The Walk — Sneakers and Handbags

I walk 10,000 steps a day and, on Saturdays and Sundays, I walk 5 miles each day. I do it for so many reasons. It started to get me back in shape and to prepare for surgery, but it became a lifeline of sorts. In December of 2023, I scheduled surgery for the following February, and from that moment on. I started researching what I needed to do to get ready for it mentally and especially physically. I found that walking would be a great way to stay active, and it was low enough impact on me that it would be easy to do. After surgery, it was hard mentally, but I got through it. When I was cleared to work out again, the walks started again, but I went outside to walk this time. I decided to go to the St Louis Arch Grounds and see if that would help. That was the best decision I ever made. Getting up at 5 am to get out to watch the sun rise over the Mississippi River is a sight, and I will admit I do have moments when I get a bit emotional seeing the daybreak and thinking about what new things will unfold that day. I am an introvert by nature, but there’s something about getting out on the weekends and walking the tree-lined path, blasting some of my favorite songs, motivating me to keep going despite the changes in my body over the year. I use that time to clear my mind, figure some things out, but most of the time just move. At the start of this year, I did get into a funk cause the weather was so cold that I could not get out in the air and move and see that sunrise. I had to find alternate ways to cope till the weather turned warmer. I have moments when I think about changing my work schedule so I can walk before work and get that rush before I start the work day, but I like my evenings a little too much. Who knows, I might change my mind.

The sunrise. As I sit here and think about how beautiful it is to see, and how everything comes to life when the light shines down on everything. I always pull out my phone to take pictures of the different things as I walk (as long as I keep up my pace), and capture as much as possible. Watching the sky change colors and the clouds take their place, and you see the beauty unfolding over the short time I am out there, it renders me speechless sometimes. I post the pictures and videos in my Instagram stories so I don’t forget that feeling I had. I wish I had someone to take pictures of the scenery as I walk, so I can concentrate on getting all my steps in quickly. Besides the sunrise, you see a variety of people like the runners, the bike riders, and other walkers. We wave, or head nod, to greet each other. I like the fact that I see the same faces every weekend. I feel like we have our own little community of people who have a similar goal of getting some movement. Also, I feel a bit of safety with seeing the same faces every weekend.

Starting mile 5 headed to the south leg of the arch

As the weather changes and starts to cool down, I now have to start looking for alternatives to get my steps in, and also be able to mentally prepare for not being able to get out when it gets colder. Last year, I walked till my birthday, then it got too cold for me to get outside. I do have a walking pad and several YouTube videos that I can do, along with strength training, to keep my body moving, but there’s nothing like getting outside and getting that fresh air and seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of nature.