I strive for a walking start.

Some may get a running start. Nope, not me.

• I do NOT run
• Not if I can help it
• I walk and walk some more

Hoping to get a good walking start on the 2016 3-Day Walk, I purchased a Fitbit tracker before the 2015 Walk.

I purchased it because I was developing a bad habit of the post 3-Day winter blues.

My Walking Start Lag

What are the post 3-Day winter blues? Mostly, its inactivity.

In 2016, I will be participating in my 13th 3-Day Walk for the Cure. All 13 Walks have been in San Diego, where I lived for over 20 years until 2009.

The San Diego 3-Day (#SD3Day to Twitterdom) has always been the last of the 3-Day Walks for the year.

At first, it was in October. For the last several years, it has been in November, often the week before Thanksgiving.

I always feel so energized when I get back home with the best laid plans. I walk all year long. And walking 60 miles in 3 days only inspires me to do more.

I know. I’m a bit strange.

Then reality hits. I am not living in San Diego any more.

When you go from sizzling to freezing in the course of a single plane ride, walking outside is not so appealing. I had to find a way to overcome my walking start lag to a new year.

Enter what I call my walking start nag.

Enter the Walking Start Nag

That’s right. My Fitbit is my nag to keeping up. By having a minimum 10,000 steps per day goal, I no longer put up with “too cold” excuses.

I wasn’t sure how successfully my nag would work. It must be my competitive nature pushing me to reach that &*%$ 10,000 steps goal.

When the weather froze, I hit the mall. Round and round we go. Upstairs, downstairs, steps, steps, steps.

Was it boring? You bet. But the nag worked.

• At times, I did steps in the house
• Now, THAT’s boring!
• Other times, I dressed like Nanook – anything to avoid the mall

So as Spring begins its rebirth, I take solace in knowing the nag worked. How long before you think I tune her out?

========

Walk on.