In April of 2020 we’ll start our third walking season of the Ankeny Walking Social Club. Last year I gave you 10 reasons why you should start a walking club, and I stand by every single one of them. This year, in reflecting back on our walks during the warm months and our coffees in the cold months, I have five more reasons to add to why you should join (or start) a walking club.
We sit too much. The way we work, live, and socialize involves sitting for prolonged periods of time. Most of us could use a good walk, and finding the motivation to put on your shoes is easier when there’s a group of supportive friends waiting to help make the miles speed by.
Conversations are easier when you’re walking. According to one article, “Walking helps break down formalities, relaxes inhibitions and fosters camaraderie . . . and less eye contact can fuel more personal conversation. [Walking with friends] also minimizes distractions — no phones, no email, no texts interrupting you.”
Your Walking Club members will become another family. My kids, who are just about 4 and 6, regularly bring up their “Walking Club friends” in conversation. In their world, having walking club friends is completely normal and those friends have become another support system in their lives.
Kids see what you do (and do what they see). It’s no secret that one of my goals when starting the Club was to get outside on a regular basis with my kids in the company of other adults. What I was hoping – but didn’t necessarily expect – is that my kids would be asking to go for walks outside of walking club time because they’ve grown to love walking for its own sake. Win-win!
Fun! We have fun every single week, and you will too.
Check out this short slideshow from our 2019 Walking Season. We’ll be starting again the first Wednesday in April, and if you live in Central Iowa, we’d love to have you join us! To learn more, check out our Facebook group or email Cassie at cassie@northwoodspilates.com.
