Fitness Journey, 14 April

 

There really isn't any excuse now.  I have recovered from the food poisoning of a couple of weeks ago.  I have recovered from the walk in Epping Forest (which was lovely, but the breathlessness left me rather exhausted for a couple of days).  I have had the second dose of the vaccine and have recovered from that.  So there wasn't really any excuse!

I have, of course, been out most days, but not for very long - I had half intended to walk home from Church on Sunday, but it sort of didn't happen.  But I've been to Lidl.

And today we had to take a PCR test because we live in Lambeth, and all Lambeth and Wandsworth residents are being asked to because of the new South African variant's having been detected in the area.  So we did the tests, then I posted them and, while I was at it, went to the chemist in Bedford Road to pick up our free lateral flow tests - we are all being asked to do two lateral flow tests each week.  And as I am resuming grandmother duty on the 28th April, it is probably polite to take one before I go!  So anyway, I did come home via the short cut, which I probably shouldn't have done, but I was walking slightly too fast to be comfortable, so didn't.  Anyway, a kilometer, even if it's not very fast, is a good restart!  And tomorrow I shall be going for a walk in St James' Park with the Daughter and Boy Two.

No music - didn't think it would be worth it.  

Fitness journey, 4 April

 

Easter Day, and we went up to see the Daughter and her family in Walthamstow, and, after a very long and rather late lunch, we went for a walk in Epping Forest.  Sadly, from my point of view, it was not a very successful, as it was muddy, and parts were slightly steeper than I'm used to, and I lost my breath very early on and struggled to regain it.  I now have a very sore chest....  but nothing a good night's sleep won't cure.  It's fairly obvious, though, that I'm only fit for walking on pavements just now, and keeping said walk as flat as possible.  So Irritating!!!!

Incidentally, it's not that I hadn't been out since last I posted - I have; it's just I didn't do anything worth tracking; only to Lidl and back and to Tesco and back.  Hopefully once I've recovered from today I will be able to resume normal walks again.  

Hiatus, part 2

Food poisoning this time. Hope it is nearly over, but don't see myself gping out any time soon.

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!