Home » Boucherville » Done and Done and… What’s Next?

Done and Done and… What’s Next?

Posted on by

I am, in general, an excellent starter.  Finisher? Not so much.  Not that I don’t finish anything – each of my parents and my grandmother got a needlepoint I made for each of them.  My grandmother has one because she had the bright idea of taking up needlepoint but instead of buying herself a nice little 4″ X 6″ as a starter, bought a big-ass one (like 18″ X 24″ or is it 24″ X 36″). She figured her granddaughter (me) would teach her how to do it.  Easy-peasy. After doing one one-inch square (too tight, by the way), she gave it to me with a “I don’t have the patience for this!” So I did it and then gave it back to her for Mother’s day. My mother’s contribution was to pay for the framing.  She wrote on the back “To be returned to Dale upon my death”. Well, Mémère died twelve years ago and my aunt lives in the house now.  When she tried to give it back to me, I told her to keep it.  When she sells, we’ll determine what to do with it then.

As usual, I have detoured to China on my way to New York…

So. Back to the reason for this post. Today marks my 365th day, like, in a row (sorry, David, had to steal it!) of doing my 10,000 steps per day.  10K steps.  Every. Day.  The funny thing is, I didn’t decide when I started this on January 3, 2020, to do it for one year.  I actually decided to start it on a Sunday (simply to avoid starting it on the first of the year), and merged it with the 68-day challenge they do at work, which started on the Monday.  Two birds, one stone.  But then a funny thing happened.  The last day of the work challenge came and went and I was still on a mission.  I don’t know when hey, let me try to do this for a whole year came to be but suffice it to say, that it did. And I did it. I had my cheerleader and co-participant Marc, who actually had been doing 10K per day for months before I started and just joined in, determined to keep me company till the end. Thank gawd.  There were days where his “Go, Q, Go” was the difference between planting my butt on the sofa and getting out there.  I like to think there were days where I did the same for him.

I’ve gone from running in intervals of one minute run/one minute walk, for 10-16  sets to one 1:45 run, one minute walk, for 10-16 sets or plus.  I have also gone from doing increasing (by fifteen seconds) intervals starting at one minute run up to one two minutes and back with one minute walk in between each to 1:45 up to 2:45 and back with the one minute walk between each – that makes for a 47:15 total run/walk Pretty damn good as I was never a runner. 100 metre sprint? No problem. Run just to run? Not so much. So this gradual increase has been something I’m rather proud of.  I shall not be quitting any time soon and shall keep trying to increase my run times.

I’ve been chased by dogs and almost run over by absent-minded driver doing an “American stop”. I’ve run in the rain and on snow and in ridiculous heat and pretty frigid cold.  I’m still rather surprised at myself, that I did all that, tell you what.

I had a little minor surgery on my back to remove a chunk of fat called a lipoma on December 15th.  The surgeon asked me to not run for a few days.  Which turned into two weeks because the weather just wasn’t conducive to running – I don’t do slush/ice/snow which hides ice/ridiculous cold, etc.  So I walked outside and marched inside while watching episodes of shows.  Sometimes my steps went way over the goal and other times I just barely made it. I’ve had a few times where I prepare to go to bed, check my steps and gasp! Still have 1500 or so to go… March, march, march! Then sleep.

Saturday I was finally able to run, opting for the 1:45/1:00 X 14 sets for a total of 40 minutes 45 seconds (all my runs include a 15 sec prep and a two-minute cool-down.)  I also had to change routes as the only place I was pretty much guaranteed asphalt was on the main drags – not a pretty place to run.  Not a pretty day at all. We haven’t seen the sun in ages.

Drab boulevard
Deceptive long hill

There was a lot of internal dialogue going on. A LOT.  The first set I thought, this is gonna be hell.  By set number five, I was convincing myself that I would go to six and turn around. 12 sets was nothing to be ashamed of.  By the sixth, I saw I was a ways from the overpass so why not go to seven as planned? It’s not like I would have to run up the damn thing. The photo does not do it justice. It’s the type of slope that even by bike, you want to speed up before the climb because by the top, your thighs are burning.  The voice in my head changed to Marc’s.  “You’ve got this, Q.  Last run day. FINISH STRONG.” I lost count for which set I was back on my return.  The Universe’s way of encouraging me to just keep on.  No point in quitting now.  When I hit the curve, I knew I’d soon be seeing my street. Yay! One more hurdle and done and done!

