Best Foot Forward

This is Sara from the Get Walking Campaign

I met her in the Supermarket on Wednesday. She was trying to persuade people to walk more and drive less – but sadly they all sped past her with their laden trolleys, back to their cars. I watched this as I stood in the queue to pay, and decided I should at least stop and have a brief chat, if only to encourage her a little bit.

We talked about the need to get more exercise, the fact that our Church has a “Walking In Good Company” Group which meets monthly, and how to persuade parents and schoolchildren that walking to school is preferable to jumping in the car at the last minute!

I came away with a little brown carrier full of information and a free pedometer. I gave Sara the details of our group [she is trying to get information about all the walking groups in the county] and promised her I would blog about the campaign. Check out the website as it is a national initiative, not just Leicestershire.

According to the information she gave me “A brisk 20 minute walk covering 1 mile will burn up 100 calories, which is equivalent to one chocolate digestive biscuit” I am hoping that the five minute uphill cycle-ride to the church burned up the calories in one fig roll, which is what I ate at yesterday’s Coffee Drop In!

I am sure I walked more when my children were younger [we only had one car, and I usually walked the girls to school each day] and later when we had Charlie, there was the dog-walking thing. But I am not really the sort of person who does much “walking as a leisure activity” Before the knee problems, I was really enjoying running – but my current exercise of choice seems to be cycling. I have my daughters to thank for that – they have definitely encouraged me into the saddle! I do hope Sara gets some takers though – she was so enthusiastic about her cause.