Wednesday 30 December 2015

Are you ready for the off?

Hello Bloggerettes. I've been thinking about this 1000 mile challenge and I think we ought to open it up to anyone who wants to walk, run, cycle, swim, skateboard, scoot, treadmill, ski, snowboard, ice skating, roller skating, surf, stroll, bimble, and cover the 1000 miles in whatever way they choose. The important thing is to get people doing physical activity, rather than sitting around on their bum.

Here are the rules of the challenge.
No motorized assistance, wheels are allowed but no petrol/electric motors. You must propel yourself.
You can mix any of the activities listed, do whatever suits you, but keep moving.
Count up your own miles and keep a record. No embroidering the truth, no cheating, you only let yourself down if you tell porkies.
You can count normal day to day activity in this, or set time aside for it. If you do a desk job, walk in your lunch break, or walk to and from work.
You can do as little or as much as you like in a day or a week. If you have a four hour session and cover ten miles, you could take the following day off. If you get a bit behind and take too many days off you will need to work harder to catch up. You might want to keep chipping away at it a bit at a time, or you might like to walk for several days in one go.
The official start date is Jan 1st, mine was Dec 1st. If you are not sure you want to do this give it a month and see how you feel. I hope no one will drop out
We all cheer each other on. If you are struggling tell us, it's a team effort.
Everyone will send an update in a comment at the end of every month, with a total covered so far. I will record this on here.
Anyone missing a whole month with nothing to report will have to go back to the beginning and start again on the 1st of the following month. It's in your own interests to keep trying, a little bit is better than nothing.

If you think this is a game, it isn't, it's all about looking after your body. No one can do it for you, you are in charge, you decide. It might take a few weeks before you feel the benefits, but don't be disheartened, it will take a while. This is not a quick fix, there will be no immediate weight loss, you need to look at your diet if you want to drop a few pounds. You will not suddenly be able to run a marathon. If you are not normally active it's a lifestyle change which needs to be gradually worked on, and incorporated ideally into your daily or weekly activities. Good luck everyone, and keep focused on that 1000 miles.

A quick catchup. I did the yellow sticker shop last night, got a good haul of veg, salad, dairy, and bread. The new fridge freezer is great, plenty of room for my bargains. Today I went to town, bank to take out some dosh, stock up on pet food. I see that Ultima dry cat food is on offer in Wilko, the cats will be pleased, I had run out.

Rubbish day today weatherwise, dull, dark, drizzly, and very windy. I had to retrieve my plastic and cardboard recycling from across the street, the wind had blown the wheelie bin over. At least we haven't had any floods to contend with, I feel very sorry for those people in Yorkshire and Lancashire, and along the west and south coast. The nearest floods to us are 30 miles away in Selby. Such terrible pictures in the newspapers.

Thanks for popping in. Catch up soon. Toodle pip

47 comments:

  1. You are a great motivator, Ilona. I wish everyone good luck.

    Joan (Wales)

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  2. 1000 miles it is- I'm in! Good luck gladiators, you can do this! (a bit of motivational speak to get us all ready- if I drop out due to laziness, I'm hoping you will want me to stay on as the team
    cheerleader!) See you on the side! Xxx

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  3. Hi Ilona, oh sod it, count me in!!! Must be mad. I want to lose weight and have got my pedometer out. I have been trying to do 10,000 steps a day but of course how far you cover depends on how big your stride is. I will have to figure something out. In for a penny eh. Cheers and good luck to everyone. Anna

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  4. Hi Ilona l really enjoy your blog have been reading for a while now hopefully I'll get around to posting on my blog soon. We walk OH and I but are a bit hit and miss so would luv to sign up for this as a way of keeping motivated. Do we need to sign up to anything or can we just do it with u guys?

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    1. Hi Wendy. If you want to sign up to the Country Walking site, follow the link on the previous post. You can post pics to instagram as well. I haven't signed up to anything, just made the commitment here.

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    2. Ilona, will u have a list of all of us joining you in the challenge? Then we could post each month how many miles we have done next to our names. Easy to see and to support each other.

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    3. Hi S. There is a list on the side bar on the right. I will update it regularly. I may have to move it to below the header when it grows bigger.

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    4. Ah-don't see the sidebar on the mobile site! I've been to the desk top site and seen it now. Thank you.

