The Travelogue of Vries

[Ann of Owlshire]

Hail, Fellow Adventurers! 

 

So far, I've had a pretty charmed 2016 (*knocks on wood*): I moved overseas from Seattle (where I had lived all of my 36 years) to London, UK in early spring, married the most remarkable man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, we recently honeymooned (hiking in the Scottish Highlands!), and now we're all settled in and getting on with things.

 

Alas, such magic came at a cost (and not just financially!). 2015 was a Blighted Year, and as a result, I also arrived in London at my heaviest in over a decade and with far less endurance for hiking/long-distance walking (as we sadly learned on our honeymoon). I've lost some of that weight already, but keep yo-yoing where I'm currently at.

 

But now I'm in a new city! A new country! And I'm keen to see as much of it as I can while I'm here. So I'm putting on my adventurer's shoes and going exploring. 

 

My 4 Week Challenge is as follows:

 

Fitness Goals:

1) Walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. I'm built like a hobbit (short and stout), and my tracking has indicated that that 10,000 steps = 4 miles.

2) Walk a minimum of 100,000 steps a week (counted Monday-Sunday). Yes, that means I expect overages, large or small, on some days from my previous goal to make up the deficit.

3) Keep the scale moving down to my target weight (115 lbs, aka where I was before the Blighted Year). It's been taking a while; I'm fine with it taking a while. I just want a more consistent overall downward trend. Current weight (as of 7/11): 122.6 lbs.

4) Don't get in a rut. There are some walking routes that will be constants because they're easy and close to home and good for a quick jaunt out the door, but I also want to explore--at least 3 different routes a week. (Hopefully more.)

 

Most of my walks will be city-based, but hopefully we'll get out of the city a couple of times in the next few weeks.

 

I have as supplies: Maps, a magic tracking bracelet (aka my new FitBit Charge HR), and various walking/hiking/running shoes.

 

Level Up My Life Goal:
Make an effort to be social, aka meet other geeks and RPGers (LARP and table-top). Having moved to a far off new land means that my husband is pretty much my only friend. He's pretty amazing (and he has a network of friends in London, having gone to uni here many years before), but we need to meet new people, too! We've had a lot of visitors from Seattle of late (where I/we had a strong network), and they've been wonderful, but my social life can't stay forever based in Seattle  

 

Check-ins: Mid-week and end-of-week (and whenever I feel like it in between). My biggest challenge with... uh, community challenges... is that I get weary of all of the tracking, so I'm going to keep it to a minimum that still keeps me engaged.

 

Although the challenge doesn't officially start until next week, I'm going to get started today

 

Edit: Joined the Walk to Mordor and Back 
 

[Jessebel]

I really and truly believe that RPGs are one of the best ways to make friends as an adult person. I ADORE my primary gaming group and have enjoyed the occasional guest appearance by others. Good luck!

 

I also like the idea of a weekly step goal that suggests that more than 10,000 steps a day has occurred on average without having to adjust your daily goal. 

[Ann of Owlshire]

Thanks, Jessebell! I agree that meeting people while gaming is great! I met a lot of my friends (including my husband) in a local LARP. The LARP sadly ended, but the friendships remain, albeit now at a distance.

 

Yeah, I could set my daily goal higher, but at the moment 10k itself is a challenge on a daily basis without making a concerted effort. I know there are days (like yesterday, that I did 20k) that will skew the average so I can get up to 100k.

[LadyWitch]

If you ever make it up to Nottingham (2 hours or so by train!) give me a poke! Love your walking goals  I'm walking more now with a new job, but would still like to do more!

[Ann of Owlshire]

Thank you, LadyWitch! 

[MichiruSedai]

Great goals!  You got this!

[Ann of Owlshire]

Midweek Check-In

 

11/7 Walks

St. Katherine’s Docks Loop

Millennium Bridge Loop

21.7k steps

 

Helped organize a gaming event at a home later this week with people we met at a Meetup (but lost track of during husband finding and starting a new job/wedding/honeymoon-shenanigans).

 

12/7 Walks

Canary Wharf Wander (the hunt for the iconic Citibank Building)

Thomas More Loop

17.7k

 

13/7 Walks

St. Katherine’s Docks Loop

11.5k steps 

 

Hosted above-mentioned small LARP at our house. Reconnected with two people. Met someone new. Had a lot of fun. Yay! I cooked for the group, too.

 

Mid-week total: 51k steps. Half way to my goal!

 

The week is going strong, hopefully I won't lose momentum

[Altamarie]

This is awesome and your doing so well already  Keep it up

 

Also maybe your LARPing can become regular or at least be a way into other groups

[Teros]

On 7/11/2016 at 0:33 PM, Ann of Vries said:

 

But now I'm in a new city! A new country! And I'm keen to see as much of it as I can while I'm here. So I'm putting on my adventurer's shoes and going exploring. 

 

 

 

[Ann of Owlshire]

End of Week Wrap-up:

 

14/7 Walks

Wandered into Central London, across Millennium Bridge then through the South Bank.

19.6 steps

 

15/7

Whitechapel Errands

Thomas More Loop

13.2 steps

 

16/7 

Spirit Canal Loop

Tower Hill Loop

16.4k steps

 

17/7

Tower Hill Loop

Kew Gardens Ramble

21.7k steps

 

Total for the Week: 122k steps/48 miles.

 

Good week for activity! 

 

I've increased water intake because increased activity + increased temperatures snuck up on me. Yikes.

 

No weight change.

[Ann of Owlshire]

End of Week Wrap-Up

 

18/7

Wapping Wander

Spirit Canal Loop

13.5k steps

 

19/7

Westminster Wander

Thames Path - Northbank

20.3k steps

 

20/7

Limehouse/Limehouse Cut Loop

12.3k steps

 

21/7

Euston/Thames Walk

20.8k steps

 

22/7

Nil

7.3k steps - Missed the mark. Combo of feeling a little unwell plus bad weather making getting out not enticing.

 

23/7

Wander around Wimpole Estate

17.3k steps

 

24/7

Wander around music festival

14.2k steps

 

Total Steps: 105.9k

Total Mileage: 41.5 miles

 

Weight: 122.2 - Down, fractionally!

 

Given how much my daily activity has increased over the last 2-3 weeks, I have to admit I've been hoping for more weight change. I'll be looking at my diet next.