Backsliding

After a few of my hot flashes and sitting at my desk most of the day I got stir crazy and hiked to Ivar's Fish Bar along Alaskan Way. It's 1.4 miles up and down Madison. Getting there was almost a breeze. Coming back was a disappointment. I had to cheat part way back and take the escalator in the Seattle Public Library. I walked a bit on the escalator, so I cheated the cheating. As slow as I was climbing Little Si last week, I thought I would have done better at this very short jaunt. Recovery is taking longer than I thought. I'm going to call it a 300 foot elevation gain. Not much.

Total distance for the day: 2.8 miles; 4.48 km
Total distance for the year: 129.52 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 1,600 feet

Little Si . . . and . . . and . . .

Photo by Sue Butkus of me near the crest of Little Si Mountain, North Bend

Today I made my first major hike since the first of the year -- Little Si, at North Bend. This is a departure of what I've been doing since radiation treatment. Until now, a 400-foot elevation gain from Alaskan Way to the crest of Madison Street was exhausting. This was exhausting as well, and at this writing my legs are feeling it and my knees are weak. But I did it, although it took me four hours to summit Little Si instead of my customary 90 minutes.
Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

Total distance for the day: 4.7 miles,7.52 km
Total distance for the year: 117.84 km
Total elevation gain for the year:  1,300 feet

Wednesday, April 12

Safeway:  Walked to the store to get some cranberry juice mixes to address a possible UTI. Bought four half-gallon bottles. Half mile there, and I was tired; half mile back, lugging 20 pounds of fluid. I will save the bottles, because they are such a convenient way to add 20 pounds to a conditioning hike.
Total distance for the day: 1 mile, 1.6 km
Total distance for the year: 119.44 km
Total elevation gain for the year:  1,300 feet.

Friday, April 14

A Del Sol similar to mine

Kaiser Permanente, etc.
Walked to pharmacy for sulfa drugs for UTI; then to Umpqua Bank for deposit; then home. And then, in pm, back to Kaiser Permanente and back home again for a different prescription. Then at night, an uncounted walking around looking for a stolen Del Sol.

Total distance for the day: 3.5 miles, 5.6 km
Total distance for the year: 125.04 km
Total elevation gain for the year: 1,300 feet

Chinatown tune up

Our destination: Jade Garden Restaurant

Today I walked to join my life-long friend, Jay Hastings, with whom I traveled to Cambodia almost three years ago. Jay was coming to Seattle for business, so I joined him for a dim sum lunch at Jade Garden Restaurant, 424 7th Ave. S. From there to the ferry terminal, for Jay to catch the ride home, and from the ferry terminals home. Total distance: at least 3.1 miles, or 6.56 km.

Significance: Probably the longest walk I've made since radiation treatments ended. I made it up Madison hill without having to do more than pause momentarily to catch my breath. Part of that was due to some strategic planning to make sure I didn't ascend continuously--but I didn't rely on the escalators I employed on my April 1 hike. When I got home I took a big nap.

Total for the day: 4.1 miles, 6.56 km
Total for the year: 110.32 km