These damned leg cramps ...

So, I'm walking.

Every day.

But I've altered my program a tad from what my physiotherapist recommended.  She suggested that I could add two minutes per day, until I reach the maximum 20 minutes per outing.

However, I stuck to ten minutes on the second day just to be on the safe side.

And yesterday, I added two minutes so I was out for a total of twelve minutes -- six minutes up; six minutes back.

Now, you have to understand that the terrain around here is not exactly conducive to easy walking.

I live on a gravel, windy, hilly, road.

This is a work-out and a half.

Right out of the gate I'm puffing to make it up that first hill.

I'm using landmarks to test my progress.

On each of the two days that I walked ten minutes, I made it to precisely the same landmark each day.  No progress there.

When I added two minutes yesterday, I managed to get to the goal landmark that I had identified the day before.

But today, when I was again walking only twelve minutes, I made it to that landmark and beyond!  Too cool!

That means that I am becoming conditioned and was probably wise to slow the increase in time being walked each day.

Tomorrow, I'll add another two minutes (total fourteen minutes) and I've already identified my goal landmark for that outing.

Watch out -- before long, I'll be ready for a marathon!

Now, about these leg cramps that are supposed to lessen as my body gets used to the walking.

I am no longer being wakened and thrown out of bed during the night.

But as I sit in bed each morning reading my newspaper, my calves go into horrid spasms at intervals that could be timed like contractions!

The same phenomenon occurred last week when I was at my physiotherapy session (I actually had to ask her to take the needles out of my calves early because I couldn't bear the spasms).  Her comment, as she giggled at the thought?  "Are you sure you aren't pregnant?"

Now that would be nothing short of a miracle!  How ever would the medical community explain it?

Seriously though, it feels like my feet are trying to give birth through my toes!