Walking hard

I started walking a couple of years ago for exercise, but progress had been slow, no pun intended. I would crawl out of the house once a week in the late afternoon to meet a friend who lives in Normanton Park, and we would walk through the Science Park. We’d miss a few weeks when our schedules clashed, and it took a year before we made it all the way across the Southern Ridges.

Then Ed, another friend, who lived a km away, suggested we walk. That went on better, because she was nearby, and more determined. We started at 7 in the morning, and would saunter along Bedok Reservoir. After a while, we added MacRitchie and the Botanic Gerdens to our routes.

Then she got a step counter and our lives changed.

Suddenly we knew how far we walked, and how many steps we took, putting us in touch with those ideals that we’d read about – you’re supposed to walk seven thousand steps, burn up how many hundred calories etc. It had all been guesswork before, and we weren’t even qualified to guess. As such, it gave us more motivation: “We’re feeling tired because we did a lot of uphill walking, but we’ve only walked 2.9 km. Let’s continue on an easier route for another couple of km.”

Other significant moments came when I returned after a trip and overslept – Ed went walking by herself. Once she got sick and I only saw her message after I was dressed. I went walking by myself. It was doable, so we knew we didn’t need the company to exercise – company was nice, but I could do it by myself.

Another turning point came when I found I had a morning appointment on a day we were supposed to walk. Rather than give up the walk, I suggested, only half-seriously, that we meet at 6.30 instead of seven. She accepted eagerly. “Actually, that would be better for me.” Six-thirty turned out to be a hit, as it was even cooler while we walked, and traffic was so much better both ways. Six-thirty it was from then on.

December was a good month for walking, as Ed had time to do longer walks. We upped our walking frequency, and even our walking speed from saunter to business-like, explored other routes and walked longer routes like the Southern Ridges.

There have been problems. We had not been used to the exercise regimen and had nowhere to put things like car keys and cash.

Once, after a walk at MacRitchie Reservoir, we were feeling peckish. After ordering food, we discovered we had no money. Another embarrassment came when we each brought $10 on our walk, saw that petrol was low, and happily stopped by a petrol station to fill up. With $90 worth of oil in our tank, we realised that we had no credit card. A friend who lives nearby had to be turfed out of the house at 7am, to rescue us. “Seven o’çlock I can do,” she assured us. “Six is a different matter, though.”

We’ve broken the no-money-so-embarrassing jinx, and we’re on our way to better fitness and happiness.

We walk twice a week together. Ed has a pilates class and some other class, so she gets her exercise four times a week. I got a sis-in-law who lives nearby to agree to two walks a week , which we do at Bidadari – a very safe and inspiring place to walk, as there are ghurkas whizzing past you to keep you on your toes, and also to chase away any baddies.

Some mornings I still walk with the friend from Normanton Park, but it remains spotty. Another friend occasionally calls me for afternoon walks, either at the Botanics or Dairy Farm, and that’s ok too – I never say no.

What does walking have to do with being frugal? Well, it leads to better health, and some weight loss when combined with mild calorie counting, which should reduce medical costs somewhat in a few years’ time. (For this reason, I’ve also been consciously trying to stand and sit straighter – less back pain and massages).

It’s also cheaper than joining a gym.