Tag / Hayley

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 32

A great week, surpassing 60,000 steps for the first time in 5 weeks despite off days to start and end the week.  Things got off to a slow start on Sunday, finishing just over 5000 steps due in part to a solo trip to Guaranteed Rate Field.  Monday used an afternoon walk to cross 8500 days, pretty good for the Labor Day holiday.  Tuesday was another day off work and my first 10,000 step day of the week.  Wednesday was back to work, but still managed to surpass Tuesday’s total for my first back-to-back 10,000 step days since the end of July.  Thursday dropped back down to only 8000 steps, before Friday combined an afternoon walk around campus with a trip to the mini golf course with Hayley to approach 13,000 steps.  Saturday ended just over 6000 steps with another trip to Guaranteed Rate Field.

Total steps: 60,676

Daily average: 8668

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 29

A decent, if unspectacular week, saved by one really good day.  The week got off to a decent start on Sunday with a trip to Guaranteed Rate Field to see the White Sox embarrass themselves against the Royals.  Monday used a post-work trip to the Glen to welcome Hayley back to America to nearly get to 10,000 steps.  Tuesday used a post-work walk to surpass 11,000 steps.  Wednesday was back down around 6700 steps, just getting past my daily goal.  Thursday was back over 7600 steps thanks to a second trip to the Glen for dinner.  Friday just managed to eek past 6500 steps, and Saturday was a complete bust, finishing under 3000 steps.

Total steps: 51,230

Daily average: 7318.6

by jim

2 Sprint 2 Stride

For the fourth year in a row, I’ve registered for the Sprint & Stride 5K race held on the campus of the old workplace next month.  After not finishing last year due to the shenanigans of my walking partners, I’ll be trying to break my time from 2 years ago of 57:32 at a minimum, if not my “personal record” of 54:10, from the first BTN 5K I did back in 2012.  Standing in my way will likely be the same issues as years past, walking with friends and narrow terrain that makes it hard to pass slower walkers.  Hopefully I can figure out how to get my time to register this year, something I’ve failed to do in the past.

Either way, it should be a fun event and one that benefits a good cause.  Not to mention getting an afternoon away from my desk and, potentially, spending some time with Hayley and Val.

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 12

My streak of 50,000+ step weeks hits 12 and closes on in last summer’s record of 14 straight weeks.  Things got off to a slow start on Sunday thanks to Easter activities, which left me just under 2500 steps.  A big bounce back once the work week got under way, as I put together a streak of 3 10,000 step days.  Monday benefited from a midday escape to bowl with my friends from the lab.  Tuesday had a lunch meeting in North plaza, which helped boost my total.  Wednesday was more time spent with my lab friends, including a game (or 2) of ping pong.  Thursday surpassed 9000 steps, thanks to more time up in the lab and then an after work farewell to Hayley.  Friday managed to just surpass 6500 steps, thanks to more time spent in the lab with Val.  Saturday finished with a little more thanks to the White Sox/Indians tilt at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Total steps: 56,743

Daily average: 8106.1

by admin

What A Long, Strange Trip It’s Been

Last June, my friend Hayley came over from Northern Ireland for an extended stay that, apart from a few weeks here and there for visa issues and the holidays, came to an end today.  There were many adventures, a lot of good times, a few bad times, and a strengthening of a bond that has grown over the last 8 years.  I will miss having her here and look forward to our next adventure together.

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 11

The good times continue, as my streak of 50,000 step weeks hits 11 and a new streak of days over goal makes it to 7.  The week got off to a decent start on Sunday, thanks to a trip down to Guaranteed Rate Field followed by a trek out to Medieval Times to celebrate Hayley’s birthday.  Monday was the big day of the week, as I went down to Wrigley Field for the raising of the Cubs World Series banner at their home opener.  Tuesday barely managed to get past my daily step goal, thanks in part to the late night the day before and the need for sleep.  I worked from home on Wednesday, which ordinarily would have been a down day, but another Cubs game pushed me well across my goal.  Thursday was another close one, again due to the need for sleep.  Friday used a trip over to North Plaza for coffee to get over the hump.  Saturday was my second highest day of the week, thanks to yet another Cub game followed by some grocery shopping.

Total steps: 56,049

Daily average: 8007

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 7

Another great week, as my streak of 50,000+ steps weeks hits 7, I broke 60,000 steps for the first time since getting back from Universal in June, and my consecutive days over goal streak reached 55.  Things got off to a slow-ish start on Sunday, as I puttered around the house before going to a wake to barely surpass my goal.  Monday and Tuesday came up with similar totals, thanks in part to similar trips to Mariano’s for lunch and trips to Hayley’s hotel to attend to her injured back.  Wednesday was the beginning of the March Madness Jiff challenge at work, where I am on a team with 3 levels of management above me, so I worked in a few extra walks during work to cross the 11,000 step plateau.  Thursday was even better, as a post-work excursion to Milwaukee to watch Purdue in the NCAA tournament helped me surpass 12,000 steps and garner my highest single-day total since the Sprint & Stride in September.  I spent Friday in an all day workshop, but an after-work walk around the neighborhood helped propel me to 9000 steps.  Saturday was split between a trip in to the city to watch rugby with Hayley followed by another trip to Milwaukee for the next round of the NCAA tournament, ending in an 8000 step day.