Rounding the bend
Last hurdle

January 2, 2022, was my last day of my challenge.  I was awakened by the incessant sound of snowploughs going to and fro. First the streets, then the sidewalks, then my driveway, then the streets again…. I got the message and got out of bed!  A couple coffees, a late breakfast and I bundled up and headed out just as the snow was slowing down.

Almost as soon as I stepped out, I found myself in a snow globe.  What a perfect day to end my challenge!

What’s my next challenge?  Not sure yet. Will keep you posted!

 

96 thoughts on “Done and Done and… What’s Next?”

  1. Well done, Dale. You are in much better health than you would have been otherwise, so why not? 🙂
    Also, I always thought of it as a California stop.
    I miss running a lot, but I don’t miss it at all (that is a lie), and all that “it hurts so good” stuff. Good and good, and wonderful for you girl. May all your challenges be of your choosing.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Bill. Yes, that was the nice side-effect of doing this challenge. Anything that gets us off our duff, right?
      California is in the States 😉
      Yeah. I don’t think we need to “hurt so good” to feel good. I do like when I feel that my muscles worked – as I did after my last run. Who’d-a thunk a mere two weeks off would be felt? And I do want to find an exercise plan that I know I’ll follow to complement the walks and runs (which I don’t plan on giving up. I’ll either have to get crampons for my runners or wait for clean streets which could take a while. It’s snowing again today. Sigh.
      And yes, may all our challenges be of our choosing. When it’s imposed, it rarely works anyway.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Q

    There is a certain amount of melancholy I’m feeling now that the goal is over. Oh, wait . . . no, that’s just the sausage bagel I had for breakfast. That’ll teach me to ditch the Cheerios! And to think, I know better!

    Seriously, what a goal year it was. And whether it’s a strong start or finish or middle or none of the above, the fact of the matter is, the goal was achieved. As such, it can never be said that you didn’t nail the 365. Because in the great scorecard of momentous achievements in athletic history (yours) it reads DONE. And the details of this journey won’t matter a whit . . all that will matter is that you done did it.

    I celebrated with a Nuevo Ano Cubano, which I have to say . . . sensational! It only took me a whole fucking year of stepping my ass off to get to it!

    Yours in steps.

    B

    Liked by 1 person

    • B

      All jokes aside, there is a certain amount,

      What a goal year it was. And I damn if I didn’t completely write something other than I had originally planned. (That’ll teach me to procrastinate.. no, it won’t! I yam what I yam!) But you are right, In the end, the deets don’t matter. What does is that I accomplished it,

      I am rather jealous of your Nuevo Ano Cubano – but well deserved! As was my Chinese Fondue night.

      Yours in loving steps,

      Q

      Liked by 1 person

      • But that certain amount is easily forgotten when I sit my ass down in the evening and DON’T have to check to see if I have my steps.

        It’s never about the details. It’s always about what you ended up doing in the first place.

        It was so good! I was telling peeps about it and guess what? It is going to become a thing. No doubt about it.

        MUAH!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. What a task, and you did it!!! I didn’t doubt for a minute you would! Doesn’t it feel good to challenge yourself?! What’s more, you’re inspiring others [namely moi!] to challenge themselves! Here’s to more challenges fulfilled and more steps forward. With many many hugs on the way! 😉 xoxoxoxoxo

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Good for you, Dale! I never set a formal challenge, I just make sure I do at least my 10,000 steps every day. But now frustration, as my Fitbit won’t let me log in. UGH. Anyway, great job!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Merril. I have never set such a one before. I can say I did it. And good for you that you achieve your 10,000 every day. That’s not cool. When my Fitbit died (I had to charge it thrice daily), I was so pissed. I bought a Koretrak that was very stingy with steps. I had to really work to get them. My daughter bought me a new Fitbit for Christmas so I finished strong 😉 Bummer that all the data I had previously is gone. It would have been cool to know just how many steps I got in my year.
      Hope yours lets you back in!
      Thanks again!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hahaha! Umm… the two don’t go together all that well. BUT, I do have a needlepoint that I started eons ago and which has less than two inches to be completed. Maybe I should just start by finishing that one!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Congratulations on your 3,650,000 steps over the year. Through wind, rain, sleet and snow you are damned determined to reach your goal. Very good for you.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Rochelle,

      It’s already the 4th and I’ve still not fully decided. Maybe it will be like the 10K per day… will just come to be. I thank you for your support!

