Moose Jaw built an indoor facility with a walking track about 2 years ago. When you live in our long winters you will resort to walking in a circle INSIDE a building! As you will see in the last photo the facility has indoor turf which can be used in its totality or sectioned off as 2 fields for soccer as well as baseball practice, a driving range and even our CFL Football team practices here if weather won't permit the to be outside. I walk 2-3 times a week an average of 6 miles which takes me roughly 90 minutes. Twice a week I go early in the morning. Here's the deal...you can go at 9-11 and pay only 2.00 if you are a senior....I'm considered a Senior at 55! Whoopee!.....However, I choose to go between 7:30 and 8:00 and pay $3 because I've learned at 9:10 a.m. it is as if Moses has lead the mass to Yara Centre to lead them home.........they do save $1.00 but it is wall to wall people for a few hours and always we seem to be on the same side vs. spread out around the entire track. Moose Jaw Herd!
This is the regular crew I encounter early in the morning before "discount time" begins at 9 a.m.. If one thinks they must have the latest spandex, Nike, North Face walking gear/shoes in order to walk effectively. ..well that is quite the myth! There is a woman who walks in sandals and carries her purse on her shoulder the entire time. She is I'm sure 2 decades older than I am too! Quite a few with walkers which I think is awesome....and some day I may be one of them but hoping it is about 30-40 years from now.
The short gentleman in the back of this group of folks must be in his mid 70's and He has been walking for years. He is always in his levis and blue shirt and black walking shoes. One would think with my 5'11" stature and "youthfulness" I could walk circles around this man. HA HA HA........the joke is on me! Well, seriously, the joke is on everyone who walks this track .....as this man is quite the little speed demon walker...great form.....and he walks 60-90 minutes. I was able to pass him twice last week while walking. Part of me wanted to ask him if he was feeling all right (the caring soul that I am).........however, it would have been depressing for me to hear he was under the weather.......I would prefer to think he was on top of his 'game' and I was just the better walker that day.........well.......not day.............just 2 laps! There is a taller man in his mid 60's who is also in jeans, t shirt and tennis shoes...he has a handkerchief in his hand at all times wiping his brow and trust me.....he is 'boogying".........HE even passes the short FAST man like he's not even moving! What's with these older people walking SO much faster than I???????????????????
We have to walk the circle 4.5 times to reach 1 mile. They play music on the loud speakers that is not to bad early in the morning. Maybe this is why these men race around so quickly....he dislikes the 50's and 60's genre and wants to get the hell out of there! Sure doesn't make me walk faster later in the afternoon when it is heavy metal music! There are moms with strollers too, but on this day they must have slept in! OR their babies did.
As you see, this little gentleman is quickly passing the four folks to his right! Actually I see there are five folks. They greet him but he is walking SO quickly he only appears to be waving as his hands move up and down to the side of his body as he races past everyone! I have to attempt to jog just to get these photos! I am sure I burned a few more calories than usual!
WHERE IS HE NOW!?? He has already made it around the corner far in front of the five folks he sped past! They just keep on keep walking on at their own friendly pace. I usually pass this group of folks w/out much difficulty. Now this doesn't always mean I'm walking at my usual 3.5-4.0 mile pace.....sometimes they are just slower!! They sure are friendly souls though and for me that is part of the fun of walking early in the mornings. The real athletes do NOT care who is there, how fast they walk or run and the walkers can't bother them because the runners go in the opposite direction. Athletes rarely speak...even when spoken TO! This is why I shall never reach the status of "athlete"..........and why I never DID! and I'm totally OK with that! AND let me tell ya, when a walker is going in the direction the runners are going..........they 'get the look"! When I'm really feeling 'wild' I do this just to irritate people............I used to be one of those people who were irritated over such trivial rule breaking scenes! This is helping me relax and exercise at the same time!
The man in the red shirt and woman in the black are married to each other SO someone is making the other one walk with them. They are relatively new to the morning group so I have not decided who wishes they could walk quicker. Ha! See Joe would be struggling to walk alongside me in this setting........heck because of all my years in the nursing home walking with the residents, I'm afraid I struggle with walking as quickly as I really could walk IF I'm alongside someone else. It is as if I'm conditioned to walk the pace they are walking.......not the pace I CAN walk. I walk really briskly if I am alone and listening to some peppy tunes! Joe....he can't understand how I cannot walk at his pace since we really are much the same height! I just want to enjoy the scenery.....YES EVEN at the track!
The facility used to have coffee hour after the seniors walking time had ended. I think TOO many showed up for that that hadn't walked much! That's where I have to draw the line though. I'm just not ready for that atmosphere! The facility also puts on a monitored exercise group for those who have undergone heart surgery or had a heart attack. There are nurses and EMS workers on site during this time "just in case". Now what would really be great is if there were volunteers handing out power drinks and "way to go you are almost finished" comments as we rounded the track! Oh ya, I forget I'm just walking at an indoor track.........I'm not in a marathon..............the only marathon I'm in is our Northern Winters!
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