RecreationNL | Provincial Walking Campaign

Summer Walking

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Where Will Your Steps Take You?

The snow has melted and the warm summer weather has finally come. Time to dig out your summer clothes, get out of the house and enjoy a nice walk in the great outdoors.

Walking in the summer is a great time to experience the beautiful walking trails your community has to offer. Even though it is such a beautiful day outside and you would like to just go for a walk, you should always take an extra few minutes to prepare and make sure you are being safe.

Here are some easy safety precautions you can use before every walk:

Always wear sunscreen when you are outside. Put on the sun screen a half an hour before with a minimum of 30 SPF.
Dress for the weather. Wear light colored clothing it will reflect the sun. To avoid heat stroke add a hat and a pair of sunglasses to your outfit.
The best time to go for a walk would be early in the morning or in the evening because that’s when the sun is not too hot. The sun is at its hottest during the time between 10:00 am and 2:30 pm.
Drink water when being active. Depending on the length of your walk take a frozen water bottle, that way it can keep you cool and quench your thirst.
Wear comfortable shoes when you’re walking. Walking shoes should feel comfortable as soon as you put them on. Try to choose a lightweight shoe with a wide toe that is flexible. They should bend where the foot bends at the ball. (ask your local shoe store for more information).

Walking has been shown to have a lot of impacts on a person’s quality of life. There are an assortment of physical, mental and social advantages to engaging in this recreation and leisure activity. Some of the physical benefits include a lower level of blood pressure, a reduced threat of heart disease & diabetes and lower cholesterol levels. In addition to these key factors, walking will also help strengthen your bones and reduce levels of stress that may be occurring in your everyday lifestyle.

While these physical benefits are important to one’s health, there are also many social and mental benefits that are equally important. One of the most important social benefits is that it allows you to spend more time with family and friends while being active and improving your health. You may want to have a walking partner with you to enjoy this activity and this will make the time fly by. This would result in an individual participating in a fun activity with someone that they enjoy spending time with, therefore making that activity more enjoyable. One of the metal benefits of walking is that it will spiritually improve your mood and outlook on life. Walking is a very calming activity that you can participate in, plus it’s FREE!! Anyone can get involved in walking no matter how young or how old you are. There is no equipment involved and at the same time, it is very accessible. Different from the winter season, there are no snow covered sidewalks or freezing temperatures that may prevent you from walking during the spring season. This is incentive enough to get out and get active through walking!

Try Something New This Spring!

If you were not already aware, there are many forms of walking that people can participate in. If you like to participate in basic walking then go for it! If you feel tired of doing the same old weekly routine, here are a few versions of walking that can keep you active and keep you motivated to walk.

Hillwalking

Hillwalking is one form of walking that you can participate in and add to your weekly routine. While you should not constantly hillwalk it is a great exercise to add to your weekly routine once in a while. Hillwalking is normally used to describe the recreational practice of walking or climbing in hilly or mountainous terrain, generally with the intention of visiting the tops of hills and mountains. In our province hillwalking is easy to participate in because of our natural hilly terrain. For example, Gros Mourne National Park on the West Coast, or the East Coast Trail found throughout the Avalon, are excellent areas to try this exciting type of walking. If you really want a challenge try walking up Signal Hill every now and then and I will assure you that you will get a great work out!

Power Walking

Another type of walking that really gets your heart rate going is power walking. This type of walking is done at a walking speed higher than your normal walking pace that increases your heart rate. To determine your maximum heart rate, please visit www.ottawarun.com/heartrate.htm and use the heart rate calculator to see whether you are reaching the proper heart rate for your body. Power walking has less impact on the joints and has recently been used as an alternative method to jogging. Power walking is a low-to-moderate exercise regime that may be done in short distances or spurts. To power walk you must remember to use the correct power walking technique. You should have an exaggerated arm swing and at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times.

Music
While engaging in these types of walking styles, listening to music may help you walk longer distances without knowing it. Specific types of music can actually take you from a highly tense state to a relaxed state in a matter of minutes. Variations in music genres may give us the energy needed to walk longer distances and leave you feeling relaxed. Similar to walking, music draws away any tension or anxiety that you may be feeling at the time and as a result puts you back in touch with yourself. So take out your I-pod or MP3 players, slip on your headphones, put on some enjoyable music, and start walking. You will feel more energetic while simultaneously creating a healthier YOU!

In saying this, there are some safety precautions you may want to consider when outdoors and walking:

For additional walking information or programs please visit our website at www.recreationnl.com where you will be able to find various walking programs within your community. If you would also like to learn more about our “Small Steps, Big Results” campaign please feel free to contact Pam at (709) 729-0569 or through email at pammills@recreationnl.com