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  5. What a great challenge & I'm in! Juhli in Atlanta

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    1. Can I join please? I walk a few times a week then sometime i can miss it for weeks.
      This way, you will keep me on track!

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  6. Hi.Lots of positive vibes and good wishes being sent to everyone from smalltown Canada,to all the people and creatures affected by all the terrible flooding over there.Well done Ilona, inspiring everyone in today's read re:1000 miles!Bye for now,D.

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  7. Goody - glad you opened it up to different ways to get moving. January 1st for me. Now instead of walking I will take Clarkson, my bicycle out. I was given him a couple of months ago and he's been hiding under the stairs since then. I prefer cycling, I used to cycle over the Holywood Hills every day after school on a sit up and beg bike that had no gears, how I managed those hills I'll never know!

    It is sad to see so many homes and businesses wrecked by flooding. The powers that be really need to sit down and work out a viable flood defence scheme and also they need to bring back the subsidies they cut for renewable energy and put more funding in to alternatives to oil. The trouble is nobody seems to see beyond their term of office of 5 years and if not sorted out now this will go on for many many years to come and will affect all of us.

    Off now to pump up Clarkson's tyres.

    Linda xxx

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  8. I`m not joining as I will not be able to keep up with you all due to work and child minding duties. But, Ilona has inspired me to get off my backside and do more walking as a healthy activity. So, I will follow your progress with interest and do a little myself. Who knows, I might even surprise myself in the future.
    Good luck with your goal of 1000 miles/year. I`ll be cheering from the side lines!

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  9. I was away for Christmas and when I got back I was surprised to see my poetic tribute to Ilona on her sidebar. I didn't feel yesterday's subject was appropriate for my response, nor is today's really, but if I leave it any longer it will lose it's meaning, so here goes.

    This poem is in response
    To the honour bestowed upon me.
    In putting my poem on your sidebar
    For all your followers to see.

    I'm privileged you like the poem
    To display it so prominently.
    Light-hearted poetry is a joy
    But not everyone's cup of tea.

    So, for your blog as well as the honour
    I thank you once again.
    Long may the Mean Queen continue
    And long may be her reign.

    Many thanks Ilona
    Joan (Wales)

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  10. Walking is good for everyone and free! As in one of my previous posts, I changed my diet and with walking lost nearly 3st in 3 months. I too got some yellow sticker bargains today from M & S - trays of fresh honey/mustard parsnips reduced from £3.50 each to 40p (freezable too), cucumber 5p and small boxes of fresh blackberries reduced to 30p from £2.50. I'm doing dinner on Fri so all these will be used then. Love a bargain!

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    1. Crikey, well done - on the weight loss I mean. Not that the yellow stickers are a bad thing either - we just don't have them here in France. Anna

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  11. I like to walk and do a lot of it. As I don't have a car that also includes getting my heavy shopping. I don't like to count though or make my body a science project, so I'll just keep on enjoying my walking and not getting the bus to places that I can walk to. I don't really care about knowing how many miles I do as that isn't important to me but knowing I am keeping active and fit makes me feel good (inside and out). My walking doesn't have a start or end date as it is just what I do, and enjoy to do it anyway. But if people need pedometers and goals and such, then each to their own, obviously. I had a friend who found herself suddenly with a dog and the small amount of excess weight she had fell off with all those walks in the park.

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  12. I am in for the challenge. I just hope that winter is kinder to us here in northeast Massachusetts. Last year the roads were so narrow with snow banks that we had to keep ducking into driveways. This will give me motivation to push through the elements!

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  13. I am adding about 2 kilometres after each week, so began with 3, the following week to 5, the week after 7 and so on. I am determined to do this as this will help my asthma, whenever i am fit, my asthma basically disappears. That's a good enough incentive for me. Thanks for rising we readers to the challenge.

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  14. Count me in Ilona! I did a 'trial walk' yesterday to see how far a particular route was and it worked out as 5.9km or 3.66 miles so that should work well. The middle of summer here in Australia and it's hot, so I shall go out early in the morning.

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  15. I am in for the challenge please xx

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  16. Hi Ilona, I intend to keep up my cycling. I was hoping to get in 4000mls this year but am a bit short due to the inclement weather. I will aim for 4000mls next year too and will aim to cycle or walk every day. I wont post on here though. If anyone else needs advice on cycling they can contact me through my blog

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  17. So pleased to see the list grow and grow! I am in the process of making a list of the wonderful walking trails here in Miami. The city is so busy with hustle and bustle, but they have done a really good job with our parks system. I am excited to visit old places, as well as check out some new lovely areas.

