Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

@becsbuddy

My walk was great today! How was yours @artist01 and @ess77 ? And we haven’t heard from @mayofeb2020 in awhile! We’re are you?
I went out to the park today to meet a friend and we started walking with our dogs. We met up with a 3rd woman and her dogs and we’re happily walking. Then my dog Poppy lay down on the grass and wouldn’t move! Not an inch. I told the others to go on and I’d catch up. As soon as I got to him, he jumped up and walked the opposite direction! He wanted to go home! And it was a gorgeous day. He’s a spoiled dog!

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Love him! Poppy isn't spoiled, Becky. He just know what he wants...Good for him! btw: how old is Poppy? Could be he was plain tired. Sorry, tho, you missed out on a fun time with friends and puppies. Blessings on your lovely walks, lady. elizabeth

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@sueinmn

I receive periodic messages from the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, which was recently recommended elsewhere on Mayo Connect.
Here is an interesting Lesson (?) on the value of keeping on walking to slow the effects of aging - just what we are all trying to accomplish: https://healthhq.s3.amazonaws.com/en/mobility/lessons/walking-speed/v2/index.html?endpoint=14&referrer=3
I'm out to walk with a friend as soon as I finish my class.
Sue

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Class? ess77

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@becsbuddy

My walk was great today! How was yours @artist01 and @ess77 ? And we haven’t heard from @mayofeb2020 in awhile! We’re are you?
I went out to the park today to meet a friend and we started walking with our dogs. We met up with a 3rd woman and her dogs and we’re happily walking. Then my dog Poppy lay down on the grass and wouldn’t move! Not an inch. I told the others to go on and I’d catch up. As soon as I got to him, he jumped up and walked the opposite direction! He wanted to go home! And it was a gorgeous day. He’s a spoiled dog!

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@becsbuddy Hello Becky. I loved Poppy's dog walking story. Sounds like my little rescue senior chihuahua, Pedro. He would walk maybe 100 yards with me and Spike (my beloved Yorkie cross) and then, just like Poppy, simply sit down and look up soulfully at me. I had to pick him up and carry him the whole way! Good thing he was just a tiny 5 lb. little guy. Miss those days so much.
I'm still recuperating from my hospital stay, but slowly getting some stamina back. The only thing I can claim that's close to a walk was the challenging job of getting to my G.I. appointment on Thursday. Just leaving my apartment to get to the main floor foyer, waiting 20 minutes for the taxi, getting in and out of the taxi, WALKING to the doctor's office from the taxi! Phew! Lol

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@ess77

Love him! Poppy isn't spoiled, Becky. He just know what he wants...Good for him! btw: how old is Poppy? Could be he was plain tired. Sorry, tho, you missed out on a fun time with friends and puppies. Blessings on your lovely walks, lady. elizabeth

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Well @ess77 and @artist01 Poppy did much better on today’s walk! And was even good last evening! We had our new fully vaccinated neighbors over to visit outside. Poppy didn’t whine once!!
We had a nice walk this morning. Just walked through the neighborhood. The weather was perfect! I’m going to try for another walk tonight—the weather is going straight down hill tonight with snow on Monday. I think 2 shorter walks will be better thank 1 long one. Happy walking!

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@artist01

@becsbuddy Hello Becky. I loved Poppy's dog walking story. Sounds like my little rescue senior chihuahua, Pedro. He would walk maybe 100 yards with me and Spike (my beloved Yorkie cross) and then, just like Poppy, simply sit down and look up soulfully at me. I had to pick him up and carry him the whole way! Good thing he was just a tiny 5 lb. little guy. Miss those days so much.
I'm still recuperating from my hospital stay, but slowly getting some stamina back. The only thing I can claim that's close to a walk was the challenging job of getting to my G.I. appointment on Thursday. Just leaving my apartment to get to the main floor foyer, waiting 20 minutes for the taxi, getting in and out of the taxi, WALKING to the doctor's office from the taxi! Phew! Lol

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I understand completely, Laurie. That can be a work-out some days. I really miss my puppy, Sophia. She went to puppy heaven last year.12 years with her sleeping , walking, talking with me. I miss her meeting me at the front door with her wagging rear end and smile on her face. She was a white mid-sized poodle mix...'pic-a-poo-pom'. As the vet said, she was 90% poodle, that one gene beats out the others, and her poodle gene was strong. The only thing was her snout...not as long and thin as a full poodle. But, she was a dream friend for me.

