Day 31 Walk30 for April! Begins tomorrow

Walk On Strong group coming and going!

Notice the snow!

Day 31 Walk30 for April! Begins tomorrow
It was a chilly one this morning a little hard to take after the past weeks of summery weather!  There were a few dedicated soles (don't mind the pun) out today and ready with heavier coats and even the gloves made a reappearance.  We are sure that Spring will be showing up soon and our numbers will grow with it.
Please come and join me in making a strong start to the spring by committing to the Walk30 Challenge for April.  Thirty minutes a day for 30 days ... this will be my sixth consecutive walk30 Challenge and I would love to have you join me!
Walk On Strong!
Sue

Day 30 WE WON Best Walker Friendly Half Marathon!

                                   Day 30 WE WON!

         Best Walker Friendly Half Marathon!

        Thank you to all you loyal voters!  You made it happen!

After a month dedicated to voting on the About.com website for the Minds in Motion K W Walking Classic we have come out on top and were awarded the Readers Choice Award for the Best Walker-Friendly Half Marathon. 

YIPEE!

If you have never been a part of this walker's only event you need to be there for the Fifth Annual Minds in Motion K W Walking  Classic September 23 2012 in Waterloo Ontario ( for those of you who are not in Canada ... we are one hour west of Toronto).  Early Bird prices are in effect for a few more days and there are only 500 spaces in the Half Marathon.     www.kwwalkingclassic.com
You have six months of walking30 to get you ready for this event ... you can walk the 5K, 10 K or get ready for the 21 K Half Marathon!
You can do it ... especially when you sing up and set the goal ... magical things happen.
Come and Walk On Strong with us!
Let me know what you think ... walkonstrong@gmail.com

Remember the Walk30 Challenge begins again on Sunday 
... join me!
Sue

Day 29 The walk30 challenge begins again

A memorable walk in Paris last March!

Day 29 The walk30 challenge begins again!
Come join us as we begin a new month and a new walk30 challenge.  Thirty minutes a day for 30 days ... every week you will be walking a half marathon. We have done 4 Half Marathons this month ( at least) and we are going for another four next month!  Join us on April first for the April walk30 challenge.
Today was an after dinner walk30 for Dave and I ... it was one of those walks where you clear your head from all that went on in the day ... it's all good!
I hope you had a great walk30 today!
Walk On Strong,
Sue

Day 28 Reasons to walk

Day 28 Reasons to walk ... everyone has a reason!
I have lots of reasons to walk30 and to write this blog everyday. Some of my reasons have to do with my own fitness and being consistent in my walking habit and other reasons have to do with promoting the Minds In Motion KW Walking Classic and making a difference in the lives of those who are dealing with the stigma attached to mental illness. Those are some of my reasons but everyone has their own and this story came to me through am email today .. what an amazing reason to walk and what beautiful results!
Artist Simon Beck must really love the cold weather! Along the frozen lakes of Savoie, France, he spends days plodding through the snow in raquettes (snowshoes), creating these sensational patterns of snow art. Working for 5-9 hours a day, each final piece is typically the size of three soccer fields! The geometric forms range in mathematical patterns and shapes that create stunning, sometimes 3D, designs when viewed from higher levels.

How long these magnificent geometric forms survive is completely dependent on the weather. Beck designs and redesigns the patterns as new snow falls, sometimes unable to finish a piece due to significant overnight accumulations. Interestingly enough, he said, 'The main reason for making them was because I can no longer run properly due to problems with my feet, so plodding about on level snow is the least painful way of getting exercise. Gradually, the reason has become photographing them, and I am considering buying a better camera. Spectacular art for the sake of exercise!
Way to go Simon ... and thank you for creating such amazing snow art!
Walk On Strong!
Sue

Day 27 Come walk with us! Early Birds need to register now!

Day 27    Early Bird Registration is coming to an end... April first!
Today I am going to advertise the race that has consumed my life ... in a very good way.
Please consider coming to walk with us on September 23rd!
Walk for Mental Health and make a difference!
Minds in Motion - KW Walking Classic
 5K, 10K and Half Marathon Events!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Early Bird Registration
for the 2012 Minds in Motion KW Walking Classic is now open!
                  Early Bird registration closes April 1, 2012
            Registration will be limited to 1,500 participants.
                                         Register NOW!
Our cause is Mental Health and providing for a healthier lifestyle for those recovering from mental health concerns, their families and the people who support them.  We have provided  hundreds of properly fitted athletic shoes for those on fixed incomes recovering from mental health issues who want to get fit.  All levels of ability welcome!  If you can walk we want you to come join the fun and help us help others.  All three events are chip-timed, with lots of great loot and bling, long sleeved technical shirts, finishing medals and no shortage of excitement.


TO REGISTER:
Visit our website now:  www.kwwalkingclassic.com

OR

Go to the Running Room registration page directly at: www.runningroom.com
 Minds In Motion  K W Walking Classic
Registration for the 21K half marathon is limited to 500 participants – Register early to ensure your registration!
Fundraising Goal:
In association with Waterloo Regional Homes for Mental Health Inc. all funds pledged and donated for the event will be used to equip individuals with lived mental health experience with proper fitting athletic shoes.
In the spirit of the event we encourage all race participants to raise funds in addition to the event registration fee.  To do so please download our Pledge Form and return it with funds raised to the Race Expo on Saturday, September 22, 2012.  
We want to see over 1000 walkers this year and you can help make that happen ... Walk On Strong!
SUe

Day 26 Thirty Minutes of walking a day helps prevent diabetes

On a walk in the city of Florence Italy ... for real!

 Day 26 Thirty Minutes of walking a day helps prevent diabetes
I was reading the REAL AGE newsletter today and there was an article that caught my eye:

 Drs. Oz and Roizen Speak Out: Top 10 Benefits of Walking

Be sure to check out the whole article

 Well the third benefit was right up my alley and a great thing to remember when you are feeling a little bit reluctant around getting out the door to do your walk30!

From Real Age ...

"#3. Dims your chances of diabetes: Thirty minutes of walking a day makes your muscles more sensitive to insulin. That allows glucose to do its duty inside your cells rather than pile up in your bloodstream (that's what happens when you have diabetes) and cause other havoc."

So we can cut our chances of developing type 2 diabetes by simply taking on a walk30 challenge. Join me on April first for the next 30 minutes for 30 days challenge.

Today I waited until 10 p.m. to do my walk30 ... Dave and I did a fast walk around the neighborhood and it felt great!!

Be sure to check out the real age article by Dr. Oz and Dr.R at the link above ... we need all the encouragement we can get to head out the door!

Walk On Strong,

Sue

Day 25 Just another Sunday walk30

Day 25 Just another Sunday walk30
We are having a very warm Spring ... the flowers are starting to bloom and the forsythia is bursting yellow foliage everywhere.
These photos are actually from last year at exactly this time and they were taken in the south of France. 

When we arrived back home from this trip we were knee deep in snow and it wasn't for another month or so that we saw the forsythia blooming ... a sure sign of Spring.  



 My Sunday walk30 was actually two short walks with Annie our puppy.  It was a busy day but I managed to get out there and enjoy the warm sun.
Hope you were out there too!
Walk On Strong!
Sue