A Frosty Walk To Work Does Wonders

A Frosty Fall Day In Atlanta

Today was the first day this Fall that there was frost in the yard.  I don’t know if it was “officially” the first frost but it was 32 degrees or so in our neighborhood and it was perfectly clear with no wind.  It definitely felt like Fall and I wanted to take advantage of it.  So, since we live very close to my office (2 miles), I decided today would be a great day to walk to work.

A Great Way To Start The Day

Over the three years we’ve lived in Atlanta, I’ve walked to work a few times but never made a habit of it.  It’s just too hot and humid in the Summer to make it practical but October-April offers just about perfect weather.  We don’t get any snow to speak of and even in January the nighttime lows don’t get much below 25 degrees and daytime highs are usually in the 40-50’s.  I really have no excuse not to walk occasionally so I’ve decided to walk to/from work a couple of days a week whenever possible.  The few times I have walked to work I arrive awake and energized.  It’s a good feeling and I want to take advantage of that as much as possible.

A Great Complement To Biking

In addition to helping me get a good start to the work day walking is the perfect complement to cycling.  I get a heck of an aerobic workout whenever I ride but cycling is almost totally non-impact and non weight bearing.  I know that I need to do some kind of weight-bearing exercise, especially as I get older, and walking is a great way to add it to my fitness routine without the pounding that running places on the body.  The 25 minutes it takes me to walk the 2 miles each way gives me almost 7000 steps, which when combined with my regular walking during the day will really help me.

Getting On The Walking Program

To help me get a handle on how much I’m actually walking I’ve decided to purchase a pedometer and track my walking.  I did a bit of research and will be getting the Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer which is affordable and has received great reviews.  I’ll be interested to see how much I actually walk on a regular day vs a day that I walk to work.

I’m looking forward to walking to work and I expect that regular walking will help me in my bike riding by adding crucial weight-bearing exercise which strengthens joint, bones, and ligaments.  After I get the pedometer I’ll report back my results and also integrate my walking into my “weekly update” posts which I plan on starting up again.

What About Your Walking

Do any of you try to make walking a regular part of your daily routine?  What have been your experiences?  Share your thoughts in the comments and let us all know.