      Shalom and lotsa appreciative love,

      Dale

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Jan. I’m pretty impressed with myself! 😀 I’m not sad that it’s over, though. Now to set different goals. Smaller ones, maybe.

      Like

  14. Dale, you done good! I’m a good starter and sometimes not a very good finisher, too. But every once in a while we sprint to the finish line, metaphorically speaking.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Kathy. It is the story of my life. That I did actually finish four needlepoints is amazing – the latest one is about, oh, I dunno 10 years old? No, more than that. All I have left is maybe two inches. Maybe that should be my first goal. To finish various things that are started…

      Liked by 1 person

      • My teacher in 3rd grade–Mrs. Story–taught us this poem: “When a job is once begun, never end it til it’s done. Be the winner great or small, do it well or not at all.” It has felt like a failure at times not to live up to Mrs. Story’s poem.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Oh boy. Talk about pressure.
          I’m blaming my sign. I’m an Aries. We are rather renowned as being good starters 😉 Okay, okay, that is simply an excuse. The truth is we – I – get bored easily.

          Like

          • Yes. We do! Sometimes I have forgotten what I even wrote about two days before because it’s on-to-the-next-thing. And intense editing? Who can do that punishment? I admire those who view it as fun or pertinent or possible.

            Liked by 1 person

          • Oh yes. It’s awful…
            I don’t know about the editing. I have beta read a number of books (still awed that I am asked!) Sometimes, I’m asked to note any errors found, sometimes not. I wonder how I would do to actually focus on editing one? I dunno.
            Oh! And I went to see (not that I remember my passwords but I did find them… I started blogging in 2010 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

  15. Congrats. You inspire me! Maybe not quite that much but I’ll try to add an extra thousand to my day. Once upon a time I installed an app but found it too sensitive. My phone in my purse was racking up steps with every bump in the road. 🙂 So I abandoned the dream, but maybe should set a goal for myself.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. You are amazing, Dale. What perseverance — both with that splendid needlepoint masterpiece of years ago, and with your workouts in all weathers for the last year. There’s me, exhausted after an half-hour daily walk. I am managing to speed walk a steep hill now without stopping to catch my breath, so I guess that’s start. You’re an inspiration🙂 Wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best for your next challenge x

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh you! Thank you for your too-kind words! This share has pushed me to take out that needlepoint I’ve had for years and which only has 2″ to finish! And I’m not sad this challenge is over. I’ll keep up my walks and runs, though. The numbers will be whatever the numbers are.
      Glad I’ve inspired you in any way.
      Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, my friend. xoxo

      Liked by 1 person

  19. You are AMAZING!!! Congrats on completing the year long challenge. So proud of you. Most days I can reach 10K just walking the dogs but some days it can be more than tough, particularly when the weather is lousy. You proved it can be done with grace and perseverance. Well done, “Q.” Inspiration and grace…kudos my friend.

    Liked by 1 person

    • You are so lovely. It’s true that many days were easy-peasy and that others are so very difficult. I think you are so sweet to say I did it with grace (musta been hidden from me 😉 ) Thank you so much. xoxo

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Hi Dale,
    Our greatest challenge is to say ‘good bye’ to every challenge. Why challenging yourself if you can live relaxed and just enjoy life? Isn’t it a post-modern idea that we always need a challenge?
    All the best
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Klaus,
      I am not one who usually gives myself challenges. This was the first time I set out to do anything for a whole year. As mentioned, it was originally for 68 days. It pushed me to go out and move, so that’s not a bad thing. To relax and enjoy life includes pushing our own boundaries sometimes.
      Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • I frankly am amazed at myself! I am really proud that I did it. I am notorious for quitting or simply abandoning things out of boredom. This one, with Marc’s nudges and sharing the morning or whatever images, I feel particularly good about completing. Love you too, amiga 🙂

      Like

Comments are closed.