Setptember 22, 2019 - 9 - "Taking Steps"

     Michael and I both have step counters on our phones.  We like to compare and contrast our activity levels.

     I think the most steps I've ever gotten in a day was around 19,000 steps.  We were in Madrid and headed out to explore the city early in the morning and didn't get back to our hotel until late at night.  Most of my days are more in the 7500 steps range.

     Michael told me yesterday that he topped 20,000 steps. 
He's in Mexico serving as general contractor for our new house renovation (new to us, but old chronologically).  Many days his job entails running around San Miguel on a million errands.  (Stuff like looking for a faucet for a shower (for the 3rd time; one didn't have all the parts in the box, one didn't fit, etc.), chairs for the atrium, a trowel, returning stuff that didn't work, getting the crews beer at the end of the day, etc. etc. etc.)   The list of things to procure or return sometimes seems endless.  It's a walking town, so hoofing and hauling is a big part of the day.

     There is an upside. After telling of a particularly long trek around town Michael tends to like to point out:  But I got my steps in!

     Even when he's in Texas, Michael typically gets in more steps than me.  He'll go out walking for the specific purpose of getting in his steps.  He walks with friends once a week, and other days will go out to a park or trail to walk on his own.

     We were recently in South Carolina.  It was incredibly hot and muggy and our hotel was across the street from a shopping center, so we did the unthinkable:  Yep.  I am publicly admitting to Mall Walking. 

     There were other mall walkers who seemed to take it all pretty seriously.  Heads down, arms swinging, eyes ahead.  We were holding hands, I was window shopping, and we'd get held up in high traffic areas.  "Rookies!", we imagined our new-found peers saying.

     I use my workout app to do calisthenics and weight training, then usually just count my biggest steps days for the 'Low Impact Steady State' part of the program.   These usually happen on my multi-flight days.  A coworker once told me steps don't always count on our million trips up and down the aisles of planes because the floors have so much give in them the phone doesn't sense the steps.   But the walks to, and through, airport terminals and hotels still tend to add up.

     My days off are usually very low in steps.  (When in Texas.)  This is because:  1) I tend to be in extreme lazy-day/recuperation mode,  2) Wherever I sit or lie down, Ella jumps in my lap and goes to sleep.  So, obviously, being trapped under a purring cat severely restricts my desire to move.  But probably the biggest reason my step count is dramatically low on days off is because 3) The million steps I take retracing my steps 'round and 'round the house looking for my cell phone don't get counted.

     I've read tales of steps apps becoming addictive.  Stories of people out at all hours in rain and snow trying to hit their targets.  So far neither of us have gotten quite that into it but I'm thinking all in all there are worse addictions to have.

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He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, do the walk of life
Yeah, he do the walk of life

-Dire Straits

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In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

 -John Muir

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