One of the major highlights of my day today was taking a nice long walk through parts of Rochester. My trip started on University Avenue just east of Culver, took me to Monroe Ave just west of Union, and back to my starting point. It took me right around an hour and a half. Considering I stopped at Magnolia’s for a sandwich on the westward portion of my trip, I think I made pretty good time.

To be honest, though, I’m a bit surprised at how tired my legs got on the journey. Considering the fact that I spent the summer taking a monthly seven mile walk along the canal, I figured I’d be fine on this trip. Sure, I haven’t taken that walk since September, and my walking in general has declined since then due to the cold weather. However, I’ve been finding other forms of exercise (such as using the stationary bike in the fitness center) that let me stay warm, and the amount of time I spend exercising each week has been more or less the same. So I was surprised by how much my legs started bothering me. Especially considering think the stationary bike is a more intense workout overall.

The only thing that I can figure is that the walking, while less intense, involves more impact. While cycling involves the same muscles, the motion is more fluid. There’s not the jarring effect of actually setting your foot on the hard concrete and shifting your weight as you push yourself forward to take your next step. To me, this makes the most sense, as most of the trouble I had was with my knees and calves.

Fortunately, they’re already starting to feel better. However, I think it may be time for new shoes again, as I notice the balls of my feet are also someone tender. But at least I got outside for a while. And I even got some sunlight with my exercise. I miss that from this summer.