In recent weeks, I’ve written about what I’ve called a Personal Step Challenge that began on December 15, 2019.  My goal is to get 10,000 steps per day at a minimum, and also 5.0 miles at a minimum.  I added the five mile part because at 10,000 steps I’m a tad short that.  The broader goal is, of course, to stay in (age-adjusted) very good shape.

I wrote at 50 days

Then at 60 days

And then at 80 days

And now, the string of successive 10,000 step / 5.0 mile days reaches 100 days.  With an estimate for Monday, when I hope this post goes live, I’ve walked 1.2 million steps and 583 miles in the last 100 days. Rather than 10,000 steps per day, I averaged 12,412 steps per day, and rather than 5.0 miles, I walked 5.8 miles per day.

In previous posts, I’ve talked about some of the benefits of a regular program of movement.  I’ll do so again today.

Lessons Learned

I was scheduled to testify in an arbitration in New York almost three weeks ago now.  This was at the beginning of awareness about the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.  I was concerned about flying on that trip, about being in a cramped hearing room with 15 or so people, and about being in New York while the bad news was spreading.

In the end, I made two trips to New York before and after a weekend.  I testified in the arbitration on Tuesday two weeks ago, and was scheduled to testify again on Thursday.  However, two of the arbitrators lived in Westchester County, which was then a hotbed of virus contraction.  By the end of the day on Tuesday, there was a decision that the arbitration would be finalized using Zoom Video Conferencing.

Everyone spread to the winds Tuesday evening and we had the last day of the arbitration, including the finalization of my testimony, on Thursday.  I was at our vacation place in Port Orange, Florida. And I’m still here.  This is remote working at its finest for me!

The lesson for me during the past three weeks of mounting angst over COVID-19 is that movement, particularly walking and pickleball, are therapeutic in a time of crisis.  It took intentionality to get steps each day, but I knew that by walking (and washing hands) I was doing something positive for my health.

All of our portfolios are shot up and shocked, and that is stressful.  Walking is a wonderful to help alleviate stress and anxiety, at least for me.

I’ve also learned that I have reached a new level of attitude and habit regarding walking and movement.  I’ve always had a good attitude about working out and good intentions for doing so and staying in shape.  But while I worked out or walked or did something somewhat regularly, anything could get in the way.

I believe that with these past 100 days, I now have not only an attitude favorable to movement, but also a habit of achieving 10,000+ steps and 5+ miles per day.

“They” say that it takes at least 30 days to form a habit.  I did not consider that I had the habit at 30 days.  I was interested and intrigued that I had made it that long, but I was far from having the habit.

May you all take care of yourselves during this unprecedented time.  I look forward to seeing many readers later in the year and to talking to lots of you on the telephone.  Thoughts and prayers for all who are being impacted by this virus in so many ways.

Be well and keep washing your hands,

Chris