Dear Walk with a Duck,
I wanted to share a rather profound experience from last Wednesday, I had overslept (5:45 wake time). I threw the alarm clock twice, the 2nd time successfully penetrating the drywall 6 feet from my bed. Suffice it to say Dr. David, this led me to miss my morning workout. I knew this was my only shot of the day, for the family and I had plans immediately after work. Darn it!
In the now somewhat hurried morning shower, a frustration was brewing. I grew increasingly distraught at the thought of a day without a walk. That is my time. That is my time to recharge my batteries and maybe even solve (at least a couple of) the world's problems.
So, what did I do, you ask (we did not)? I put my Brook's running shoes in the car and decided I might adventure out, trying to walk at my lunch hour (oooh, look at you Rambo).
Our office is adjacent to a walking path - it's actually too easy. I've been here almost 2 years though and I've never done it.
It's another hectic morning with new deadlines, a broken copier, and I think one of our biggest clients in Omaha is ticked. No, actually I know they're ticked.
Sure enough, 11:45 rolls around and everyone's making lunch plans. One group's going to Qdoba, someone's taking orders for Burger King, and a couple are having Lean Cuisine at their desks - you know typical stuff. I did Qdoba yesterday, and I...ugh, I don't feel like burgers. You know what I said? Not me. Not today. I reach under my desk and grab those blue shoes as I remove my wingtops. I'm making the switch.
"What are you DOING Pete?!"
"WHEN are you going to have time to eat?!"
"If you don't eat, you're going to be GRUMPY!"
I got down the 4 flights of stairs pretty quickly (I can't believe how many people take the elevator 1 or 2 flights, can you). I like the stairs because I'm in charge. On the stairs, I'm on my own schedule. Plus every step I take instead of the elevator adds 2 seconds onto my life. I gain nearly 8 minutes at work everyday - that's 40 minutes a week - that's 1920 minutes or over a day and a half a year from work alone (somebody's bored). Funny who you can meet on a staircase. Once I met Mick Jagger, well, actually it wasn't Mr. Jagger, but he looked almost exactly like him.
As I press on the door's push bar (harder than I would've expected to), I'm thrust into fresh air. As I put on my sunglasses, I'm a little beat down, but still, it's hard to not smile. First time outside in almost 4 hours. It's just a little warm, and a little muggy, but it's good. It's real. I can already feel my mind, and my stress level, take a deep breath. My watch reads 11:57. There's the path - I've got almost a full hour of release in front of me. I can go as fast or as slow as I want.
As I walk around this serpentine path, my spirits gradually start to lift. This is so easy and I don't see anyone behind or in front of me. I'm a genius. For the next hour, I am untouchable. Maybe I'll plug earphones into my iPhone, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll decide later. I think I just felt a cool breeze. As I settle into the walk, I realize I'm surrounded by fields of countless wildflowers; primarily yellow and purple. The ones next to the trail are jumping off the page.
In the next few moments, I figure out the problem my boss has been struggling with all morning. That will put me in good favor. Then I see a variety of birds (I'll have to google that vibrant yellow one) and a golden retriever running alongside the lake. I still have time to walk 2 more miles, that 's 30-40 more minutes. Good news.
There are probably 20,000 people that work within a square mile of this park's trail, why are there only a handful here?
It's 78 degrees out. I feel almost guilty that I'm the only one experiencing this. Much better than sitting in traffic
My pedometer has gone from 874 to 6,032.
I'm starting to get a little hungry, but not much. I can definitely wait. I'm realizing as I cover the next couple miles that I can't stop smiling. I can see the top of the office building, but it feels states away. When I get back, there will only be four hours left.
Crazy - all the sudden it feels like the day is just starting. My pedometer now reads 8,596 and it's only 12 something. I'm happy I brought my tennis shoes to work, although I probably didn't even need them.
I easily complete my three and something miles and feel as if I've been on a mini-vacation. I don't want to go back. However, there are only four hours left and my boss is going to love me!
I stop by Subway in the lobby. I lead the overworked, yet polite woman through the toppings for my 6 inch turkey. As I wait for the sandwich to get out of the toaster, the irony hits me. The sub, baked chips, and drink add up to 610 calories - the exact amount I burned on my walk. I finish this in my cubby as the short hand eases past the one. Subway's never tasted so good
So, Walk with a Duck. I want to recommend to all your newsletter readers that they go for a walk at lunch. It doesn't matter if it's for 10 minutes or 60 - it has made me feel like a new man. I will be back out there tomorrow and every tomorrow that I can foresee.
Sincerely,
Pete Chandler
*By the way, I've always wondered something. How do you get the ducks to follow you when you walk? That's pretty cool. You must give them lots of bread?
*For all of this week's walks and locations, please go to www.walkwithadoc.org.
