Hello from the Trail

Hey, friend.
I see you.

I see you out there on the trail every morning after the kids have gotten on the bus.  I see you on the city sidewalks on your lunch break.  And on the treadmill at the gym. And at the track while your kid’s at practice.  And waiting with a big ol’ smile on your face in the very last corral on race day.

Maybe you’re in your favorite Lulu leggings and the newest Hokas. Maybe you’ve got all the latest gear.  Maybe you’re in some old bike shorts and a race shirt, your hair in some haphazard mix between a bun and a ponytail (I’m speaking from experience here).

Maybe you’re alone, listening to your favorite podcast…or an audiobook…or some ‘90s hip-hop.  Maybe you’re with a friend, a cup of coffee in hand.  Maybe you’re even talking on the phone with your long-distance friend…or your mom.

Maybe you walk because it calms your mind while you’re moving your body.  Maybe you’re recovering from an injury.  Maybe you used to be a runner, but your joints told you it’s time to call it quits.  Maybe you’re trying to lose some weight—or maybe you’re just trying to stay healthy.

Whatever your favorite path, whatever your method, whatever your favorite gear or your reason for getting in those steps, I see you.

I’m often amazed by the number of walkers I see on a daily basis.  There are so many of us out there, yet I feel like we’ve never really had a community.  Walking is such an underrated sport.  And, yes, it’s a sport.  It’s seen as an activity for the elderly – or those who don’t have it in them to be runners (or, as my friend’s daughter said when she found out that her mom was walking a 5k race, “Oh, so you’re fake running.”).  There are so many amazing communities for runners, but walkers often find themselves joining running groups because there’s just nowhere else to go – both online and off.  And in those runners’ groups, we usually just hide out, keeping quiet, because, while we do have a lot in common, we’re not actually runners, so we don’t really feel like we belong.

But you know what?  Walking is pretty awesome.  It’s a low-impact sport that allows you to move all of your body, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the world around you.  You can walk by yourself and enjoy the peace and quiet.  You can walk with your kids and listen to them talk about their day, their favorite video game, or maybe even their hopes and dreams and fears.  You can walk with your friends and laugh and vent and solve the world’s problems together.  You can even walk in a race and earn yourself a medal in the end.

So after years of hiding out in runners’ groups, looking for my own place to belong, I’ve decided it’s time to create that place—a place where I can talk about being a proud walker.  I can talk about good walks and the ones where I just wanted to give up and go get myself a donut and coffee…about exploring new paths and finding comfort in the familiar ones.  I can talk about walking buddies and my favorite gear and the excitement of race day—not as a fake runner but as a walker. And I hope, along the way, I’ll find some others like me.  Because you’re out there.  I know you are.  I see you out there, my walking friends.  And you belong here.  I can’t wait to get to know all of you!