Morning,
Yes I walk hills, but small ones. It’s only a recent habit in regularity, so I used the name to inspire myself, to not drop my guard on regular hill climbing. I walk in my own back yard in central Virginia. I’m like 700 feet (horizontal measure) from a pond in the woods and I have a couple trails I’ve created down to edge of pond. One wiggles left to right, which helps the slope not to wash with rains. The other is its own random personality as it hooks through narrow paths between ferns, deep in woods, one spot on hill I hold a small tree to keep me stable at the path on the slope.
It’s about 30 vertical feet from home to ponds edge, so my Apple Watch tells me that is 3 hill climbs. So my goal last 3 years is 16 hill climbs 5 or 6 days a week. For me I was winded when I started with even 1 climb from the pond. But I had always randomly hiked here and there, most all my life. And I can tell you the stairway climbing in my home is not as fascinating as being in the woods.
4 years ago I did a self administered heart scan and a 4.2 cm was found as aneurysm. Heart doctor wanted me to work on this and that, and he heard I enjoyed hiking. He really liked my hill climbing, and asked me how long I had done that.
He said don’t stop that, as it keeps my heart strengthened. So my self challenge is to reduce visceral fat on my organs to help my heart, and help me with my diabetes and asthma. The regularity is the key for me on walking and stair climbing.
There is a much longer story, like all of us have on our life journeys, but in short, when my blood vessel splits one day ( maybe I don’t know, Gods plan) I will succumb in a few seconds, so I walk by Grace with my hill climbing & it is on me to me regular.
Small side note- I love the peace in nature and solitude. I listen to the birds, so many of them, as I walk. Sometimes the owls almost talk to me. Half the time I walk at night flashlight and 9 to 10 at night. Snakes are everywhere so I have to be careful. I love the walk challenge.
The sounds that come out of the woods in middle of heat of summer when humidity is high is like being in Africa - the nature piece is vibrant and alive in the darkness as we have deer, fox, bobcats, and they snort, growl, run, and scream.
I asked my wife some time ago “Do you think I am crazy walking like I do?” She said “ oh no, it is a good thing that works for you, and it is you wanting to live longer.”
It is a peace that is indescribable for me to truly convey.
I only walk some 6,000 to 8,000 daily but the 16 hill climbs daily is tightening up my core, my ankles are exercising on the irregular woods surfaces, and I can walk with vigor as my health has leaped to the good side. I employ IMA health standards to every facet of my life- I cannot overstate how I have been your student.
You guys are the gift to me that keeps on giving. I could never pay you back enough. Thank you,
Tommy