Walk your way to fitness

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If you detest running, yet feel physically negligent whenever you spot a jogger, don't despair. Like many others, you can happily retire your running suit and discover that it's fun to . . .

I decided to give up running at 3:00 a.m. one typically sleepless summer night after a particularly grueling road race. No longer — I vowed, head buried in the pillow and muscles still bunched and aching — would I punish my body in that manner.

Following that resolution, I did a bit of research and found that I wasn't alone. Apparently, some nine out of ten people who begin a running exercise program drop out within a year. Unfortunately — along with giving up the sport — many also abandon hope of losing weight, staying in shape, or improving their cardiovascular performance. However, there's no need to relinquish the dream of "fitness forever" just because running isn't for you. There's a safe, effective, and enjoyable alternative to jogging: walking!

IDEAL EXERCISE

Almost anyone — from toddler to great-grandparent — can improve his or her health with a walking program. After all, this basic exercise is generally recommended for coronary patients and is often the first activity suggested for those who've experienced surgery or childbirth.

Furthermore — while doctors often have varying opinions about the benefits and long-term effects of jogging and running — there is universal agreement on the positive results of walking.

Better yet, you'll begin to feel physical progress after only six to eight weeks of a "shank's mare" program. You can expect to lose weight, improve the muscle tone throughout your body, experience lowered blood pressure, enjoy better rest, and benefit from an overall sense of well-being . . . a feeling that you can bet you'll never gain by riding an armchair toward the eleven o'clock news!

Of course, walking isn't just physically beneficial, either. It's good for the mind and soul as well. As Henry David Thoreau — a daily walker — wrote, "It is a great art to saunter."

WISE WALKWEAR

The single most important investment a walker can make is in quality shoes. Go to a retail outlet that specializes in sports footwear and get properly fitted with a reputable brand . . . rather than take a chance on discount store offerings. And since many people have one foot that's slightly larger than the other, be sure to try both shoes on. Wear well-cushioned cotton — or cotton-and-wool blend — socks when trying on shoes, too, because they're strongly recommended for folks engaged in "serious" walking.