Hi. I'm new, and long-winded.

[dede]

Hi All,

I discovered SG via Krista's Sumptuous site (http://tinyurl.com/6yhk9) just a couple of days ago. I'm one of those evil gym goers, but would like to add in a "useable exercise" component as well. I've also been gearing up (mostly in my own head) to urban ranger a lot more.

I have a bunch of really stupid excuses that even p!$$ me off (I don’t want to walk past the scary apt complexes; I don’t want to walk past the bus stop with the scary bus riders; in the winter, I don’t want to ruin my work clothes on my walk; I don’t have the right clothes for this; how will I ever get up an hour EARLIER than I already do? and the whining just goes on and on ad nauseam).

So after inspiration from several sources, especially this one, I decided TODAY was THE day. No, I didn’t walk to work, but I did walk to my lunch errand and back. It took my entire lunch hour, and very little of that was spent in the store (yeah!).

The errand I ran was to the hardware store to purchase my first sledgehammer - an 8 pounder with a lovely wooden handle.

The experience of walking back to work past one of the scary apt complexes and one of the scary bus stops WITH a sledgehammer in my hand was very liberating. I think I may be able to manage it without a sledgehammer next time. LOL

About 5 minutes into my walk it started to rain pretty good and was also quite windy (gotta love the Pacific NW). Luckily on Friday’s we dress casually in my office so I’d worn jeans (partly why I decided I could embark on this adventure today). Plus, I also keep an extra pair of tennies and sox at work, so the fact that the back of my legs are now drenched for the afternoon really isn’t a big deal. Any other day, though, this would not do. I definitely need some rain gear.

I also realized today that if I had my headphones on and was listening to music or a book on tape I would be much less focused on irrational scarinesses. Oh, all the books I could experience!

Next week I’ll be housesitting so won’t be able to walk to and from work, but I can definitely do more with my lunch hour… like walk to the store and check out some rain pants and waterproof walking shoes, and a warm, hooded rain coat. Sheesh, for that matter I can also take the dog I’ll be staying with for a walk in the evenings! She’ll love that… and so will I.

Glad to have stumbled on such a life-affirming site.

DeDe

[Karl]

Welcome DeDe,
The regular UR outings have really helped me in many ways - hope it works for you too. Keep safe and be careful out there.

Hmmm, the sledge hammer for self defense - I like it. Could be a group called "Thor's Thumpers" or "Hannah's Hammers". Gets my Viking blood going.

Tired, silly, and going to bed,
Karl

[reinhard]

Welcome, Dede (sorry for the delay, you've read about Weekend Luddite, haven't you?).

Books on tape are urban ranger are a natural fit -- I'd barely have time to "read" anything if it weren't for combining them.

I hope your fears are indeed irrational and that you thoroughly overcome them, and get healthy, slim, and knowledgeable in the process (what an odd bunch of birds to kill with one stone).

Keep us posted,

Reinhard

[dede]

I did it! I walked to work today. The first day of many.

It took me 45 minutes door to door and felt amazing. I picked this day because this is probably one of the most difficult days to start this new regime... it's pouring rain and there's a mandatory early morning meeting on Monday's. Plus, there's no time like the present, eh?

I figure, if I can do this today, I can do this any day. Plus, in the Pacific NW if you wait for a nice day to do something, you may as well not even get off the couch.

So in case anyone is interested in how I combatted my excuses, here what I did...

Scary Places & People – listened to music to distract me from my own irrational thoughts, listened to songs that inspire strength and confidence, pretended that I’m not afraid.

Leaving an Hour Earlier – went to bed 90 minutes earlier last night, set alarm for 90 minutes earlier (just to show it who’s really boss), took a double shot of condensed coffee (placed on my bedside table next to my alarm) immediately after hitting the snooze. Woke up before the alarm went off a second time.

Destruction of Work Wardrobe – wore something different on the walk & packed my work clothes with me, remembered I already did this everyday for a year and a half while living in Japan! Duh!!

Overcoming my own crap is amazing, exhausting, exhilarating, liberating, terrifying, and totally awesome. I highly recommend it.

Life is good.

[carolejo]

Wow! That's super cool, Dede!!! Well done you. You say it took 45 minutes door to door. How long would it have taken you before, when you didn't walk? Is it very much longer, time wise? I found that sometimes the rush hour traffic is so bad, it actually takes just as long to take the bus as it would to walk it.

Your comment about the double coffee shot made me chuckle. Reminds me of back when I was in college and burning the candle at both ends for real. I used to do something similar, but with caffeine tablets instead.

...Word of warning though - it took me most of the 3 month summer break to wean myself back off the caffeine addiction.

C.

