The end of the Shire is near...

Hiya,

So as some might know I have been running the past year to get the shiny medals of Conqueror Challenges. December / January there came an end to my running and I switched over to walking. Not as much walking as many of you here do, but still. Recently I decided to try and do at least 30 minutes of walking every day (at least 5 days a week). This because 30 minutes of walking (which equals 2 km for me) is easiest to fit in my working days and is doable even if I feel tired.

But back to the medals of Conqueror Challenges. Conqueror came up with 5 medals based on Lord of the Rings and I could not but buy them, deciding to walk them. Though I now am wondering if I might add indoor cycling too or not, not sure yet, personal dilemma. Anyhow so I started - of course - with the first: The Shire. It is about 233 km long and I am today at 210 km, only 23 km left to do. So the end of the Shire comes near, after which I will go on the search for The Fellowship (medal 2 of LOTR).

I know that 2 km / 30 minutes a day does not sound like much, but I am a rather lazy person (partly because of a tiredness which might be due to my Rheumatic Arthritis) and purposely walking 30 minutes every day is a lot for me. I also sometimes walk a bit during my lunch break to go to a shop or so, but I don't count that as an activity.

Saturday and Sunday I was at the coast and did one walk of 4,30 km and one of 2,59 km in the outdoor, together with my mother. At home I mostly walk on my treadmill, watching a movie on my portable DVD player. On the treadmill it feels more like a workout than outdoor, but with the movies to watch, I like it. Gives me the idea that I am active, haha.

So, on to my next walks...

Cheers, Evy

[Doris8 1000miles per year]

30 minutes is better than no 30 minutes. At least your active. You seemed to have a lovely walk at the weekend. Was this at your coast house? You are active . Keep going for the last 23 km left. 👍

[Hidden in reply to Doris8]

Yes, if it is reasonably good weather, we go there. It is our home from home ☺

[CBDB Administrator]

23 km to go!!! Wowsa! The whole shire!

Enjoy this me last 23 kms!!

[Hidden in reply to CBDB]

Haha, thanks. In the next 4 medals of LOTR there are 2 with 2 possible distances: a short distance and a long distance. I was wondering which one to do, but if I take the long distances, the whole of the 4 next medals will take me more than 4 years to do. And I don't know if I can keep my interest in these medals if they take so long. So probably it's best if I take the short distances. Will still take me about 1,5 year to finish those 4 medals, so...

[CBDB Administrator in reply to Hidden]

🤣 yes, and I would also use all activities to chip in to the long distances.

I did have once two conqueror challenges running simultaneously: a shorter English Channel one which I used only for my indoor rowing and the other being a long one The North Coast 500, which I used for everything else, including yoga, walking and running.

So that might be a solution to keep your motivation going.

[Curlygurly2]

OOh!! I'm doing those too! Like you I'm mostly walking, I seem to have lost interest in running for then moment, but walking is good too. I'm doing it in a "Fellowship" with a friend. The medals are gorgeous...

[Hidden in reply to Curlygurly2]

I am still in the Shire, though closing in on Bree 😁. The Shire I am doing in walking alone (mostly 2K walks), but might add indoor cycling for the next ones to bring some variation in my exercise.

I used to run too, but just can't bring myself to run anymore. Reached 10 miles end November though and I liked running. But yeah...

[grumpyoldgirl in reply to Hidden]

If running doesn't suit you right now, that's ok. You are doing as much as you are confident you can do, and you are taking on a challenge to keep yourself motivated. Chronic fatigue is real, and you are coping with it as well as you can. The running will wait. You may feel ready to try it again in the future, or you might not. That's ok, either way. I think it's pretty amazing the way you are tackling the walk challenge. 💪

[Hidden in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Thank you. I actually did like to run, but weirdly enough it was always a struggle to get out. Once I was running, it was good. But then I pushed myself too hard to reach 10 miles and I also got a scare from an old man harassing me and I did not dare run outside anymore. And while I like walking on my treadmill, I don't like running on it. And now, running just sounds too tiring.

Walking is tiring too. Saturday I walked 4,5 km outside and yesterday another 4 km, but I was pooped afterwards. I actually needed a little sleep and my legs hurt. I was thinking, they say you need to walk 10.000 steps a day. For me that is about 7 kilometer a day. I can't do that, my body would kill me! No, I keep to the minimum of 30 minutes a day with longer walks if I feel like it (mostly in weekends).