Time to get on with an additional activity during "off" or Walk days. I think I'm going to try Yoga. Time for research.

Today's Run - 5:50am; 5.9kms; 48.5mins; 8c dropping to 7c by the end of my Run, geez!

Well, it's colder again. From 30c+ with humidity a couple of days ago to 10c overnight with little humidity.

July 1st - Canada Day - holiday coming soon. However, I have to move someone! Fortunately it's not a big move. I'll just have to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Today's Walk - 5:45am; 5.5kms; 54mins; 10c and cloudy

My Ride

I keep mentioning how excited I am about completing my test for my full motorcycle licence. Well, I had to aim for something at 60 - in addition to getting into better physical condition - so that was it. (I have a few other ideas I'm working on.)

So, this is what I'm currently riding

It's a 2012 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 LT. Nothing too fancy. But, it's bigger than what I was first riding (2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 500) and is nicer on the highways - although something just a bit bigger wouldn't hurt. That being said, I needed something to fit my short legs. Even this bike - which was a good fit - was lowered 1" (2.5cm) to be more comfortable. It's a belt drive, liquid cooled and fuel injected - all key items to me. And, given that it's fuel injected, it gets as good fuel economy as the Vulcan 500 did (it was carbureted) with almost twice the engine displacement.

Today's Run - 5:50am; 5.8kms; 48mins; 15c and overcast (virtually clear by end of Run)

Well, I'm back on course - so to speak. I did my Walk this morning. It felt kind of weird, having missed a day - even though I plan a day off each week.

Today's Walk - 6:05am; 5.5kms; 54mins; 20c and humid, partly cloudy

So, what have I been so nervous about? What's the big deal?

As I mentioned previously, on my 55th birthday I got my beginners' motorcycle licence - a written test for the M1 which is good for up to 90 days and then, after passing a brief skills test, M2 for up to 5 years. That's graduated licencing in Ontario. Well, my 5 years is almost up and, while I was going to go for the "M2 Exit" test last year, I just never got around to it. So, with just a little under 3 weeks left to hold a valid M2 I did my Exit test today. Should not have been any big deal, but it is.

Or was - I passed! Drinks all around!

Meanwhile, my fitness tracker keeps telling me I'm not being very active today. Yeah, right! Part of the M2 Exit course I did had a small group of us riding around all morning - since 7:30am - practising with the instructor yelling in our ears over a radio. Then our individual riding test (mine was at first at 12:30pm). Ever checked a heart rate monitor after all that! My heart got exercised even if my legs didn't!

Back to our regularly scheduled program of Walks and Runs tomorrow.

This morning was a great morning for a Run. (I usually Run on Sunday's rather than Saturday's but tomorrow I am busy.)

I found that, since I started short running intervals within my walks that I am, of course, covering my normal distance faster. So, I decided to extend my distance a bit today to give a better overall workout time.

Today's Run - 6:05am; 5.9kms; 49mins; 13c; clear

Woke up this morning to the sound of "Brexit". I'm sorry my friends over in Britain but I think you just made a big mistake. You've just given up a lot more than you realize. While the European Union has issues, it would have been better to have tried to fix them from within. Now watch out for Scotland. I expect they'll have another vote to leave and will this time.

Today's Walk - 6:05am; 5.5kms; 53.5mins; 11c, clear

Missed posting yesterday. I've just got something going on at the moment and it is distracting me from writing. Tuesday's post was a good example.

I've got something new and a bit different going on right now. And, as I am being put into a new situation without prior experience, I have to say I am a bit nervous. After Sunday I may tell you about it.

In the mean time, I am still doing my daily Walks or Runs.

Yesterday (Wed.) Walk - 6:10am; 5.5kms; 53.5mins., 11c, clear

Today Run - 5:55am; 5.4kms; 44mins; 15c, clear

I just don't know what to write about today. Other than it was another - "I don't want to get up and do this anymore!" morning. So, I'll just give my usual Walk/Run stats.

Today's Run - 6:05am; 5.5kms; 46.5mins; temp 10c

Well, I asked for it. It was hot this morning. It's hot this afternoon. And, it will likely be hot tonight - until we get a thunderstorm.

When I left for my Walk this morning at 6:05am it was 20c. Fortunately I it was not humid, as I had expected. But, while recently the temperature has either stayed the same, or dropped, during my early morning exercise, this time it went up and by 7am was 22c. And, it was beginning to get humid.

I was at a slightly slower pace today. I'll blame it on the heat! 😉

Today's Walk - 6:05am; 5.4kms; 54mins; 20c; partly cloudy

As yesterday was an "off day" I went for an early morning walk with my beautiful wife of 38 years. This woman is an inspiration to me. She is great with kids - and, of course, our grandchildren. Me - I feel challenged by them ... uncomfortable?

