I love to walk in the summertime, but...

[shnikes17]

I have a dilemma. My husband has gotten me very paranoid about walking by myself. Even though we live in a very safe town in a safe neighborhood, I cannot bring myself to go outside in the morning and walk.

Before I was married (almost a year ago!!), I got up at least three mornings a week and walked about five miles. That, combined with weights and step, made the biggest difference in leaning out my legs. I love to turn on the walkman, listen to the news (boring, I know!) and just go for at least an hour and a half.

At my parents' house, I used to have a husky, but she died, and in our apartment we can't have a dog. I think my husband and me would feel better if I could walk with a dog, but that's not an option. My husband is so good, and he walks with me sometimes, but he tires much faster than I do. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how I can go back to one of my favorite ways to exercise. I feel stupid being so paranoid

. Thanks

Emily

 

[lwseymour]

walking

Hi Emily,

Sounds like you have a great husband that's very concerned about you. I too, love to walk outdoors. Besides helping with weight loss, it also is a great stress reliever. So, I have kinda been in your shoes. Although walking on a treadmill isn't as fun, I would suggest checking out some prices (that is, if you have room in your apartment). I realize this may not be a practical option for you. When I was looking for a treadmill, everyone said that I would have to spend $1500.00 for a decent one, however, I ended up financing a $400.00 Sears Lifestyler and it has worked great now for 6 years. And believe me, it has been used often. Of course, that model now is probably around $500.00 or $550.00 but my point is that you don't have to spend a fortune on a treadmill to get a decent one.
I have got my money's worth out of my treadmill and have never regretted it. But, of course, it's not quite the same as walking outdoors.
But then, you don't have to be afraid either. And you can still walk when it's raining or snowing!!! Have a great day.

Lisa

 

[Jul]

what I do

when I go out very early in the dark is carry a small alarm thing on a keychain. When I push the "panic" button, it starts a very shrill sound until I shut it off. I figure in an emergency I can either toss it to keep the loud noise going or keep it with me and RUN! I also live in a very safe area - but you NEVER know who may be passing through! I follow the same route and I know people every block or so on my route - my "safe-houses". When it's very dark out, I don't wear my walkman so that I can hear more sounds. I have seen where you can buy mace and that kind of stuff, but I have never used it. It would be great to have a workout buddy, but I don't have that either! I'll be reading your post with interest hoping that others have more suggestions. Too bad we aren't neighbors!

 

[shnikes17]

Hi Julie

I know, I wish we were neighbors, too. It's always better to have a buddy, but I don't have that either. The alarm thing is a great idea. The good thing about where I live is that it gets light out starting at 5 a.m. and by 5:45, it's pretty light. I don't like to walk in the dark, but I figure if I started at 5:30 and walked until 7 or so, it would be light out. I'm going to look for one of those alarm things. Where did you get yours? I will one day get a treadmill, but that's not an option right now because of money and space. Thanks for the suggestions.

Emily

 

[honeybunch]

Get yo' self to the local mall...

....and leave the strollers in the dust!!!! I LOVE mall walking, and it is certainly safe! If you can only do it on the weekends, that's two days of walking, and the rest of the week you can do Cathe tapes!!!!!

 

[Jul]

alarm

I lucked out and found it at Kmart on clearance! It is a keychain with a "siren" and a flashlight together as one piece. I am hoping that it would be loud enough to scare anyone away, but I worry that I am giving myself false protection. I wish I had a "local" mall to walk in, especially in the winter, but I am about 45 min. to an hour away from the closest. Do you think Walmart would mind an idiot jogging up and down the aisles?

 

[shnikes17]

Julie, I bet

if you pushed a broom or something and cleaned a little as you were running, they wouldn't mind at all

Emily

 

[honeybunch]

Try this.....

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-00 AT 05:11AM (EST)</font></center>

....maybe coordinate your mall walk to a shopping trip! It's all in the planning! Do you make regular trips to the mall?

The reason I'm making this suggestion is because it's free and it's safe! Here's what I do: I only walk one or two days per week to work in cross training, so I do Taebo one day, then a Cathe tape. So that leaves two days if you do four of cardio. Go to the mall on Saturday, and ride a bike or something on your other day. I'd rather walk on all my "cardio" days, but it makes my feet hurt! Try it, chick! Keep us posted!

 

[Debra]

look for a buddy

I love to walk & before I had dogs, often walked by myself. I do have an idea, when you're out, look for a buddy. If you spot them walking you get the benefit of seeing if their pace is compatable with yours. If solo walking is stressing your DH too much, drive around early to scout a buddy. Are there any community bulletin boards to boast a "looking for a walking partner" notice?

This is really wacky, but many of the dog owners in my area would love, really love, to have someone exercise their dog. Keep your eyes peeled for a neglected pooch, harried but approachable owner, elderly dog owner,...

Last, please don't use a Walkman if you walk alone.

 

[shnikes17]

Hi Debra

Great idea about finding people who want their dogs walked. I never thought of that. I'm sure there are plenty of elderly or too busy to walk the dog people out there who would love it if I would walk their dogs for FREE!!! I'll have to try it out. Thanks.

Emily

 

[gvaughn]

Walkmans, fear, etc.

I do listen to my walkman when I go walking alone (usually around 9am, though) but I just have one ear on, or I hang the headphones around my neck and crank up the volume. Granted, I'm not quite as alert as I would be without any distraction, but I can't walk for very long without my music!

