I usually assume that I am writing the blog
for ‘us’, that is, my Toronto Power Walker buddies. But this time I am going to
pretend the reader is someone new.
Maybe you are tired of the long hard
winter, feeling a bit out of shape and want to find a way of exercising more
regularly. You like walking and think being part of a group might help keep you
motivated (it does!). You googled ‘walking in Toronto’ and up popped our blog.
You are reading with interest but might
have hesitated when you got to the part about meeting early on Saturday
mornings. You are saying to yourself ‘Do I really want to get up from my cozy
bed to go out in the cold with a bunch of strangers?’
The early hour was my major stumbling block
when I was considering taking the plunge. But now I consider it a huge
advantage. I am generally back home by
noon, having done something good for my body, with the day ahead of me. In my
experience, it really only takes about 3 months for it to become an ingrained
habit. These days I am up, dressed and out the door before I really even
wake-up.
As for the ‘strangers’ part – we are a
great group, if I do say so myself, with a strong tradition of inclusiveness.
We include a wide range of personalities, backgrounds and walking speeds so
there is almost always someone to talk to and to walk with. Give it 3 months
and we won’t be strangers - and it won’t be cold out anymore!
So consider this a formal invitation to
come join us next week.