I don't need another dog to have to walk on schedules, but surely do want one. I miss the walks, except in mid-late summer and rain. So, I have a precious cat, Samantha. She loves to spend time on the patio and sun, watch the birds and squirrels and whatever....chases lizards and has fun.

I planted a few sprigs of stone rope in front of my condo, filling in some of the spaces in the larger ones I planted. Got the sprigs from my neighbor's lawn. His are spreading into the lawn, so I'm helping him by pulling and using at my place.

Lauri, take is slowly and eat some yogurt. Helps my digestive everything more than anything.
Blessings, elizabeth

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@ess77 Hi Elizabeth. I know how you must miss that precious little Sophia. My little Spike was my walking, hiking, mountain climbing, car riding, outdoor- painting-guard little buddy for over 14 years, as was Emily Carr-dog for 14 years before Spike. I sometimes feel their presence beside me as I'm on my recliner in these days of my Golden Years.
I understand your love of your 90% poodle. I bred and showed registered poodles with my youngest son back in my Other Life. He earned Second in the Junior Dog Handling competition for the Province of Alberta when we lived in Calgary. He missed one question, "Where is a dog's occipital bone?" He was SO disappointed because a GIRL beat him! He was only 14. He's come to appreciate girls since then! Two awesome daughters and a lovely wife.
We earned about 12 CKC Championships with our poodles. We chose poodles because my son had allergies and poodles are hypoallergenic.
Keep that gardening spirit going. Hugs, Laurie

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That's exciting about your son and his win. I love it. What an experience for him to be part of you raising poodles. That whole time must have been quite special. What wonderful dogs you must have raised....12 champions is fantastic. Good memories.

I got Sophia because of her poodle genes. I needed a puppy with no shedding and hypoallergenic as well. She was and I enjoyed every minute with her, except when I had to go finding her through the neighborhood. She absolutely loved to run, had lots of energy and if she got the inclination, would occasionally run to visit everyone and smell every blade of grass on all ???acres! I got so frightened she might get hit or stolen or I might lose her. We finally had an agreement and she was fine.

What a doll, what a personality and so smart! She new more english words than a dog is allowed. I had to spell words so she wouldn't understand. My good friend...When she wasn't well or just needed a ck-up with the vet, I'd ask her to go get in the car so we could go see the doc....she loved him and love to ride so she hopped in the car and ran in body wagging to see her vet staff buddied. Apparently, she was the only dog who did this with this vet. If he didn't come to see her fast enough, she would sniff the entire room or rooms along the baseboards, listen and talk to him. Oh, yes, she talked and knew what she was saying. So did I! So did others It was so funny, but he and she had conversations and a real friendship. Good memories....

Blessings and goodnight. I'm off to bed. elizabeth

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I thought you walking folks might be interested in this news article from McMaster University Optimal Aging Portal.

Walking Speed - Is It a New Vital Sign? - Learn about walking speed and what it means for your mobility and overall health.
https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/e-learning/walking-speed-is-it-a-vital-sign

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@johnbishop

I thought you walking folks might be interested in this news article from McMaster University Optimal Aging Portal.

Walking Speed - Is It a New Vital Sign? - Learn about walking speed and what it means for your mobility and overall health.
https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/e-learning/walking-speed-is-it-a-vital-sign

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That was a great article @johnbishop . Everyone now has the chance to read it!
Hi, walkers. I tried my new program. Drove to the edge of town and the dog and I walked through the neighborhoods. But I think I overdid it since everything was new and interesting to look at. Came home and was useless the rest of the day. ☹️ I’ll try again next week unless we get too much snow! Happy walking!

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@becsbuddy

That was a great article @johnbishop . Everyone now has the chance to read it!
Hi, walkers. I tried my new program. Drove to the edge of town and the dog and I walked through the neighborhoods. But I think I overdid it since everything was new and interesting to look at. Came home and was useless the rest of the day. ☹️ I’ll try again next week unless we get too much snow! Happy walking!

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Is it still snowing there? When will it usually stop? It's really tough to stop enjoying the walk or the day or what you're doing, isn't it? I am made that way, too, and it is really hard now to limit the enjoyment. Do it for sure and make sure you plot your time so you don't overdo.....ha, easy for me to say. And, it's ok to have a useless rest of the day. You had a good first of the day, and learned a bit....I'm so glad you're out enjoying new places. be well, and blessings your way, Becky. elizabeth

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