First Steps
For a long time we have been aware that the Health Walks are victims of their own success; so many people have become fit - 120 walk per week. Many of you see them walk through the village and those of you who are unfit are put off, only noticing the faster walkers at the front, not the slower walkers at the back. We cannot tell them to walk slowly, they so enjoy their new found fitness. Even the recent TV coverage showed mainly the faster walkers.

We started 'Introductory Walks' and they have been very successful. However, we do realise that these are still too daunting for those of you who, for whatever reason, can only go at a slow pace. Do you know that by just walking slowly for 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week that there are health benefits ? These can be in 10 minute sessions.

Walking is a weight-bearing exercise and it can either prevent osteoporosis or prevent further deterioration. You burn as many calories per mile as running, so it helps with weight control. If you are depressed, it will lift your mood. It will strengthen your muscles, thus making you less prone to injury and it will increase flexibility thus preventing stiffness. However, if you can, after a while, try to walk a little faster, so that you feel warm, a little sweaty and a little breathless, there are other benefits to be gained.

You may halve the risk of having heart disease and strokes, reduce high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, burn fat which lessens the chance of obesity, reduce the risk of having asthma (the efficiency of the lungs improves), lessen your chances of developing some cancers, and most importantly, lift your mood. It is no good being physically fit if mentally, you are a wreck.

It is this brisk walking that we are trying to encourage you to do. We do not mind how slow that is; all that matters is that you are walking at a pace that is comfortable for you, and whatever problems you have, well they do not disappear after a brisk walk, but you are able to face up to them and cope better with them on your return.

It saddens all of us leaders when we are at the back of a walk with someone and they apologise for being slow (they invariably do not come back). We can assure you that the leaders get more than enough exercise to keep themselves fit. We love the chance to start someone else on the road to getting fit. We cannot stress strongly enough how good it feels to be totally fit.

People have come on the walks for all sorts of reasons. A few are already fit and come to get fitter for challenges (such as the 3 peaks) - it is a good cross training exercise. Some are very unfit, some are suffering from stress, some want to get a little fitter. We have some new mums who bring their babies and swap nappy tales! Some people hate exercise but come because they have been told by their doctor, some are lonely and want to make friends and some are depressed. The walks are for everyone, from every walk of life; they are friendly, fun and get you fit.

So, to try to encourage you out, we are running some walks on the timetable called 'First Steps' so, whether you are a couch potato, recovering from physical or mental illness, or are one of the older members of our society, please do come and join us on the 'First Steps' walks. You will not feel intimidated, no fast walkers will be allowed on theses walks, you will all be of a similar level.

See the timetable for more details...