You're not paranoid, Emily. There are real dangers to your safety every time you leave the house. It's all a matter of what risk you choose to undertake. Think of it in terms of a risk management plan

: you can eliminate the risk (go to a treadmill or mall), reduce the risk (find a buddy, dog, or hubby), or decide it's a risk you're willing to take (walk alone, but keep aware of your surroundings). You may decide that you're more likely to be maimed in a car accident on the way to the mall, than to be attacked at 6am, walking in a "safe" neighborhood. Carrying a personal alarm may be what you need to overcome the fear you have right now and get you out walking. I think there's a big difference between an alarm giving a person a false sense of security and being the thing that allows one to overcome the fear hurdle and get out there.

Husbands sure are a mixed blessing. I know several women who cannot drive downtown to a music recital by themselves, or run the lawnmower, because their husbands have forbidden them. It shows the husbands' concern for their well-being, which certainly is nice, but is also a kind of overprotective oppressiveness--and makes for some pretty helpless widows at times.

To put this dissertation of mine in perspective, I have taken long road trips by myself, traveled through Japan and China by myself, and often go hiking by myself. But all these are calculated risks: I make sure there's oil in the car (and I finally got just nervous enough to get a cell phone), I speak Japanese and Chinese (and keep my passport and money in one of those hidden pockets), and I take rain gear, waterproof matches, space blanket, etc. to go on those hikes. My hubby is also fairly passive about all this. He's not a worrier and I am very stubborn. So my disclaimer is that this is how I live my life (considered to be reckless by some) so my opinions come from this perspective but I do not expect everyone to feel this way nor live this way, and so don't flame me, please, I'm just sharing my thoughts not passing judgment and no I am not an attorney but just someone who has been spending too much doing risk management planning for a brand new camp about which I am constantly having panic attacks.

Love you all ...

Gretchen

 

[Debra]

About Walkman's

Gretchen, great points & you are quite inspiring. The reason I think Walkman's are a bad idea if one is in a riskier situation is that it dulls the senses. When I'm about to pass another person, I try to announce my presence 1) so I don't startle them & 2) so they don't step or swerve into me if I'm on my bike. There are too many times that I can't get their attention if they have earphones on. I figure if I can't get their attention (yelling) that it wouldn't be a problem to sneak up on them if that were my intent. To me, going walkman free is a risk reduction technique.

Debra

 

[KA]

We Need To Walk Outside

I have strong feelings about this. The more people that stay away from walking outside, the less safe it becomes. We need to remember that. Also, I do not feel that malls are so much safer than a lot of streets. Certainly in my city we have had more violence n some malls than in my neighborhood (I live in the city in a "nice" neighborhood, but it is not the suburbs). Of course you need to exercise caution, do not wear a walkman and stay alert. I liked the suggestions about finding a buddy or walking a dog. What great ideas!
You know, after I got married I moved to better neighborhood, and I still noticed that I have become much wimpier about walking after dark by muyself(basically, I just do not do it anymore). I guess this is natural but sometimes I worry I am becoming a scaredy-cat. I am lucky though. My husband enjoys walking with me.
Sorry this was so long.

 

[shnikes17]

Thanks for all responses

I appreciate everyone's input. It's too bad that we have to live in a world where we have to think about these things. I really am grateful for a husband who is so concerned about my safety. He's not overprotective or anything, he just loves me too much to let me do anything that might put me in danger.

The older I get, the more I realize how vulnerable we all are; my husband has made me realize even more just how many people there are out there you can't trust. I tend to be very trusting and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. That can be a bad thing, sometimes, though. Well, thanks for all the input.

Emily

 

[Jane P]

I tried this

I tried borrowing a dog. My neighbors have a giant mastiff. This is a very intimidating dog, but he's
very nice. However he would not go with me. He was afraid I was taking him away from his family and
he would not go with me. He was so big that he pulled me on the leash, not the other way around.
Suffice it to say, it didn't work. If you try this do it with a smaller dog.

P.S. My neighbor has one of those air walker things. They don't take up as much space as
a treadmill and are much cheaper.

 

[LOlson]

risk and perception of risk

As an environmental professional, I'm always amazed at our (the public's) perception of risk and our ignoring things that have been proven to be risky. We drive our cars all over the place, eat fatty processed foods, smoke cigarettes and engage in tons of activities that are very risky. This includes hanging around with people and in situations that put us at higher risk than walking through a well populated neighborhood during the day. Yet we spend our time worrying about additives in our food and then get into our cars and drive to the whole foods market. This isn't a criticism, more of a loving reality nudge.

The chances that we will be a victim in a stanger crime decline tremendously as we get older. In fact women at are at greater risk from people we know than people we don't.

I think we need to take a good hard look at the risks involved in the activities that we "perceive" as risky and get a realistic feel for the actual risk involved. Emily, I have no idea where you live, but I'm sure that there is somewhere where you can walk during well lit, well populated times of the day when the risk that something bad can happen is minimal. Because bad things can happen anywhere. I understand the desire to keep our loved ones safe, if I could I'd put my daughter somewhere where she would never ever be hurt, especially physically I would. But then she would miss out on so much of life, and I wouldn't be enhancing her life.

I've read several articles that show that the numbers of runners attacked are similar for those with dogs and without, so please don't let a dog give you a false sense of security. Also we are all vulnerable unless we never leave the house, and then that is no guarantee, so pack the cell phone, the pepper spray and make sure you walk in the safest area you can. I just don't believe that not going is the answer, the truth is walking is no more dangerous than when you were single, and is probably less so. The realization of risk and vulnerability does not change the safeness of an activity. As a drug addled now dead rock star once said- No one gets out of here alive.