down to the river in the late afternoon. There was a strong breeze and two people were out on what I think are called wing foil boards where they hold this sail or kite thing while balancing on what looks like a surfboard with a fin underneath. Somehow it works so that they are above the water with the wind catching beneath the board and the fin kind of balancing it. After watching that for a little bit I walked to where there is a big rock and sat down on a bench for a while. Then I walked up through some forest until I came to houses and walked back to the main road and then home.

[Shell4]

Morning ER,

Yes I agree when walking out at night our other senses become more alive like the sense of smell and hearing. I think because sight can diminish in the darkness.  Now I wonder if it is like that for people who are blind.

Oh wow so many silver fish jumping ER that would have been amazing to see actually.

I like it sometimes when strangers wave at me for whatever reason. It is like I receive "I do actually exist sort of thing feeling". I am not invisible and a tiny feeling of connection to another human happens. 

Is this the same rock you lay on and feel the warmth from. And the same bench . I am guessing so 

I looked up the wing foil board because after reading what you said I was curious to know what it looked like. It looks like a fin like you mentioned and then it has another part attached to that ,that stays under the water. I thought maybe a rudder like on a boat. But I am unsure how it works. And somehow the board is not on the water just like you said. I really don't get how it does that. I will look into it more because I am quite curious as to how it works.

Hoping you are doing alright