As part of my weight loss goal, I have pledged to myself that I will walk the coastal trail each Saturday morning. I used to do this all the time, way back when, and really enjoyed being out and about early in the morning. I’m hoping to get back in to the habit, despite the “black hole” which is my bed. It sucks me in and won’t let me leave unless I make super-human efforts each morning.
Having three cats sleeping on top of me doesn’t help, either. Not only are they heavy and near impossible to wake up, but they’re just so darned CUTE when they sleep.
But, I now have a friend who is more than willing to walk with me. I’m positive that will make it even easier to get up each morning.
Our first walk together was this Saturday. I drove downtown at 6:30 in the morning and met her at the Muffin Man café (she lives in the apartments above it) and we took of on foot to her favorite trail head. She likes to start from 3rd & H Street and make her way down the coast towards Westchester Lagoon.
Depending on our mood, we either turn aside at the lagoon and head in to town or continue on up the trail to Fish Creek where we can watch the ducks. This particular day, we turned aside and made our way to the New Sagaya City Market where she had some shopping to do.
I must admit, I was glad for the break. It was a nice day out, but it was still quite cold. Stopping at the mid-point of our walk helped to thaw me out, making the walk home pleasurable rather than painful.
Shopping at the market meant that when we got back to her apartment she was able to make us some multi-grain pancakes with fruit/berry compote on top! Another reason that getting up will be easier on Saturday mornings – I get fed really good food.
The cherry on top of our morning was getting to watch the dogs. Saturday was the official start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, and Elizabeth had timed our walk so that we could go watch the dogs while the oats were soaking for our pancakes.
It’s obvious that those people who protest this race, saying that it’s cruel to the dogs, have never actually been to the race. If they had, they’d see that these dogs are beyond excited. They LOVE to run, and it take three or four full-grown men to hold them back when they’re in the harness and heading up to the starting line.
Their excitement is infectious: all the dogs are barking and howling, all the people are laughing and smiling. It’s a very exciting time for everybody involved.
Good luck, that's awesome. That is very early on a Saturday morning. The food would make it totally worth it (I am very food motivated).
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