We are walking east now in places like Garner and Clayton, but commuting back and forth to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill for events. The good news is that Kathy Higgins and I hit the 350-mile mark this week, and on a personal note I weighed in at 20 pounds less today.
What
is the bad news? We'll there's really no bad news, except that the beautiful,
scenic mountains that surrounded us during the early weeks of the Million Step
March have been replaced by scenes of Belk, Verizon, Williams-Sonoma and Dairy
Queen stores. Do we really need to see strip malls, specialty stores and BBQ
restaurants? Well, maybe the BBQ places!
The best news is
that the area stops we've made (and will continue to make for a few more days)
have been some of the best of the campaign. "The March" is in full
swing now and it's clear that we are connecting with many, many people.
Following
the halfway point "Rally
in Raleigh,"
we made stops at places like Structure House, a live-in facility for morbidly
obese people in Durham. It was a chance to take my personal message and the
message of the Million Step March directly to people who struggle with weight
and the staff who treats them. We also did some stops at various Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of North Carolina locations where they cheered on one of their own
– the simply unstoppable Kathy Higgins.
At WakeMed Hospital
just today, I walked into a standing ovation and one of the sweetest crowds
yet. Not bad when you haven't even said anything, right? Our group walks at all
of our event stops have been a big hit as well. Dr. Don Bradley, who has been
walking with us for over three weeks now, has been actually leading these walks
– Kathy and I are saving our energy for the road.
We'll have video highlights of many of our stops very
shortly. In the meantime keep your own health goals going, and keep on marching!
I've just finished my second tour with the Million Step March, this time walking about 115 miles over nine days (to add to the 50 miles over the first four days of the march). I joined the team west of Greensboro and finished east of Clayton, traversing through Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Garner and Clayton.
Rather than provide a day-by-day
travelogue, I thought I would write a few overarching themes. Walking four to
six hours, an average of 13 miles a day, one has a fair bit of time to think.
First, hats off to Kathy and Gary. I may walk at a bit faster pace, but you're the ones doing this six days a week for 10 weeks. Slow and steady wins the race!
Next, I'm impressed by the number of folks who "get it." We visited
several employer work sites, community centers, and city events, and each place
has taken its own approach to motivating and providing resources for its unique
environment and people.
I've also noted that the number of
individuals logging their steps has grown at an accelerating rate as the March
goes on. As of today, I see 5,400 people have taken more than 280 million steps
to improve their health. Way to go and keep it up!
And speaking of keeping it up, I've
developed my own need to walk on a daily basis. I'm building a habit, a routine
that compels me to move. I've walked 165 miles (about 330,000 steps) with the
MSM team and I've logged another 295,000 steps on the days I was with the MSM
in spirit only. That's 625,000 steps so far, and I will do a million steps before the March is done in June.
The sense of accomplishment is a good motivator, but my sense of
feeling healthier is a more critical driver. For the record, I've lost about
seven pounds, and my clothes definitely fit better. But more important, I feel
more energetic, I sleep better, and my urge to snack at night has dropped
dramatically (my personal nutritional demon!). These benefits appeared quickly
during my stint with the tour, and would not have required 13 miles a day. I
really think it's a matter of increasing my activity level just a bit.
One of my colleagues told me that she had begun
three one-mile walks a day (about 20 minutes apiece) and that she had noticed a
quantifiable improvement in her endurance and sense of accomplishment. Another
hats off to you – you know who you are!
So, does it all sound too rosy,
too easy? Well, there are some downsides. First, walking four hours a day can
be a bit monotonous unless you're a Zen master. On my off days I have taken up
other activities – strength training, mowing the grass, jogging, cleaning the garage (not my favorite). After hauling junk out of
the garage for a half day, walking was a relief.
Other cautions – use moderation
when starting, and invest in good shoes and socks. Guest walkers with the MSM
often find that doing 12 miles in one day leaves them stiff with aching or
blistered feet. It's a big step, even with gradual training.
The point is that even the potential
downsides to being more active can be avoided with a bit of planning, and the
benefits are amazing.
As Gary Marino is fond of
saying, it's not about weight loss, it's about commitment… and feeling better.
The latest media coverage for the Million Step March comes via Joe Miller of The News & Observer in Raleigh, who took the time to walk with Gary Marino, Kathy Higgins and Dr. Don Bradley one day last week. Be sure to see Joe's story, which ran in the Arts & Living section on Sunday.
There's probably not a better authority on outdoor activities in the Triangle than Joe. It's worth keeping up with his blog, Get Out! Get Fit! at the N&O's collection of blogs.
Also last week, as the Million Step March cruised into Durham, the Herald-Sun's Monica Chen visited with the team at Structure House, a residential weight loss center. The story is here (free registration required).
As promised, we bring you highlights from Tuesday's downtown Raleigh event, which filled up the 400 block of Fayetteville Street. This was one of the biggest days on the Million Step March - and we have it captured in this video.