Total steps: 60,740

Daily average: 8677.1

by admin

Fitbit III: Week 6

Yet another successful week, as I stretch my continuous 50K week streak to 6 and my days over goal streak to 48.  Things got off to a good start on Sunday, as I spent the day traversing the city with Hayley to see a stirring production of Shakespeare’s Henry V.  Monday got the work week off to a strong start, with a 7800 step day.  Tuesday dropped back down to just over 7000 steps, before Wednesday and Thursday catapulted back up to over 8500 steps each day.  The work week came to an end with a strong 7200 step day on Friday.  Saturday managed to just squeak past the 6500 step day, despite a trip out for a haircut and pizza.

Total steps: 55,387

Daily average: 7912.4

by admin

The Still Growing 10,000 Step Club

Last year, as I was finishing my first year with a Fitbit, I took my last look at the top 20 step days I’ve had since I first started tracking my steps way back in July of 2011.  At the time, I had only surpassed the 10,000 step plateau 81 times.  In the past year, I have managed to add an additional 35 occurrences, raising the total to 116.  With my second year using the Fitbit coming to an end last week, I thought it would be appropriate to take a new look at my now top 25 step days over the past 5 1/2 years, featuring 12 new entries.

btn10K-41: 6/6/2013 – 24,988 steps

My best single day total continues to be from my 2013 trip to Disney World.  The day’s excursion to both Epcot Center and the Magic Kingdom ended up with a total of approximately 12.5 miles.  And yes, it still bothers me that I didn’t get those 12 additional steps to reach 25,000.

2: 3/22/2016 – 22,493 steps

My first new entry shares much in common with my #1 day, taking place in Disney World last March.  The day’s excursion started at Hollywood Studios before heading over to Epcot Center with Jeff and Val.

3: 7/27/2013 – 20,592 steps

My now third highest total came nearly 2 months after my highest, thanks to the BTN 5K and a, for lack of a better word, misunderstanding about where I should be picked up after the race.  These 3 days are the sum total of my days over 20,000 steps.

4: 6/2/2016 – 18,725 steps

The second new entry comes from last June’s trip to Universal Studios.  Our first full day at the park, we split the day between Universal and Islands of Adventure, taking in all of the different Harry Potter options.

5: 6/4/2016 – 18,617 steps

The third new entry rounds up the top 5 with another entry from last June’s trip to Universal Studios.  The day included another trip to Islands of Adventure, and would have ended up even higher but for an afternoon trip to the hotel pool.

6: 9/6/2015 – 18,259 steps

Down three slots from last year, my now-sixth highest total comes courtesy of my trip to Toronto in September 2015.  This Sunday consisted of traversing around Toronto, with trips to Royal Ontario Museum and, at night, the Molson Canadian Ampitheatre for the Oddball Comedy Fest.

7: 9/11/2015 – 17,889 steps

My seventh best total also occurred during my trip to Toronto.  My last day in the city was spent at the Eaton Centre mall, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and a few other stops.

8: 6/8/2013 – 17,852 steps

My now-eighth highest output brings us back to Disney World in 2013, this time for a day split between Animal Kingdom in the morning and Hollywood Studios in the afternoon.

9: 6/1/2016 – 17,243 steps

My fourth new entry again comes courtesy of last summer’s trip to Universal.  This first day of the trip started in Chicago at O’Hare and took us to the Hard Rock Hotel for check-in and a round of mini-golf at City Walk before taking a quick trip in the afternoon to Islands of Adventure to reacquaint ourselves with the original Harry Potter attractions.

10: 6/5/2016 – 16,317 steps

We round out the top 10 with my fifth new entry, which again took place last summer at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, where we tried to take in all of the non-Harry Potter attractions.

11: 9/5/2015 – 16,083 steps

We head back to Toronto for my eleventh highest day, my first full day in the city.  There was exploring along the riverfront and, of course, a trip to Rogers Centre for a Blue Jays game.

12: 9/23/2014 – 15,728 steps

This total was accomplished thanks to the 2014 Sprint & Stride 5K race that was held at work.

13: 4/11/2016 – 15,597 steps

My sixth new entry took place last April, where an exciting day of work was followed by a trip to Wrigley Field for Opening Day festivities.

14: 9/9/2012 – 14,957 steps

My now-fourteenth highest total comes thanks to a Sunday in Belfast spent walking from our hotel, down to the Titanic museum, and then back again.

15: 6/7/2013 – 14,940 steps

Another day of 2013’s vacation to Disney World, this day started with a morning trip to the hotel pool, followed by an abbreviated day at the Magic Kingdom.

Continue reading →

by admin

FB2: Week 50

What looked like it would turn out to be a great week early on turned out to be so-so. Things got off to a decent enough start on Sunday thanks to an afternoon trip up north to meet Hayley for dinner and a movie (not necessarily in that order).  Monday benefited from multiple meetings in North plaza, leading to my highest step day in over a month.  Tuesday and Wednesday were decent enough days, both easily clearing the 6000 step plateau.  Thursday turned in to a WFH day due to icy conditions, meaning I only managed to get 4700 steps, well below my goal.  Friday was a nice bounce back, before Saturday again fell well short despite a trip out for dinner after seeing Angelina skate.

Total steps: 44,586

Daily average:  6369.4