Can you envision your great-grandmother waiting in line to use the eliptical at the gym? Can you picture her getting all tangled up in the ski machine? How about using the stepper?
When our great-grandmothers wanted to get their hearts pumping, they probably went for a walk -- or a run, if they were very athletic. Some of us are lucky enough to live near beautiful places to walk. (The picture at right is from a walk I am fortunate enough to be able to take in my neighborhood.) Others of us, due to timing or safety issues, have to use the treadmill.
The important thing is the joy in walking -- an old-fashioned, time-tested exercise. Among the benefits the Mayo clinic lists are weight loss, reduced risk of heart attack, better diabetes management and lower stress levels. Not bad for something that can cost as little as the price of a decent pair of athletic socks and walking shoes!
What was the best walk you've ever taken or the best walking buddy (either in person or over the cell phone) you've ever had?
6 comments:
The best walk I've ever taken was probably my walk down the aisle (cheesy, I know).
The best walking buddy I've ever had would be my father (because he and I had four good routes and four thousand good things to talk about) with Tig in second place (because I feel walks cemented our long-standing friendship in a very special way).
Now, I mostly converse by cell phone on my walks, if I converse at all. I miss having a walking buddy next to me, but I like that having had regular wakling buddies got me out of the habit of listening to music on my walks. Now, I enjoy the birds and other sounds of nature. It may seem boring, and it is, sometimes, but it's often more relaxing, too.
I love walking with my family -- I do it every chance I get. However, I think I must say that one of my most memorable walks was with my girlfriend on our first date. After dinner, we drove about 15 minutes out of town to a small suburb and held hands and enjoyed each other's company. We were the only ones on the street and the night was calm and temperate. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life -- and the walking was a major player in making that so.
One of the reasons I picked out house was because of the sidewalks and walkable linked-up neighborhood. Our last neighborhood was a small loop with an illegal incline so steep I had to have the sled dogs our in front to drag me up it! I love the new walking paths around me now.
The best ones though were when I lived in California - the neighborhood had greenbelts laced throughout it and sidewalks on both sides of the roads. It was a hexagonal pattern so that each cul de sac was linked by a greenbelt. The elementary school was in the middle of the neighborhood, so I walked everyday. When we moved back South I was shocked (and still am!) at the lack of sidewalks!
The beach isn't half bad for walking either, of course.
You know who my best walking partner is!
I've hiked Arthur's Seat in Scotland, a little around the White Mountains in NH, and it used to be fun when we'd walk from my apt. on W. 148th to yours on W. 3rd.
My best walk was walking on the beach at night with the boy when we were in FL for your wedding. Just because I'd dreamed of doing that for so many years.
New Charlottean: I didn't know you lived in California! I'd love to hear more about that! (Also, the house we have under contract is by the new greenway, so we'll have to check that out once our walks resume -- hopefully soon!)
Red: I love your best walk. Sigh. (Oh, and and our walk from W. 148th to W. 3rd is among my favorites, ever.)
-- R.
In high school, my parents used to take us to the track at Baptist Hospital most nights after dinner. We'd group up and get walking. On nights when I wanted a slow walk, I'd group with my mom. On nights when I needed to walk faster, I walked with my dad. Some nights, I walked with my sister or my brother. Some nights, I needed time alone and I would roller blade. I look back on that time as when I bonded best with each member of my family. It was smart on my parents part, it got us exercising and it gave us non-face talk time. We were more open in the dark and when walking than when we were around the dinner table, etc.
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