Under Seventeen

As I mentioned in one of yesterday's posts, rather than run the risk of the iPhone stopwatch resetting itself while I walked - as it had done twice before - I used the stopwatch on a 2nd mobile phone that I left behind as I walked to the highway. It turned out to not be needed today. The iPhone stopwatch did it's job this morning without a hitch.

When I stepped out of the complex, I saw a fellow expatriate walking in the direction I was going; he was walking to Dumaguete. Having no other form of transportation, he does that every day. I told him I was timing my walk and I decided to keep up with his much faster pace.

Walking everywhere he goes, he's no slouch in that department. I had to push it to keep up. When we reached the Cangmating Basketball court, about a half mile from the apartment, my walking companion said he would stay behind to look for aluminum cans for a child's school project.

I make the choice to keep this faster pace on my walk to the highway. I checked my time upon reaching the highway - 16:41 at 3.78 MPH. That's the fastest time since I've been timing my morning walk. I reset the stopwatch and headed back, coming upon the expat again along the way.

My legs were hurting a little, and I knew my time on the return would be somewhat slower than the first 1.05 mile. The return time clocked at 16:56 - 3.72 MPH. 15 seconds slower than the walk to the highway, but still the 2nd fastest time since I've started.

I said yesterday that my getting the time under 17 minutes was a reasonable goal. I was right. I did it coming and going today.

Star (Oil) Performance

About one month ago, my photos on Google Maps had received 2 million views. In that month, there have been over an additional 200,000 views, and I was informed today, in an email, that my photo of the Star Oil gas station, located on the National Highway near the airport, had received over 30,000 views to date.

That number for Star Oil is a 3,000 view increase since last month's post.

That photo is still my fourth most popular photo on Google Maps, and I can't understand why the photo is receiving so many views. It's a photo of a flippin' gas station.

Reset

As I've mentioned in a number of posts, I've altered my morning walk from a moderate walk to the area in and around the public market, to a vigorous walk to the highway and back - for a total of 3.4 km (2.10 miles). I've been using my iPhone to measure the time at the highway and again at the finish. I've been resetting the stopwatch at the highway and comparing the two times.

For 2nd time since I've been checking the time, the stopwatch on the iPhone has accidentally turned off on the return walk. After checking the time upon reaching the highway this morning, I managed a time of 17:39 for a speed of 3.57 MPH. I was certain that my speed had increased slightly on the return walk and thought I might get in under 17 minutes for the first time. Yesterday's return walk was 17:06, so 16:59 or better is a reasonable goal. Unfortunately, the stopwatch reset and I don't know the return speed.

I'm going to change my method of timing the walk starting tomorrow. Rather than rely solely on the iPhone as I have been, I'm going to use a second mobile phone - leaving it inside my car - and having a time for the entire walk should my iPhone reset itself again.

Best of Times - Worst of Times

No, this is not a review of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities , but rather a review of my walk this morning.

Last Thursday, I changed the route of my daily walk. I'm now walking from our apartment to the National Highway - a distance of 1.7 km (1.05 mile) one way. I've taken to measuring the time it takes for the walk there and back.

While walking to the highway, I felt as if I was not doing as well as I have been. I couldn't seem to be able to pick up the pace - probably due to my having stayed up late watching Twin Peaks last night. Upon reaching the highway, I checked the time - 17:59. That's the slowest time since my first timed walk last Thursday. Still a respectable 3.5 MPH, but I'm trying to get faster, not slower.

I reset the stopwatch and began the return walk. This time, my speed had improved. The time was 17:06 for a speed of 3.68 MPH - my fastest speed since I've been measuring it.

Diet Parade

Philippine's National Nutrition Council (NNC) set July as Nutrition Month. According to the Council's website -

"The National Nutrition Council’s 2017 Nutrition Month theme: “Healthy Diet, Gawing Habit – For Life!” nails it! The NNC’s clarion call for all Filipinos to start the consumption of healthier foods and discourage them from eating unhealthy diets has never been stronger and louder".

As a finale to Nutrition Month, the students of Sibulan Central Elementary School had a parade along the streets that encircle the schools this morning.

I came upon the parade as I returned home from Magatas. Naturally, I had to take a few photos.