How I Combined Connections, Wellness and FUN in a Single Glorious Fall Morning

Killing three birds with one stone and loving every minute of it

Photo by Capstone Events on Unsplash

Last weekend where I live in Northern California was absolutely gorgeous! Saturday morning started with bright sun, a crisp feel to the air and the sound of cowbells. But that wasn’t because I was in a cow pasture. I was actually in a beautiful park in urban Sacramento for the Urban Cow 5K. Not only did the air have a nice fall feel, it also was alive with excitement with hundreds of hard, and not so hard, bodies lining up ready for the competition. I wasn’t so excited for the competition as I was for the company and the exercise, and the feeling of accomplishment when I crossed the finish line. You see, I’m not competitive in these races. I walk them. I walk them at a pretty brisk pace (we did 13:46 per mile at this one), but I’m middle of the pack, at best, and could not care less. I love every minute of it.

Four of us made the sacrifice to get up early on this amazing fall morning and head out for the race a half an hour away. We lined up at the back of the pack, ostensibly so we wouldn’t interfere with the runners, but, really, it’s much easier to chat and enjoy the beautiful surroundings when you’re not in the middle of the crowd. The starting gun meant it was time for a gorgeous stroll and fun conversation with friends as we worked our way along the course - Mile 1 down! Mile 2 down! I was almost bummed that we only had one mile of this pretty morning and fun conversation left! But that one more mile went fast and soon we were crossing the finish line and getting our reward: a finishers medal to show for our efforts - and Facebook posts. We celebrated with a post-race mimosa on a park bench while everyone else cleared out. Soon, we were on our way home, with crisp fall air in our lungs and a morning that certainly ranks above the ordinary. We had so much fun we’re already signed up for our next one!

Don’t you have to do something harder than walking to get benefits?

Walking may not have the same je ne sais quoi that running does, but it may be just as good, or even better for your health, especially as we age. Walking doesn’t put the same strain on your joints that running does, and if you can get your pace up, with a little practice most people can walk for far longer than they can run, so you’ll get that heartrate up for longer, which is great for clearing out all of that built up inflammation.

Still not convinced? This article from Prevention runs through a whole gamut of benefits that studies confirm you can get from walking, including a mood boost, improved brain function and a reduced risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and even cancer (from cleaning out that nasty inflammation)! I love that they also point out it is good for creativity. When you’re out there, there is plenty of time to let your imagination run wild! It’s a great time for contemplation and creation, too. And this article from Harvard talks about studies that point to a few lesser known benefits, like a reduction in your sweet tooth and actually reducing the effects of weight producing genes! All of that, just from putting one foot in front of the other.

3.1 miles is an awfully lofty goal

You don’t have to start with a 5K (or a half marathon) like we do. Start with a walk in your neighborhood and see where it goes from there. Here’s a beginner training plan for walking your first 5K that starts with just 15 minutes of walking around your block.

Don’t want to walk by yourself?

Great, but you don’t have the motivation to do it by yourself, nor do you have those three awesome friends that I do that are willing to go with you? No worries! Opportunities to join walking groups are all around you! The first one is one that I actually joined, even though I do have friends to walk with. It’s a virtual group lead by Al Roker of Today Show fame! It’s called Start TODAY. They send out challenges and motivational emails that I love. And there’s a weekly check in to keep you honest. You can sign up here. If you want to join actual people in your area, there are tons of MeetUps and Facebook groups all over the country that walk together and that are always looking for new members. Search those platforms, or ask your doctor. They may have a recommendation. If you want to learn to pick up your pace a bit, there are race walker clubs all over the country, too. Here’s a link to the one near me. Try a Google search for one near you. And, finally, if you want to join a movement and start your own walking club, Diana Nyad (who is probably best known for swimming from Cuba to Florida for the first time when she was 64!) wants everyone in the country to walk! She is looking for ambassadors to create walking clubs in their area under the EverWalk banner. So, there are tons of ways to get social and get walking. Find your peeps and get out there your way! Or, just go by yourself and commune with the birds and lizards and your own thoughts for a while.

There are lots of ways to tackle connection, wellness and FUN in one fell swoop. Walking is definitely a pleasant and very effective one. Grab a few friends (virtual or IRL) and get out there! See you at the next 5K!