today marks the end of the second week of my million step challenge and things are getting easier.  Another long walk today, hubby again dropped me at the edge of town and I walked back home through new streets.  I am noticing I am walking more quickly.  In the beginning my average pace was 2.4 miles an hour, I am now up to 3 miles an hour without really thinking about it.  I am also finding the hills easier to manage and seldom become breathless.

This is all important as it means as well as raising money for Diabetes UK and losing weight I am also increasing my fitness and my stamina.  In total I have been daily walking for about five weeks now, before July 1st I was practising and wandering a bit.  I was explaining to colleagues yesterday how my walking has developed.

My first walk was literally around the field in front of my house.   I know now this is about 900 steps and it took me a while to walk it. I remember feeling a bit self conscious, hoping no one would notice me.   The next day I did it again and the day after that I walked around it twice.  A couple of days of that and then  I walked down the road and then round the field and then the next day down a couple more roads before walking around the field home.  Step by step I did a little bit more each day, and now 3 miles in a hour is not difficult at all!  I am averaging about 15,000 steps a day, just under 7 miles, it is incredible.

I enjoy varying my route but every walk either begins or ends with the walk around the field.  It is very much part of my routine and it would feel all wrong if I didn’t do it each day. There is still some way to go to a million steps, I think this weeks walking should see me a quarter of the way there, well on track to complete it before the end of September.

There are so many positives about this challenge, the thinking time I have while walking, the gorgeous countryside and views I am seeing, the weight I am losing, the energy I now have, but the very best thing it that it is becoming normal. It is has simply become what I do.