Anyway, she rides her bicycle to work everyday. Not a casual rider, either. She motors! (12kms; 30mins; 4:30am!) She works in the Kinesiology Dept. at our local university - more specifically in Neurosvascular Research. So, she gets to work, and then works out on the exercise equipment they have for testing "patients" that have had a "cardiovascular event". Definitely puts me to shame.

Our Walk, however, was a bit more relaxed as we were also walking our daughter's dog - a beautiful English Setter. The relaxed part is that he has to stop to poop 4 times during our walk! Otherwise, if he's off leash I'm sure he could out-race a Greyhound - well, maybe. So, while we're actually walking we keep a decent pace - except for the wet grass, which takes up about 1/4 of our walk. It's all the "stopping" that slows down the overall walk.

Yesterday - Walk - 6am; 3.8kms; 45mins; 11c; clear

Today - Run - 6:05am; 5.4kms; 47mins; 14c; clear

I previously mentioned the book Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley & Dr. Henry S. Lodge (paperback ed. 2007). Another book in the YNY [Younger Next Year] series is Thinner This Year (paperback ed. 2013). Not a particularly great title, IMHO. However, this one is written 10 years after YNY and Dr. "Harry" (who gave great medical insight in YNY) is "replaced" by Jen Sacheck, Ph.D. Jen's doctorate is in nutrition.

Thinner This Year is similar to YNY except more emphasis is placed on the impact of nutrition versus exercise on our bodies. Not that exercise is left out by any means - it's in there. (There's specific "warm-up" and strength training information.) It's just a different approach to YNY with a lot more nutrition information. It's also not a diet book, per se. But, it has good information on eating right.

Both Younger Next Year and Thinner This Year are very good books. I would recommend reading them in the order published. Younger Next Year is more inspirational. Thinner This Year has the requisite nutrition and exercise advice.

Enjoy!

Today's Walk - 5.4kms; 54mins; 11c (getting cooler again 😠 ); clear

Today was a Run day. It's been 1 week (3 Runs per week) since I increased my run in my run/walk intervals to 45 seconds and walk 90 seconds. Remember what I said about knowing I am 60 but don't really think about it and just act like I am 30 or something. Well today, not even half-way through, I felt like, "What the f$^k do I think I'm doing out here at 6:30 in the morning! I'm 60 fer chrissakes!"

But, it seems like, after that half-way point - maybe it's because I know I am over "the hump" and on the way home - I feel much better and it's like I could do even more as I am nearing the finish. (Except today, of course, because it started to rain for the last 5 minutes. As soon as I got home, it stopped!)

It's interesting the people you meet. Most are friendly. Some speak. Almost all at least acknowledge you. A city bus driver gave me a thumbs-up.👍 But, there are always some that are not as friendly. Maybe they are just introverted. But, then again, so am I. One young running woman would not even look at me, although I am sure she had to know I was approaching her. I met her twice during my Run. I thought maybe the second time she'd at least look at me. Nope. When I was her age (20's?), I was probably a bit frumpy, too. Her loss!

Today's Run - 5.4kms; 47mins; temp 15c; partly overcast and then rain - from nowhere!

It's interesting but I do not feel 60. It's only when I stop to think about it that some sort of reality sinks in. As far as I am concerned I may still by 30 or so. I should act my age? Why? Except for acknowledging the reality, and taking steps to ensure that I do not become any older before my time than necessary, I'll act how I want - mostly! 😏

Today's Walk - 5.4kms; 53.5mins; temp 13c (that's better!); partly cloudy

I went for a ride on my motorcycle yesterday. It was supposed to be sunny and nice. Instead, it turned cloudy and windy. It tried to start raining a few times but never amounted to anything. What I found amazing was checking my heart-rate when I got home after about a 4 hour ride (including stops). My heart-rate had spiked almost continually way into the "red zone" - much higher than my running intervals (even towards the end of my runs). That was certainly an eye opener.

Today was a Run day. But, first - it is also garbage day. And, even when garbage isn't put out until early in the morning, the raccoons/skunks still get into it. So, clean-up in aisle #1!

For my Run, I extended my run interval from 30secs to 45secs, and kept my walk part the same 90secs. It definitely was more challenging. 

start time: 6:10am (after garbage clean-up!); 5.4kms; 47.5mins; temp 8c; clear

First, I guess I should apologise to Garmin regarding my comments about the inflexibility of the apps/widgets on the vivoactive HR. I was wrong - sort of.

