Walking Distance

I haven't written much about my recent hobby, walking, yet. It started last August when I decided to take part in a 5K charity race for walkers and runners. I knew I could walk the distance, that was no problem. In the past I was such a slow jogger that I never would have dreamed of taking part in any race. I was curious to see if I would be just as slow at power walking. I made a training plan for the six weeks I had before the race and when the the date in early October rolled around, I was ready. I was able to finish first in the 75 - 80 age group for women! And I was proud to be the second oldest walker altogether. I'm still not fast, but everything is relative.

Fast forward to mid-December in Conil: Since the race in Munich, I have continued power walking and have been working on increasing my distances as well as pace. In Munich I had a choice of a few parks where I enjoyed walking, but they were parks. For walks with more country and nature I had to drive a fair distance. Not so in Conil - here I can walk from the front door and am on the beach or on the path behind the strip of marshland behind the beach. No city streets, cars, buildings to the right and left, just the feeling of endless sky, water and sand.

We've been here three weeks now and I have been walking regularly and increasing my distances. My pace is erratic. Sometimes I think I am making progress, some days I am just as slow as ever. I have been walking but not journaling, alas. I had every intention to record my walking experience here. Today, the first day of winter and when my shadow is at its longest, is the beginning.

This morning I did 8 km at a very slow plod. It was actually a record for slow. I walked the path that starts on the other side of the Rio Salado. It continues along the marshland bordering the beach and on past the Torre Castilnovo, ending at another little river before you reach El Palmar, the next village. It's a rough path with stones, some big puddles left by the heavy rains earlier in the month and some soft sand, not a path for achieving a fast pace but more for forgetting the time and enjoying a good walk.