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Showing posts with label Soldier Field. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soldier Field. Show all posts

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Soldier on into Outer Space

Inside the famous columns at Solider Field.
This is a rare time that I didn't write my blog on the day I walked. The reason for that could be several issues but needless to say yesterday was the longest single walk of my time up in Chicago. I started out by going with Cheryl to her work and then I began my walk to go to Soldier Field. On the way there I stopped by the Chicago Public Library to get a pass to one of the sights and I ended up with the Art Institute but I actually wanted the Adler Planetarium but they were out of them. SO off I went down the road. I walked past Roosevelt and Columbus streets and saw the statue of Christopher Columbus or Christabal Colรณn as he was called in Spanish.

Near the library I saw a little protest/parade going on. There were children and parents of charter schools parading around about the benefits of charter schools and that they didn't want to see them closed down. Or whatever the cause “de jour” was. There were about 100 people in the total group and they had a police escort and were walking on the sidewalks. Again I saw several live trucks near city hall.

Exercising their constitutional rights in the cold!
When I got to Soldier Field I was surprised to see that it was open. But they have the memorial around the stadium. I found out that the field is for the military members that have earned the Medal of Honor. I saw the names of the people and it only went to the Vietnam War. I am know that more have won the award since then. I am not sure what the classification is for them to be placed upon the memorial.

Bigger than I thought.
After that I walked down to the Adler Planetarium and since it was Wednesday there was not a charge. To think I almost walked on by because I didn't have the free pass from the library. I was glad I did however I have been to much better science museums in much smaller cities. I did find the replica of the Mars rovers very informative because I thought they were much smaller. The truth is they are about as tall as a person is where the camera structures are at. On display there were the fragments of rock that had been discovered from Mars that are claimed to have ancient microscopic life in them. There was also a flight simulator for flying over Mars. With the three video screens and as dark as it was it could really seem like you were piloting a craft over the Martian surface.

I nice shot of the Windy City on a cloudy day.
Since I took so much extra time on my walk I stopped by Arby's and got a Market Fresh Turkey and Swiss sandwich. I figure this would be a decent meal after all the walk and it was after 2:00pm by that time. It was very good but when I got home to look up the data for the sandwich the sandwich was 780 calories and 1880mg of sodium. On the Arby's website they let you remove items to see what the remaining calories are. I removed the bread and the bread alone was 380 calories and had 680mg of sodium. That is almost as much as their Bacon and Cheddar Roast burger. I couldn't believe it. It was almost all the walking I did was wiped out in one meal. I knew the fries would be high but I figured the sandwich would balance it out. Actually the fries were the small or of the two items I ate calorie-wise. If I ever eat at Arby's again I am going to not eat the bun because that adds anywhere from 200 to 400 calories and a lot more sodium to your meal.

Some of the issue I am dealing with now is the slow rate at weight loss. It is moving along but it is taking forever in my estimation. But it is at least moving in the right direction. It is just so sad that I have let myself get so fat without trying to lose weight more vigorously. But this is only the fist month now and this marks nearly 200 miles of the 1750 miles I am planning to do to reach my goal. It would be nice to have the results I am shooting for by the time I get there. But that is still about 10 to 13 months away.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Warmer Work Day and Windy Casualty

Chicago Skyline from Shedd Aquarium.
Today I had my iPod all charged up so I could actually go the distance and know how far I walked. I did go a bit further than I did yesterday but not by that much; only about a mile further I would say. So that means I should add about 4000 steps would be about right. My total steps Today was 17, 014. This is my greatest distance since I began walking again. That is, walking as a means of weight loss.

On an important call.
That reminds me, since I began doing the tracking last March I have walked more then 333 miles. 113 miles of that has been in the past three weeks so the previous amount is not that important. But to reach my goal of 1750 miles I have to walk more then 3.5 million steps. I have reached 6.51 percent of it Today. I guess that is right. It just seems the number is growing faster than I am “un-growing.” But that is 93.49 percent left of my goal. So I guess it isn't as much as it seems.

The first stop Today was at Cheryl's office. We went by Harpo Studios again. The building looks nice. I like the art deco style that is has. After that we went to Cheryl's office. On the way to her office there is a area where several food distributors are located so the street gets a bit filled with parked and moving vehicles. On the way out after Cheryl got to work the snow started to fall again. But it didn't last that long.

The lake wind took me down Today when I hit some ice.
I have my first injury. I was walking the path around the Shedd Aquarium and the wind off Lake Michigan was really coming in and I hit an icy spot and it blow me down. Right on my knee cap too. I have also notice that foot traffic greatly diminishes after you cross Michigan Ave. From there to Lake Michigan there are very few people out walking. I am getting a bit sick of these drivers that don't think they have to stop for pedestrians. I gave a couple of them the “number one” sign.

Hurt Knee
Also I find saying “excuse me” when walking doesn't seem to get anyone out of your way but a good bark does. Everyone wants to see a dog I guess. So they turn to look and it is me walking toward them and they move. Yesterday was not too bad walking since it was Martin L. King Jr day. I guess why so few people where out and about. However, people were out enough this morning enough to make up for the difference of the prior day.

Another bit of good news is the continued downward progression of my blood pressure. I am getting more and more readings that are “in range” of the normal blood pressure. This is the main goal of the entire process to get my blood pressure under control. So these results are quite encouraging. Also my pulse seems to continue in getting stronger, that is lower.

Near Soldier Field, Bear hope to beat the Packers to get to the Super Bowl.
On my walk Today I made it close to Soldier Field and went around the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. I was going to try to go all the way to the Alder Planetarium but I couldn't figure out how to walk there. I will look at a map and see how that path works out. From there it would be a good view of the city for a picture. Also Cheryl and I are planning on getting some tickets from the library so I can go for free.

Final thought is this; I am not so please with the warmer weather. I wish it was a bit colder so the ice was frozen solid. Less slipping that way.

Keep on track,

Thomas