Join the Club
If you’re looking to get or stay motivated to walk regularly, put a little positive peer pressure to work. Find a walking club in your community.
Walking with a buddy always helps (it’s harder to just stay in when you have to call someone and cop out), and walking clubs take that practice a step further. Most clubs have regular walks -- at least weekly, sometimes more often -- that bring a group together for “fun, fitness and fellowship,” as John Ferguson, 70, a member of the Dallas Trekkers Walking Club, says. Clubs also usually have a tracking system to recognize members’ achievements over a period of time. It sounds simple, but a certificate or pin for reaching 100 miles can be a powerful incentive to keep walking.
Most walking-club members are dedicated walkers – Ferguson has been walking for 13 years and has racked up 5,000 miles – but don’t be intimidated if you’re just starting out and can only walk a block instead of a mile. At the Dallas Trekkers, “all walks are at your own pace,” Ferguson says. “We’ve had people who just recovered from surgery come to a walk, and they could only make it to the car and back. But they do as much as they can do.”
The same is true of the Walking Club of Georgia, whose members hit the Atlanta streets several times a week. “There’s no problem if you lag behind at first, or turn back early,” says member Dan Strohl, 60, who says walking is a “godsend” for osteoarthritis in his back. “Being with a group is a good motivator, because you’ll be constantly increasing your speed and distance.” Walking with a club provides a safe environment, and as you log the miles, you also form new friendships. “I’ve now been walking with the same group for 10 years,” Strohl says. “It’s psychological therapy as well as being therapeutic physically.”
Here are a few tips to see if a walking club is for you:
• If you’re a beginner, call and ask how far and fast members usually walk. Does the club have a special group for beginners? Is it easy to turn back early if you need to? It may help to bring along a friend who’s also a beginner, so you’ll have someone at your pace.
• Get the lay of the land. Find out if the route is level. Is it on sidewalks or even ground? Many clubs have several routes, including flat ones for beginners or people with conditions like arthritis.
• Find out how the club tracks and recognizes miles members walk.
• Ask how much it costs to join the club; most range from $10-$25 per year. Can you attend a walk as a guest before you join, to see if the club is right for you?
To find a walking club near you:
Call your local YMCA or community center and ask if there's a club you can join.
The American Volkssport Association lists walking clubs throughout the country.
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