I have found that the statistics for my Walks is there on the Garmin Connect app - it's just buried and not convenient to discover.

As for setting warm-up & cool-down along with more flexibility in terms of intervals for my Runs - that is also available. But, through Garmin Express - an app(?)[it seems to need to bring up my web browser for a lot of its "interactions"] for my laptop (Windows7-based) that is supposed to interact with my "wearable" when connected via the USB. So far, connecting and syncing has been "poor" to say the least. I'll just leave it at that for now. I just don't have time for that crap.


Today's Walk - 6:05am; 9c (yep, still friggin' chilly in the morning); 5.4kms; 54.5mins. (a bit slower. I guess I need a better Playlist to listen to. Or, just not be so distracted thinking about so many different things and just concentrate on my Walk!)

I just have to break with the "all-about-me" for this post.

I wasn't going to be distracted from my focus on Turning Sixty but I just have to comment on the attack on the LGBTQ community in Orlando, Florida. My thoughts and tears are with you. (I am not part of the LGBTQ community personally, but I know many who are. Some are friends. Some are relatives. All are sisters and brothers of all of us here on planet earth.)

From Canada with love.

I also want to extend my condolences to everyone impacted by violence - be it by gun, knife, physical, verbal or psychological. We, the people of this planet, are better than that.

Oh, and it is my considered opinion that Donald Trump is an asshole. Really. Just do an internet search. Greater minds than mine have done extensive research and come to the same conclusion.

Enough said.

I have found my Garmin vivoactive HR a bit less accommodating than the free Runkeeper app I am using on my iPhone. While I can program Runkeeper to include any warm-up and cool-down along with my intervals of running and walking, this Garmin wearable seems to be focussed strictly on the activity - ie. the Run. Also, while I can adjust my intervals on Runkeeper by 1 sec, Garmin requires 15 second changes. I think 5 sec would be better.

I'm sure Garmin has based the Run app (or is that a widget - I'm not sure I know the difference), and others, on the wearables they have that are more sport specific. However, their vivoactive HR is better for someone, like me, that is starting out and needs more flexibility in the tracking - smaller increments in intervals, for example. Also, while the Garmin vivoactive HR has a Walk app/widget, it does not appear to have a corresponding section on the iPhone Garmin Connect app. Another shortcoming.

Today was a Run day. Certainly a lot cooler than yesterday - a balmy 11c, windy, mostly sunny, no real humidity; 5.4kms; 49.5mins (includes 5mins warm-up & cool-down each, 30sec. run/90sec walk)

Today was not a walk/run scheduled day. But, by 4:30pm I was getting antsy and went for a walk anyway.

Great time of day to go for a walk!

Lots of traffic; temp 31c; high humidity; mostly sunny. But I did 5.5kms in 53.5mins. And, I sweated a lot!!

Today I almost slept in. Really didn't want to get up and go for a walk. But, I did it anyway.

Decided to try a slightly different route to get away from noisy, smelly traffic - even at 6am. My slight change actually lengthened my route slightly, which was a welcomed surprise, actually. I'm looking for an overall quite route to be about 6kms total that starts and ends at my house.

Today walk - 6:10am; 5.5kms; 54mins.; temp - a balmy 8c!

I'm finding that getting up before 6am every day to walk or run is actually not all that hard. Since I have never really been a morning person I thought it would be more difficult. Maybe it's because I've decided I'm going to make this work - or else! Anyway so far I've been able to keep to my personal commitment - even in downtown Toronto.

Today was a fresh 5c temperature; 5.3kms; 47:30mins. (including 5mins warm-up & 5mins cool-down; 30secs run/1:30mins walk)

Home again and time to get back into my routine.

Today (walk) - 6:10am; 5.3kms; 51.5 mins; temp 8c and rain/drizzle

I've been at a conference in downtown Toronto for the last couple of days. However, I still got my walking/running in. I was at a hotel on King Street so my route because west on King to Bathurst, south to Front, east to Bay (Tues extended to Yonge) north to King and west back to the hotel.

Monday (walk)  - 5:50am 4.7kms (not sure how accurate this was); 42.5 mins; temp 16c
Tuesday (run) - 6 am; 5.9kms; 42.5 mins.; temp 12c

I'm experimenting with adding running to my walking routine. On Thrusday, excluding warm-up and cool-down walks, I ran 1 minute & walked 4 minutes, and repeated these intervals for the full 5.3kms.

Today I changed to 30 seconds of run & 2 minutes of walk for the same 5.3kms. Both Runkeeper and my vivoactiveHR fitness tracker can coach me as to when to run versus walk. Also, with Runkeeper I can program in the warm-up and cool-down parts. Vivoactive HR seems more focussed on just the actual Run (run/walk) part so I guess, to be most accurate with it, I should just start and stop it for the Run part only.

