Big difference in the little things.

I've noticed lately a big difference in the little things that I do.  I walk every day now, a year ago that wasn't the case, yes I walked the dog, but it was a short little fifteen minute walk around the block.  Now we go for almost an hour at a time.  Better for me, better for the dog.

The week I started at my job,  there was a welcome lunch down at a restaurant on the waterfront.  I wasn't able to keep up with everyone else although I felt like I was walking as fast as I could.  On the way back to the office, it was uphill and I was out of breathe and trying not to let the others see that I was huffing and puffing.  Now that hill is part of my daily walk, I walk it purposely so that I remember how out of breath I was walking it that first day and how easy it is for me to walk today.

I used to have a hard time keeping up with my friend and co-worker on the way to work from the train station, again up hill and I didn't want her to see me huffing and puffing.  I started taking the skytrain so that I wouldn't have to try to keep up with her.  The skytrain pops us out behind our building.  No hills and no huffing and puffing.  If you didn't count the stairs we had to climb, which would leave me out of breath.  I walk to work from the train with the exception of really wet days, if I do take the skytrain, I do those stairs with ease.  The best part, I'm able to keep up with her now!

Take the dog and my husband and go for a 6km hike the same week I did a 5km race.  Never would have crossed my mind as I simply wouldn't have done either.

Around the 3km mark, and still going strong.

Except I do that now!  I did the Canada Day Rock on the Rock on Monday and on Thursday, took the day off to spend with my husband.  We didn't want to sit around the house, so we took the dog and off we went looking for some trails to walk.  We eventually ended up at Hicks Lake, just east of Harrison Hot Springs.  There is a mountain trail that is 6km's around.  The guide book suggested it would take 2 hours to do.  We did it in just under that.    I felt really good doing it, there were sections that were quite steep and I wasn't huffing and puffing my way up the hills.  My husband didn't have to slow down for me or wait for me.  We kept a good pace on route and the dog had a great time.  

At the 4km mark.

The big difference I noticed, how happy I am in the pictures, I'm feeling better, and clothes that were too tight to wear last summer, are actually too big on me now.  That's a big difference in the little things.

Back at the Car 6km later.