Fitness Journey 24 March

 The World Figure Skating Championships start today, after a hiatus last year because Covid, and are being televised on Eurosport this morning, starting at 09:00.  And I know me, once I settled down in front of them, I'll not be moving again.  But we didn't have enough bread for lunch and I didn't go out yesterday because I had - still have, but it's improving - a swollen and painful gland under my left ear.  So I got up early and went out to Sainsbury's before breakfast.  I don't know why Google fit thinks I wiggled up and down Tremadoc Road - I totally didn't!  I did, however, stop to take a photo of where Mr Fox had had his breakfast: 

Poor pigeon!  Actually, it might have been a sparrowhawk took it rather than a fox, but....

So anyway, rather a dull walk, but fairly brisk, to Sainsbury's, round Sainsbury's to get what I wanted, and home again.  I bought croissants, thinking that if the Swan Whisperer had had his breakfast, he could have his with his coffee.  "No," he said, "I waited, because I wondered if you'd buy something like that!"  Hopeful, much?

Music: Abba

Fitness Journey, 22 March

 

Google Fit appears less pessimistic than Huawei Health, and it doesn't keep interrupting you to tell you you have done another kilometer!  So if I want to track but don't want intrusive tracking, I know which one to use.

It was not, it has to be said, the longest of walks, but it was one I've been putting off all week.  I wanted to go to the bandstand on Clapham Common for a minute's silence to respect Sarah Everard, and all other young - and not young - women who are afraid to walk the streets at night.  With excellent reason, alas.

So I caught a 355 to Clapham South tube station, and then walked across the Common as you see above.  I didn't walk fast as it was a lovely day, and I kept stopping to take photos.  It must be well over a year since I was last there - if I want a park, I tend to go to Brockwell Park or even Windmill Gardens. 

When I got to Clapham Common station, I caught a 37 home, and then went into Lidl, forgetting to restart my trackers until I was half-way round, but never mind that!  Then home.   So far today that is 3,980 steps according to my phone, 3,976 according to my wristband and 4,254 according to Google Fit!  So roughly 4K, which is about what I wanted, but only 18 minutes of brisk walking, not the 20 I aim for.  But I didn't have any music - I did take my headband with me, but it didn't seem appropriate at first and then I just didn't want it, much too nice a day.  But I do walk faster if I have Abba or something like that blaring in my ears!

Fitness Journey, 19 March

This walk felt longer than it actually was, partly because I was on unfamiliar territory, which sounds silly since I was barely more than 500 metres from the flat, as the crow flies, but we don't walk that way very often.

I had vaguely thought I would go up to Clapham Common, but realised, by the time I got to the junction of Clapham Park Road and Abbeville Road, that this was probably not going to happen, as I was a bit out of breath already.  So I turned left down Park Road, and when I got to St James' Church I realised I really didn't know what happened south of there, and carried on.  When I got to more-or-less the end of the road, there was a school, and I didn't know what it was.  There were parents beginning to wait outside to pick up their children so I didn't go near them, but looked to my left, and there was the Londis at the entrance to the Estate!  I was on Crescent Lane, and the school was what used to be called Clapham Park School, back in the day, and was for visually-impaired children, and then it became the visually-impaired unit of King's Acre School (now King's Avenue School) and now it is a faith primary school for Muslim children.  I hadn't realised how much bigger it was behind than what is visible from King's Avenue.

So I came up Crescent Lane, across King's Avenue and Lyham Road, and then past the old Ashby Mill School site.  I thought I'd go up Branksome Road and go to Lidl, but then realised I have some mushrooms in the fridge and some cream cheese so we can have midweek mushroom pasta for supper and I had no need to shop.  So I came up Strathleven Road, and I'm so glad I did, because when I went past our back gate, I saw there were two beautiful fruit trees in blossom in our garden, so I came in that way to take a photo of them.  Then, I regret to say, I walked round the garden until the app told me I'd done 2k before coming indoors!  I didn't have to go round and round the garden like a teddy bear, though; half a lap was enough!

Music: Abba
 

Fitness Journey, 17 March

 

I didn't track today's walk, as the tracker can be intrusive; however, plenty of steps.  We (probably illegally) drove up to Walthamstow to meet the Daughter outside her house, and went for a walk with her.  The forecast had been fine - the weather, alas, was not, and we ended up sitting on a bench drinking coffee (this is now legal) in the pouring rain!  But it was lovely to see her, and a very pleasant walk.  Then we went to Sainsbury's; it was lovely to be in a huge superstore again - neither of my local ones is a superstore, although we do have a couple within reasonable distance.  Had we been in the motor home, I would have spent a long time walking around it; as it was, I got back to the car before the Swan Whisperer who had decided to use the facilities.  

It took us longer than it should have to drive home; the longest I have been out of the flat for months and months!

Hiatus

My fitness journey has gone on a hiatus for the last few days; the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard just round the corner threw us both completely, and then I had a minor virus (and subsequent post-viral depression) which destroyed my energy levels completely.

I did go out to Lidl yesterday and my watch registered >1000 steps for the day, only a third of my current target.  Today I have not gone out at all, but plan to do a few minutes on the stationery bike before going to cook supper.  And tomorrow we are (possibly illegally?) meeting the daughter and going for a short walk with her, and I hope, very much, that normal service will be resumed on Thursday!  

Fitness Journey, 12 March

 

A very slow walk today.  I think I must have had a minor virus - not THE virus, I've had that, and anyway I've been vaccinated - over the past two days as I felt very "off" on Wednesday (which was always going to be a rest day, did you see the weather forecast?) and not great yesterday, which is why I didn't go out then.  

So today I thought I would go a long way round to Tesco's, as I had some shopping to do for stuff Lidl doesn't sell, and went up Solon Road, across to Ferndale Road (stopping to take a photo of hyacinths in the almshouses garden): 

and so into Brixton, which, despite most of the shops being closed, was heaving!  Then up Acre Lanem stopping for a short sit-down in a bus shelter,  to Tescos, which didn't ask me to queue on entry, but the queues for the checkouts were very long.  I ended up going to a staffed checkout, which I don't normally do, and then of course the PayPlus app decided it wanted me to reenter ALL my details... I felt so sorry for those behind me. 

Anyway, after that I decided to call it a walk, as there was a 355 coming, so got on that.  Only about 500 metres missed, if that, but still.  Not very impressed with myself.

Music: Songs from musicals, followed by yesterday's "From our own correspondent".

Fitness journey, 9 March

The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow - although it is such a lovely day today that seems most improbable.  So I thought I'd better get in my 3k while the getting was good.

There was a funeral at the New Testament Church of God on Lyham Road; our local newsagent died a few days ago of a heart attack.  If times had been normal, we would have attended the funeral; as it was, we did want to pay our respects, so we arranged to meet outside the church.  I went down to Tulse Hill Sainsbury's, as I knew that would be about the right distance, but it really is a manky branch compared to Clapham, and I was in a hurry.  In fact, I nearly forgot to put a mask on because I was concentrating on the Smart Shop app, and had to be reminded by the store staff.  

Anyway, a quick dash round Sainsbury's, and then back along Water Lane and Lambert Road to the church; the funeral was supposed to start at 10:45, but of course it was nearer 11:20 by the time the hearse arrived and the coffin was taken into the church, at which point we came away and home via Strathleven Road.

I am extremely pleased with my times, though - under 15 minutes/km!  I don't think I could have done that without sitting on someone's wall in Lambert Road for half an hour or so, though!

Music: Simply Musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber; Songs from the Musicals.