No more than yourself, or anybody in fact that you care to mention, I have tried to kick off the New Year by establishing some wholesome habits. One of these, and probably the only one that will endure tbh, is walking the banks of the Grand Canal which flows east/west about two miles from my house. Historically the issue with me and walking is that I have been too insistent upon doing it somewhere scenic like Emo Court, the Slieve Blooms or Stradbally Hall. An insistence which invariably culminated with the predictable outcome of me abandoning the whole resolution after about two weeks on the grounds that it was devouring too much time. So this year the approach is to relinquish the necessity to drive somewhere to walk, and just walk, straight out the gate.
What this means is that each outing will be at least four miles because it is two miles to the Canal and, naturally enough, two miles back. The commitment is extended to six miles if I walk east or west along the banks for one mile and then return to the point of access and come home.
Or I could do a circuit, which is what I did yesterday. This extends the commitment to nine miles and involves walking south two miles to the canal, heading west along the bank for two miles to Fisherstown bridge, heading north three miles to Ballybrittas and then a further two miles from Ballybrittas home again. Taxing enough, and a sizable commitment in the shape of time and physical resources. Ever wilting physical resources at that. I will work out the optimum route and emotional investment as I go, but I do intend to keep going. They say walking is only good, and they are never wrong.
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