[dede]

My vehicular commute is normally only about 15 minutes, but not nearly as fun as my new pedestrial commute. Walking to and from work is definitely a planned and prepared for activity for me, but like most things which require some allocation of resources and forethought, seem to offer more rewards.

I've decaffinated myself a few times over the years, so I know the drill. I try to do so periodically just to prove I could live without the chemicals if I wanted to. For now, it's just a tool in helping me achieve something bigger. Hence, the shot versus a lovely cuppa to sip and savor. Furthermore, I don't drink any other coffee or caffinated beverages during the day or on the weekends. Just my pre-consciousness AM shot.

[dede]

Waahhhhh!

My family has ganged up on me. They are apparently very concerned about my new practice of walking to work. Actually, it’s not the walk TO work as much as the walk home in the pitch black past a couple of questionable apt complexes. The fact that I wear reflective strips on my ankles and wrists, and carry mace and a tazer is not enough to inspire confidence in them. I checked with one of the women at work who knows the area AND is an adventurous spirit AND is a worrisome mother. She said she had to agree with my folks.

Since this was originally one of my own fears I beat into submission to face this challenge, I’m thinking that as disappointing as it is, I may have to postpone my pedestrial commute until the Spring months when it’s still light outside until 6:00pm. I quess there's a difference between overcoming a fear and plain ol' stupidity. (Who knew?!?)

I’ll still do my running around at lunch time on foot (as I’ve been doing for quite a while now), but it’s just not the same.

I’m so-o-o-o-o bummed!!

[navin]

Hmm, I wonder which is more likely - getting mugged/hit by a car while walking home from work, or having a heart attack due to lack of exercise?

Not sure if that argument will assuage your family's fears, but it's worth a shot.

Also, to state the obvious - do you have any control over your hours at work? Perhaps you could come in earlier and leave ealier, so you'll have more daylight.

[gratefuldeb67]

Hmm, I wonder which is more likely - getting mugged/hit by a car while walking home from work, or having a heart attack due to lack of exercise?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P&L,
Deb

[carolejo]

I dunno.... Personally I never felt unsafe walking around, even through some pretty dodgy places, but then I'm pretty big and friends tell me I walk like a bloke, so maybe nobody fancies finding out just how much of a pushover I'd be if it actually came down to it

How about having a car accident when driving...? Isn't that more likely than getting mugged or hit by a car when walking?

It's all about risk perception though and I'd never want to sit here and tell you to go out and do it... I mean, what if something awful really did happen?! I don't think I'd be able to live with myself!!!

It's such a shame that our perceptions are so screwed up.

C.

[dede]

Well, the heart attack defense probably won't fly since I already spend an hour every day at the gym. I know, you all hate me now.

Since February of this year, I've lost about 80 pounds (roughly a third of my body weight), so the walking isn't really for weight-loss or heart attack prevention anymore. I'm doing it more for my head now than my waistline. It's more about "living here" in this new body and new life without all the familiar/well-worn coping tools (i.e. food) and support systems (i.e. friends who just want to laze around eating crap). Plus, it's just really fun and it feels good.

My work hours aren't flexible, but I was thinking I could drive part of the way - past the areas of concern. However, that would only give me about 15 minutes worth of fun - just enough of an appetizer to make me really hungry for more. Also, a couple of people I was whining to at work offered to drive me home if I wanted to walk in the morning. I hate to be an imposition, but I know their offer is genuine so I may just take them up on it every once in a while. (I really love where I work.)

I'm still disappointed, but between now and, what February?, my anticipation and eagerness to reclaim that time will probably fester into a monster no one will be able to mess with. Muggers, Accosters, and Kidnappers be damned!

[gratefuldeb67]

I'm guessing you won't be coming to visit NYC much.. LOL..

PS.... No one hates you Dede, so stop talking nonsense....
I am thrilled that you have lost so much weight this year!!!
Wow!
NoS will help you maintain your loss...
I envy the fact that you discovered this, after losing so much of your weight already.... It's really geared towards maintenence...
Peace,
Deb

[Kevin]

Distance parking is not a bad practice.

Look, I'm adventurous and all for the "face the world" attitude. But if there's an inner voice telling you a particular complex is unsafe, listen to it. I have a wife and a daughter and I understand their reluctance to do things I wouldn't think twice about.

If you want to add reason to your intuition, ask a cop what he thinks of the local after dark. Call the police station and see if they keep crime statistics that they will share with you.

But don't ignore your intuition. It's there for a reason. And if you doubt it, ask yourself: are you afraid at work? At home? In more lighted, "safer" neighborhoods? At the gym? If you are not afraid in those situations, your intuition is probably working appropriately.