Start to run..... GO

As promised, I picked up my "start to run" program again today.
Today was a nice spring day; not too cold and finally some sunshine. So when I got home from my early shift, i put on my running gear, my new running shoes, strapped on my iPod and off i went. I took it easy and started with the first lesson in the 0-5Km program. Good news is that I completed it effortlessly which works motivating of course. My new running shoes are a dream. They are very comfortable and it is a great relief to have gel in both shoes again. ( the right shoe of my old reebok pair got punctured while wearing them and because of that I ran with one foot on a cushion and one on solid ground)
So ya, the effort comes from the runner in the end, but good quality running shoes are a blessing.

The goal of the whole program is to be able to run 5KM.
So to spice things up a little I have added extra challenge to that target.
On October 11th there is an annual running event called "Dwars door Hasselt" (right through Hasselt). Hasselt is our provincial capital. You can enter the even for various distances, but one of them is 5KM. What a coincidence... so that is the ultimate challenge for my running. Apart from getting in shape, I want to be able to run 5KM and I will test this during "Dwars door Hasselt" on October 11th.... fingers crossed :-)

Black and getting blacker

No improvement on toes.... quite the opposite...

A souvenir from my Godinne walk... Sore, black toes...

.... are keeping me from my running program... all training halted at the moment. Since this weekend the toes hurt a little less and the colour of my poor toes is getting a little lighter...
Hope I can restart my running program this week...

Mechelen => St-Truiden, Walk 1 - Mechelen-Haacht

Today I completed the first part of the Mechelen to Sint-Truiden walk in the excellent company of Cilia and her father Gabi. We've known each other since forever and have remained the best of friends throughout the years.
I had two black toenails (walking shoes too small) and was a little stiff in legs and joints from the day before, but apart from that I felt pretty good, so it was off to Mechelen. Gabi picked me up at about 08h15 at the railway station in Sint-Truiden and we set out for Haacht. This would be the end point of our walk so we parked the car there. Karel (Cilia's husband) picked us up in Haacht and took us to Mechelen, the starting point of our journey.
After a quick change of trousers and shoes we were off. Second walk in as many days; I must admit I was a little scared and felt unsure whether I would be able to pull this one off.
We started in Mechelen city, in the court yard of Cilia's home. From there it was only a short walk to the banks of the river Dijle. We followed the path on the riverbank till Muizen, enjoying the beautiful countryside and the nesting birds. We even saw a couple of storks.
From there we bridged a small gap between two GRs to arrive at the GR 128. We followed this path, which continued along the banks of the Dijle for a while. This was the hardest part of today's walk. Not because of the terrain, but because there was a sharp and cold eastern wind, which blew head on for the whole riverbank part. Afterwards the path turned away from the river a bit and lead us through some soggy meadows. After a muddy last 2 kilometers we arrived back at Gabi's car. First part of our big walk from hometown to hometown completed.
My pedometer today showed 20640 steps, for 17km which we completed in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
Next part will be Haacht to Leuven.

"De Straffe wandeling" by the "Bergpallieters" in Godinne

Today Me and Captain Angela teamed up with sportsclub "de Bergpallieters" for their tough walk in Godinne. And a tough walk it was indeed...
At the end of the day the pedometer showed 23.5KM, which equaled 30402 steps and all this in a time of 4 hours and 57 minutes.
I completed the walk rather unscathed. Sore legs, totally empty and a bit of tension on the achilles tendon.... other than that no problems so far.

For me as an untrained walker I felt that I had really pushed myself today, maybe even overdone it a bit. But in the end I am proud to have completed the entire hike.
My intention was a "virtual kick in the butt" a "wake up call"...
The West Highland Way consists of 8 days of similar walks and if I look at how I feel now, I have finally convinced myself to take training for Scotland 2011 a bit more seriously.

Tomorrow "virtual buttkick" number two.... "how does it feel to be walking two days in a row?". A shorter walk tomorrow with friends from Mechelen to Haacht...
Fingers crossed..

Start to Run!

On Tuesday the 9th of March, I will pick up my Start to run again. After a break of nearly three years I have finally gathered my courage and will start my running program again. The aim is to be able to run 5KM.
This to improve my overall fitness level, which will in turn contribute to all future walks and to my Scotland project.
Tomorrow, Captain Angela will help me buy new running shoes.
Thnx Cap'!

Walking weekend 6-7 March 2010

The weekend of 6th and 7th of March will see the real start of the preparations for Scotland. The planning with books and maps and websites has been going on for a while now. Eating habits have been changed since 1st of March, but this weekend will see the real kick off... the virtual kick in the butt that will show me that i should take this seriously and start practicing more often...

Saturday the 6th I will participate in the "Straffe Wandeling" by the Bergpalieters. A walk organized by the sportsclub of my colleague Geert. My good friend and sport guru Captain Angela will join me on this walk. The walk itself is a 23km walk through the region of Godinne, South of Namur in Belgium.

Sunday the 7th takes me to Mechelen.
Another friend of mine, Cilia has come up with the brilliant plan to walk from Mechelen (her hometown) to Sint-Truiden (my hometown). The distance between these two towns is about 60KM. In this first stint we depart in the direction of Muizen (4KM) and aim for Haacht (14KM). Cilia's dad Gabi will join us on this first part of the trip.