Today… or rather… yesterday, I went for a walk. With the sidewalks being sort of “iffy” — wet and sometimes slippy, still, or almost non-existent in the suburb where I live, and the trails being still well covered with snow, I decided to do go somewhere indoors where I could walk fast and not worry about having to stop for traffic or climb a snowbank if the need arose.
I went to Bayshore Shopping Centre. I haven’t actually been there in a few years. I can’t even recall the last time I was there. It is, however, one of the few malls where the plan is basically oval and there are several floors all with more or less the same floor plan… and there aren’t huge crowds of people on a weekday.
I parked on the top level beside a door which I discovered led right to the food court. It was also in the centre of the mall. Next time, I will park next to The Bay doors which are on the end.
I walked one and a half times around the top level and went down the stairs to the second level and did a complete lap of it. Then I took the stairs to the lower level and did a complete lap of it before sitting for a minute to catch my breath and rest my back. Then I went up the stairs to the second level and did a lap of it, walked up to the top level, again and did a lap and a half of it. Six laps doesn’t seem like a lot, perhaps but I kept at a brisk pace and took the stairs both ways. I was also wearing my jacket. I worked up quite a sweat and by the time I was done, my heart was pounding. Next time, I am going to leave my jacket in the car, I think.
Each trip up the stairs winded me a bit but I didn’t stop and I found that I was able to continue quite well and shake that off.
I stopped to buy a bottle of water before I left and had to drive home with the window open in order to cool down.
My face was pretty red but for some reason that is something that has always happened, even when I was very fit and cycled across town to work, before I had my accident. People were always concerned that I was overexerted but, in fact, that just seems to be how my body reacts to exercise. My face would be nearly purple but my breathing and heart rate was always completely normal. I think it is just how my body regulates temperature.
There is a “walking club” at the mall which meets between 7 and 9 am daily. I’m not sure if I am up to doing my walking that early in the day but it might be worth looking in to. Someone I know is a member of a walking club at a mall. I’ll have to find out which one…. and avoid it like the plague. The club lists their benefits on the mall website. I like the last one… just in case someone croaks while walking, I guess.
- Safe and friendly environmentally-controlled atmosphere
- Meet great people and make new friends
- Walk early in the morning to avoid the crowds
- Free coat check at Guest Services
- Free quarterly breakfast
- Special guest speakers
- Track your kilometres at Guest Services
- Medically trained security officer on site
The GOOD news is that my blood pressure was quite a bit better when I took it in the morning. 148/100 with a heart rate of 57. That is a LOT better than 190/114. Hopefully, it will continue to drop.
I see the doctor on Thursday, so, hopefully, the test results will be back before that.
I am ALSO hoping that the package with my new wheel bearing for my car, plus the copy of Adobe Premiere that my nephew has sent me finally arrives. He sent it via Canada Post last week…. regular mail… I MIGHT get it sometime next century.
On another note, I finished a scarf I was knitting this evening and started one for my Mom. It may seem just a bit pointless knitting scarves in March when Spring is almost here, but it has been keeping me busy and I find knitting very relaxing. Hopefully, we can find them come next winter…
I will try and get a photo of the new scarf tomorrow. Maybe it will actually be cold enough to wear it.
Mudpuddle 