I'm going to be away at a conference for the next couple of says. I might try out a treadmill at the hotel as I do not know what the area will be like for running. I'll try not to fall on my face as I've never used one before. Maybe I should swim instead.🤔

Today 6:15am - 5.3kms; 50.5mins.; 5 mins walk warm-up, 16 intervals of 30sec run/2mins walk; 5 mins walk cool-down; temp 18c, humid; overcast (had been raining)

My day off from running/walking but I walked anyway.

6am; 5.3kms; 52.5mins.; temp 12c; partly cloudy

The passing of a particular decade in terms of age never really meant that much to me. Instead, the significant birthdates were: 16 (driver's licence), 18 (vote), and 19 (legally consume alcohol). After that, they were not significant - turning 20, 30 , 40  or even 50 didn't seem that important.

That probably changed for the first time when I turned 55. I went and got my motorcycle licence. I hadn't ridden since I was a kid. And, back then it was just a mini-bike.

The approach of 60 seemed to hit me different - and, I'm not sure why.

I mentioned "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D. in an earlier post. The book is almost 10 years old now. I don't remember hearing about it back then. Or, even if I had, it probably would not have made any difference. Today, however, I think it is a great book. Chris' writing is both entertaining and inspirational.

So, here I am - a 60 year old, 5'4", 172lb (and getting lighter) white male trying to reset myself, physically and mentally, for the next 1/3 of my life.

Today was a walk day - 5.3kms; 53mins., temp 12c, clear sky.

NEW BLOG NAME - NEW LOOK - I thought, since I've been doing this consistently for a month now, that I would try to learn more about how this Blogger thing works, and make things a bit more relevant - and cheerful!

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Yesterday I talked about my weight. I think I should emphasize how big a deal this is for me.

I do not remember my weight in high school. I do remember being teased in elementary school about my weight. However, as puberty set in, I became much slimmer. I believe at one time I was wearing pants with a 28" waist. I do however remember that early on in our marriage there was a couple that my wife and I used to hang out with, The ladies were getting concerned that their guys were gaining weight. So, we weighed ourselves. I believe I weighed about 165lbs at the time. That would have been over 3 decades ago - and, I was never that light again!

It would appear that I basically gained 20 lbs with the birth of our first child. Two more kids, and 40 more pounds, plus a few more for good measure, and now you can see how I eventually maxxed-out at 210lbs. (I gained with each child - no doubt sympathetic weight gain so my wife wouldn't feel so bad while pregnant. After each child was born, she lost the extra weight - I didn't!)

So, having recently clocked-in at 172lbs means I haven't been down to this weight in decades. It really is exhilarating- if that's the right word for it. And, I still have a ways to go.

Today was a run day - my intention was to get in at least 8 "run" segments so I went my 5.3km route; total time, including 5 minutes each for warm-up walk and cool-down walk was 47.5mins.; I had 9 x 1 minute run segments with 4 minute walks in between; temp 16c; clear. Some of the run bits were a bit of a challenge, but it seemed to get easier(?) the further along I got.

Part of trying to "get into shape", now that I am 60, is losing weight. I'm a short male - 5'4"/165cm. At one time, probably around 10 years ago, I weighed 210lbs/95.5kg. However, more recently (last couple of years) I have been around 190lbs/86kg. And, most recently (within the past 6 months) I was about 180lbs/81kg but frequently bounced up to around 185lbs/84kg.

I made a pledge to my youngest daughter (the giver of the Jawbone UP MOVE) that I would lose about 8 lbs by my birthday - when it was still 7 weeks away. That should have been relatively simple. Just starve myself (I was hoping to get down to 170lbs/77kg). Well, I failed. My biggest problem is snacking at night in front of the television. While we haven't had cable TV in years, I do have a selection of DVDs. And, of course, there's always Netflix.

Also, I have recently discovered that, while I do not have Celiac disease, I do appear to have a sensitivity to gluten. Eliminating gluten from my diet has contributed to an overall improvement in my general level of health. Also, since gluten is off my list, grocery shopping has changed and I am no longer tempted to buy snacks that, while tasty, are not necessary and definitely not a good idea. The only problem is potato chips are gluten-free! ... I'm working on it!

So, I got down to 173lbs/78.5kg by my birthday. Today, I am 172lbs.78kg. And, while I'm not to an ideal weight, I am no longer obese based on my BMI - and, my clothes don't fit properly anymore!

Today was a walk day - 6.1kms; 59.5mins.; temp 13c; slight breeze