's Saturday Exercise & Shoes

[Guest guest]

First, I did the 2 mile walk from Sansone's Walk the Walk tape plus I put on 2 lb. wrist weights for it to try and up the intensity. It helped for the parts that used arms but otherwise slowed me down actually, probably because I felt kind of awkward (these were wrist/ankle weights with velcro around my wrists). Not sure I'll do that again. I think I got a better workout putting my whole self into it more naturally! :-) I think I'm going to try one of her express tapes next. I really love working out with her. Simple moves, don't usually have to worry about what foot I'm on and I can really work hard without having to think through every move, right from the very first time I work with the tape. Plus her encouragement to exercisers of all levels is awesome and keeps me motivated to try harder on good days and to do what I can on not so good ones.

Later on I went to my favorite athletic shoe store, Runnin' Gear, to get new shoes. The people there are awesome for looking at how you walk, the shape of your feet (including your arch) and wanting to know what you're going to do with the shoes so they can sell you ones that will really do what you want to do in them (and if you're a runner they have clubs and other stuff, I'm not though). I bought the ones I have now there 2 years ago and used them (along with other shoes) to train for the Breast Cancer 3-Day, then used other shoes for the walk that were made of a more breathable fabric (these are leather) and put these in the closet. When I did the 3-Day they even gave me a discount on my shoes because of what I was doing with them! When the other pairs finally wore out I dug these out and have truly killed them at this point. I cannot walk on pavement (to take a walk other than going across a parking lot) with them on, my feet hurt too much. They're semi-okay for working out on the carpeting at home but not really. Finally decided, I'm having a lot of fun exercising, it is time to treat me to new shoes because the comfort alone will motivate me more (I won't be thinking, like I was today, when my son asked me to go out for a walk in 53 degree weather on December 30 in Michigan, that I couldn't because my feet would end up hurting too much). The guy at the store agreed I'd more than gotten my money out of these and it was way past time for a new pair. I tried walking shoes and cross trainers and realized there's a huge difference between them (walking and running shoes being much stiffer, for mostly going forward and backward and cross trainers being more flexible for moving in various directions as in for aerobics as the salesman explained). I never knew that! I bought some cross trainers BUT he didn't have my size, their other store didn't either so they're on order and will be in sometime in the next 10-14 days hopefully. I've been wearing walking shoes and working out in them for quite a long time so this will be great to use the more flexible cross training shoes instead. I can't wait for them to come in!

Okay, thanks for listening!! :-)