    I feel privileged to be in the group. Thanks a million, and here's to a healthy 2016! Let's do this!

    Lisa in Miami

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  18. You've sold it to me, too. Count me in as well, please!

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  19. Count me in if you will please ..I'm hoping if I say it out loud I'll stick to it! Hopefully we can all encourage each other�� Jane

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  20. Fun to see all those that have signed up. I ordered the counter (?) from Amazon. I sure hope this keeps me motivated. I'm going to challenge some friends and see if they will join us. Thanks for doing this!! You are a MOTIVATOR!!! (sp?)

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  21. Count me in for the 1000 miles! Margaret in Maryland USA

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  22. Please count me in! What a great way to start the year 2016. Now if I only knew where my pedometer is . . .

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  23. Go on then, count me in too Ilona. I walk 3 miles or more most days as you know, and some time some extra depending on how far away the bird is ... my only problem will be remembering to record it each time! I think this is a great thing you're doing to get all your readers fit.

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  24. That's fantastic! I'd like to join the 1000 miles challenge, Ilona. So please count me in. I usually walk about 3-5 km most days of the week,all year round. So it won't be so difficult.Just have to keep a record about it.
    Happy New Fit Year and good luck to all!
    HelenD, Greece

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  25. Just to wish you, Ilona (and I looked at your video on how to pronounce your name - ee-lone-ah! Such a pretty name said the German way!) a very Happy New Year 2016. We will be tucked up in bed long before midnight. Years ago we used to hear the sound of the church bells ringing in the new year but this seems to have gone by the wayside and instead we have the noise of fireworks which isn't anywhere near as nice.
    Happy New Year to you and Rocky & Co.
    Margaret P

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  26. Please count me out .... but inspired to try more walking, more energy using methods (not sitting too long, moving around more, dancing while doing ironing and suchlike) and good luck to all of the more energetic readers!

    Happy New Year to you and all your readers, I love this blog!

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  27. I won't be joining in ...I already know my limits lol. Best of luck to everyone who is doing it though. Happy New Year ,Ilona.

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  28. I've never tried counting the miles before - sounds useful. I'd like to join in please - a mixture of walking the dog, running and cycling for me.

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  29. 1000 miles is 1609.34 kilometres, or 4.4 kilometres per day. That's quite doable. I reckon I can do more. Count me in.

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    1. Hi Jane. You can do as much or as little as you like each day, as long as it totals 1000 miles at the end of the year. You can split it into so much per week or month.

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  30. Am I too late to join in your challenge, I plan to continue using my static bike, can I convert the miles walked into kilometres cycled instead? Thanks and good luck everybody!! - Jill

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    1. Good to have you join in. Yes, just keep sending the updates.

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    2. Can I join in too Ilona? An added challenge for me is to find somewhere to walk that isn't flooded or washed away. Thank you so much for organising this. I really need the motivation at the moment. I'm going to start today. Happy New Year to you!

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    3. Good on yer Jules. Get them boots on and start walking. Hope your flood problems are not too disruptive. Happy New Year.

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  31. Hi Ilona, I'm in. What a great way to start the new year! I go through fits and starts of walking my son to school every day but it normally tapers out at the first sign of a drop of rain .. any excuse.. Ha! That's 2.2 miles just there and back and if I walk to collect him I'm well over target for the day. Happy new year to you. Lou

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  32. We can always count on you, Ilona, to keep us inspired!!! Count me in on the challenge.

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  33. I am on my 3rd year of the 1,000 mile challenge. I started running, but injury forced me to switch to walking. I have fallen short each year, but mostly because I can't be bothered to log on and record my miles. I average 3 miles/ day...you see, I have a very ac pooch who needs to be walked several times a day. He keeps me on track.
    YES....having animals is a commitment. If you can't put their needs first, don't take one in! All but one of our 5 pets are rehoming situations. We took them in, and are better for it, but my heart breaks for others....my one son loves pets, but just the other day said he didn't think he'd have them when he had his own place, as he knew he wouldn't care for them properly, too much work. No shame in that, I say! Good to know your limits.
    How did you come to Rocky? I don't recall reading that story.

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    1. Hi. His owners allowed him to come and live with me.

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