Scott,

I also love to walk.  For a number of years (from maybe 1997-early 2005) I
couldn't walk much because of extreme pain in my legs (and also asthma
problems, but those got fixed several years ago).  My doctors always ignored
me when I mentioned it.  Last year I went to a new endo who said it was
intermittent claudication.  I looked it up when I got home and the
recommendations I found to help were (1) walk slower and (2) walk more, even
though it might hurt.  I was always a fast walker and I never thought to
slow down, until my legs were already killing me but by then it was too
late.  So, last March I began to go for walks again just for the sake of
walking.  I went slowly, barely 2 mph at first.  It was actually hard to
walk so slow, but it didn't hurt!  Gradually I was able to increase my speed
and how long I could walk without pain.  Now my usual pace is 3 to 3.5 mph
and I can go indefinitely.  It's *wonderful* being able to walk.

I now go for a walk after lunch every day at work.  Depending on how much
time I have & what the weather is like, I walk for 25-45 minutes.  I also
walk on the weekends.  It is very relaxing, not to mention free and easy to
do.

I'm Type 1, and another thing that made walking hard in the past was low
BGs.  I'm now on a pump and being able to set an extended bolus for a meal
allows me to go for a walk right after eating.  I could never do that on
injections.  I gained so much weight over the last 8-9 years from not being
able to walk and treating so many low BGs.  I've now lost most of the excess
weight and am confident the rest will be gone by mid-summer.

--
Liz
Type 1 dx 4/1987
MM715 5/2005

It is a nice way to control your BG. 30 minutes a day for me. It funny how I
could never find the time to exercise before(pre-diabetes) and now I always
make the time.

Scott, I don't know if this quite fits as walking, but I'm a mountain
hiker. I do this at least five times a week. It's been a hobby of mine
for many years, long before I was Dx'd diabetic. I actually use
diabetes as an excuse to do it more often.

Mountain hiking is (in my usage) going off-trail, cross country, in
the high mountains. My usual is just four to six miles, but it
involves some serious altitude changes, and that as well as the rough
ground make it a decent exercise. Sometimes I run the clearer areas.
Occasionally, I'll do a ten to fifteen mile route. I've done the Grand
Canyon (rim to river and back) but not since my Dx with T2, so I'm
planning on that soon.

I love being in the wilderness, away from roads, and trails. It's very
important to me mentally, and I'm very lucky that something I love to
do is actually good for me. It's also easy for me as I live in the
mountains, and most of my hikes start from my back door.

Hi, Scott. I bought a pedometer at dx, and used it to work up to my current
10-12000 steps a day. I generally do a brisk 3-mile walk in my lunch hour,
but now it's just possible to squeak in a walk after work with the
lengthening days, I sometimes do two shorter walks. We walk further both
days over the weekends, the kids' social arrangements permitting. We've
always gone for walking holidays; the French Pyrenees planned in the summer.

Nicky.