The first ten minutes

~ Veselin

My 2024 fitness goal is to walk 10k steps per day on average. It’s a tough goal – 10k is 1h 40 min of walking per day, 3.6M steps annually, or 511 hours of walking. That’s a non-trivial amount of time and effort, especially on work days. Busy on Monday? Do 4k steps and you’re down 6k to make up on another day. Got Covid? That’s an easy 70k steps down, which need +1k/day over the next 70 days to catch up.

I tried a variety of tactics to keep the number above 10k. I did morning walks, replaced the city driving with walking, did 5h long weekend hikes. And when the winter season started, I got to under 10k anyway.

My new attempt is catching up with the treadmill in the evening. But it’s super difficult! I’m ready to give up any second during the first ten minutes of indoor walking. Not sure how to overcome that dread. I am so close to achieving the 10k annual average 🙂 Maybe 6-7 treadmill walks away. It’s either the treadmill or going out at 10pm in cold weather, with mud and darkness.

I’m open to ideas.

Borisova Gradina during the brightest part of the day.

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19 thoughts on “The first ten minutes”

  2. I think it’s fantastic that you’re succeeding so well with your walks. I wish I could too, but it seems almost impossible for me this year to be more active.

    I’d get a treadmill or something else if I could, but there’s no room in the apartment. Most likely it would collect dust anyway…

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    1. Well, these goals depend on the person. It works for me because despite my not great physical shape, I have no injuries that can prevent me from eventually succeeding. If not this year, next.

      Also, 10k is a very, very high goal. I’ve seen friends with under 1000 average steps. If you start from 1000, 2000 is already a 2x increase and can take many months to achieve.

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      1. In my weird world, 10k is quite normal to be honest. That’s like an hour long walk each day. I bet when I have my Great Dane , I’ll reach that daily without thinking about it.

        But you’re right. You should start small. All in or out is never a good thing.

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      5. Perhaps it was just Great Dane puppies then?

        A Great Dane is supposed to be big. If they’re too small, they’re disqualified from showing.

        A male should never be below 80 cm at the withers and a female below 72 cm. Still, those Great Danes are super small. It’s more normal with males around 90-95 cm and female above 80 cm.

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  3. You are doing great dear Veselin, if I have a friend like you I would walk with him/her every day. I can only walk with My love during weekend, that it depends on the weather. But I have an exercise bike in the home. Everyday I make exercise… Do you know dear Veselin, there are amazing exercise bikes that you really feel you are in outdoor… But too expensive and there are some sport clubs they have but this time I am far from them… Anyway, you do great. The photograph is beautiful, I love trees… Thank you, have a nice evening and weekend, Love, nia

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