Determined Fool Walking

Pt. 2: April 1 — April 30 I Hated Walking Every Freaking Step

So I did the damn thing. I walked 30 days in a row. Actually, I lost 2 days. You might have read about the first day in my other story, ‘Determined Fool Walking’, describing my runner’s high.

The second time, Day 22 I failed to walk. I made it up in 15 extra hard minutes for 5 days. Never will I do that self-punishment crap again. I already felt like I wouldn’t maintain this walking gig after finishing these 30 days. No passion here. I hated walking every freaking step but I…GOT…OUT… THERE.

Like the cartoonists’ Hannah-Barbera Flintstone characters Angel, Devil and Gazoo, I had my own version of an angel and devil on my shoulders: Good Kazoo and Bad Kazoo spelled with the letter K instead of the letter G. The KA stands for kick ass; I haven’t figured out the rest of the name breakdown.

Good Kazoo and Bad Kazoo walked with me. Good Kazoo kept me on the walking path, but Bad Kazoo, like me hated every freaking step — mentally I sided with Bad Kazoo. Physically I got to stepping with Good Kazoo.

All kinds of inclement weather did not deter me; I mostly experienced cold with windy rain which started and ended my challenge. There were mornings I didn’t want to be out there, and didn’t have to be out there — why was I out there? Could not not be out there. Damn you Good Kazoo.

Daily the Kazoos kept me company; Good Kazoo reminded me of the article written by @Sufyan Maan, M. ENG that inspired me to do this 30-day walking challenge — nice, nice, that’s nice — what else you got Good? Bad Kazoo and I was in cahoots whispering things of foul foul filth filth; alright Bad — high five. Another inspiration was receiving cortisone shots in both my long-time arthritic knees early in March. By St. Patrick’s Day I could kick a leprechaun’s ass. I read about the walking challenge earlier in the day of April 1, a fool’s Karma, instant and timely engagement for my painless knees and my now useless walking cane.

We did it, the Kazoos and I, DTWYFM did the damn thing. We briskly walked the same path of approximately 2 miles. Our routine consisted of a 15-minute walk to the local school’s track field, walk 5 out of 6 track lanes, walked back home in 15 minutes, followed with black coffee (no chaser) which immediately did help manage aches (read about that too). Don’t know exactly how many steps I stomped but, I…WAS…CONSISTANT. I added upper body exercises too. I used my walking cane to do frontal and side-arm movements while using the high-intensity counting method of 5 4 3 2 1–1 2 3 4 5. Yes we did the 30-day damn thing — fist bumps Kazoos.

Dang nabbit! Just saw a commercial for a 3-mile walk event on May 3. Come Bad Kazoo, let’s get this freaking walking gig over with — go out with a bang. Thanks for nothing Good Kazoo, you make me sick.