Tag / Sprint and Stride

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The Ever Growing 10,000 Step Club

Last winter, as the GlobalFit program was wrapping up, 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 45 times.  In the year plus since then, I have managed to nearly double that number, raising the total to 81.  With my first year using the Fitbit coming to an end last week, I thought it would be appropriate to take a new look at my updated top 20 step days over the past 4 1/2 years, featuring 8 new entries.

btn10K-41: 6/6/2013 – 24,988 steps

My best single day total came during 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: 7/27/2013 – 20,592 steps

My second 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 2 days are the sum total of my days over 20,000 steps.

3: 9/6/2015 – 18,259 steps

The first new addition to the list comes courtesy of my trip to Toronto last September.  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.

4: 9/11/2015 – 17,889 steps

Another new addition thanks to 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.

5: 6/8/2013 – 17,852 steps

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

6: 9/5/2015 – 16,083 steps

We head back to Toronto for my sixth 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.

7: 9/23/2014 – 15,728 steps

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

8: 9/9/2012 – 14,957 steps

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

9: 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.

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by jim

Sprinted And Strode Again

2015sprintstrideTwo Thursdays back, Allstate held their annual Sprint and Stride event, a 5K race around campus to benefit breast cancer research.  After successfully completing the race last year, I signed up again this year, along with some co-workers, to get out in the afternoon sun and enjoy getting paid to exercise.

The race once again started over near Willow, which meant that in addition to the 5K, there was the long walk back to South post-race.  NBC news personality and breast cancer survivor Zoraida Sambolin was back to kick off the festivities, after an annoying DJ and Allstate sponsored finished up their dog and pony show.  Once the race got going, I quickly found that, once again, things would be different than my past, non-Allstate 5K experiences.

2015sandsJust like last year, my time did not register, so I must be doing something wrong.  I must have finished somewhere between 57:32.16 and 57:41.36, which was the finishing times of the people I was with.  That’s about 2 minutes slower than last year, which I blame once again on an inability to get around slow people in front of me.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I’ll be back out there next year, once again hoping to improve my time and, probably, once again disappointed that I won’t.

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Fitbit Week 34

Week34_FBA good bounce back week, with every day surpassing the 5500 step goal and 2 days up above 10,000 steps.  Things got off to a good start on Sunday, thanks to an afternoon walk around the neighborhood.  The work week was pretty good, despite missing the daily afternoon trip for coffee.  Things picked up on Thursday, thanks to the Sprint and Stride, where I somehow managed to finish the day with 13,000 steps on the nose.  Friday looked to be a dud of a day, until a post work walk boosted me up above 10,000 steps.  Saturday just squeaked past my daily goal, thanks to trips to the grocery store and Target.

Total steps: 58,666

Daily average: 8380.9

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Sprinting And Striding Again

2015sprintstrideFor the second year in a row, I’ve registered for the Sprint & Stride 5K race held on the campus of the old workplace next month.  I’ll be trying to break my time from last year of 55:43 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 last year, walking with friends and narrow terrain that makes it hard to pass slower walkers.

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.

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Fitbit Week 11

Week11_FBAnother good week, and the consecutive days over 5,500 steps streak stretches to 14, my longest streak since January.  Sunday got the week off to a good start thanks to a trip to US Cellular Field for exciting White Sox baseball.  Monday was a typical work day, with the afternoon coffee run pushing me over the top.  Tuesday was a WFH day, which usually means an off day, but taking my mom for eye surgery meant a lot of waiting around.  That led to my best single day total since the Sprint & Stride race in September.  Wednesday was back to the office for the rest of the week.  Saturday avoided its usual paltry total thanks to a morning walk around the neighborhood followed by a trip to the store for a new backpack.

Total steps: 48,536

Daily average: 6933.7

by jim

The 10,000 Step Club Revisited

Last spring, I took an initial look at the top 20 step days I’ve had since starting the GlobalFit program way back in July of 2011.  At the time, I had only surpassed the 10,000 step plateau 31 times.  In the 8 months since then, I have managed to raise that number to 45.  With the GlobalFit program officially wrapping up earlier this week, I thought it would be appropriate to take a new, and final, look at my updated top 20 step days over the past 3 1/2 years.

btn10K-41: 6/6/2013 – 24,988 steps

My best single day total came during 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: 7/27/2013 – 20,592 steps

My second 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 2 days are the sum total of my days over 20,000 steps.

3: 6/8/2013 – 17,852 steps

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

4: 9/23/2014 – 15,728 steps

A new addition since my original list, this total was accomplished thanks to the Sprint & Stride 5K race that was held at work last fall.

5: 9/9/2012 – 14,957 steps

We round out the top 5 with my highest total outside of the United States.  A Sunday in Belfast spent walking from our hotel, down to the Titanic museum, and then back again.

6: 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 jim

Sprinted And Strode

sprintstrideLast Tuesday, Allstate held their annual Sprint and Stride event, a 5K race around campus to benefit breast cancer research.  Having missed the BTN race back in July due to the trip to Minnesota, I decided to sign up, along with a few co-workers.

klongThe race started over near Willow, which meant that in addition to the 5K, we had to add the trek over and back.  There were two celebrities in attendance to kick off the festivites, Zoraida Sambolin, breast cancer survivor and local news personality, and Kyle Long, noted Chicago Bear.  Once the race got going, I quickly found that things would be different than my past 5K experiences.

For one thing, the terrain was much different.  The BTN 5K is all on paved motorways or sidewalks.  This one crossed multiple different terrains, going from paved sidewalks and streets to grass to gravel walking paths.  The other big difference, which affected everyone’s time, was that the paths were much narrower, making it hard to pass people going slow in front of you.

Considering all of that, I assume I finished in a reasonable time.  Assume because it seems there was a problem with the chip in my bib, so the results site says that my time is unavailable.  If I take the finishing time of the friend who was with me the whole time, I came in around 55:43, which was about a minute more than my time in last year’s BTN 5K.  I’ll take it, though.  I guess I’ll be back on board for next year’s event.

by jim

Sprinting And Striding

sprintstrideUnlike the past 2 years, I was unable to participate in this year’s Big Ten Network Big 10K 5K race, mostly due to the fact that I was in Minnesota watching exciting baseball.  To make up for it, I have signed up for the Sprint and Stride, held on the campus of the old workplace.

Last year, I failed in my goal of beating my time of 54:10 from the year before, but that was mostly due to the social aspects of the group I was with.  I will renew that goal for this race, coming up in about a month.