Take a Walk on the Wild Side
As Lynn pointed out so well last week, it’s easy to get bored if you follow the same work out routine day in and day out. If you don’t enjoy the gym scene and the bicycle is sitting in the garage covered in a layer of dust, instead of taking that usual run or walk around the neighborhood, head for the hills. Changing your venue is a great way to stay refreshed and excited about training.
Here in Colorado, I’m fortunate to live within a twenty-minute drive of one of our many state parks, Castlewood Canyon, and about a half-hour away from the foothills of the Rockies where I could walk a different trail every day and not run out of new scenery for a month or so. Because my weekday routine doesn’t offer me the luxury of extra time for driving, I usually save my walks on the wild side for the weekend. No matter where you live, even if it’s in the middle of a large urban center, you should be able to find trails or paths that allow you to get out of your regular routine and connect with nature.
A family of young saguaros
Last week I was in Tucson at a writers conference, and after three days of being cooped up in meeting rooms and a stale hotel room, I was ready to get out and experience the desert. I took my camera with me to Saguaro National Park on the eastern edge of town and spent about an hour and a half walking one of the many trails that wind for miles through the park and into the national forest beyond. It was a cool, beautiful morning and the only sounds were the serenade of the cactus wrens and the breeze sighing through the needled arms of the giant plants that make that small slice of desert their home. I spied lizards warming up in the early morning sun and watched a couple of hawks circle in the blue sky above. Tucson enjoyed a wet summer, so the saguaros were fat and robust and some of the barrel cactuses were still blooming, an oddity this late in the year. I came back to civilization (my parents’ house a ten-minute drive away) feeling like I’d had a mini-vacation.
A late-blooming barrel cactus
Trail walking or hiking differs from fitness walking in several ways:
- The terrain is uneven so your pacing changes, as does your gait. You might want to consider trail shoes instead of your regular sneakers.
- Walking on dirt is easier on your body than the constant pounding of walking or running on pavement.
- You don’t have to watch for traffic, but you do need to keep an eye out for critters, rocks in the trail, or other dangers inherent in being in a more wild setting.
- You may find that you go slower, but if you’re on a trail with lots of up and down, you get a good cardio workout as well as working different muscles in your hips, legs, and feet.
- If you’re going out alone, take some basic security precautions — make sure someone knows where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Carry a cell phone in case of emergencies. Sign in at the trailhead or in the visitor center.
- Carry extra water and an extra energy bar, just in case.
- If you’re in unfamiliar territory, take a map.
- Don’t forget the sunscreen and hat.
One note: I don’t advise hiking a long distance or in the remote wilderness by yourself, but if you’re in a well-traveled area and not going farther than a couple of miles from the trailhead, you should be fine. Just remember to be smart and stay safe.
So tell me — where do you go when you need a change of pace and scenery?
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