Falls pair determined to accomplish goal of walking 1,000 miles
Each year, countless people resolve that starting Jan. 1, they will live healthier lives and exercise more.
For a local couple, a goal started last year to extend their walking has led to several outcomes.
Julie Mayfield said that although she does not always know the folks that wave, she and her husband are always glad to return the friendly gesture.
For the past two years, Mayfield and her husband Alan have walked. And walked. And walked. This outdoor activity has not only introduced new acquaintances around town, but has helped with heart conditions that each face.
The two-year walking total for the couple will be around 1,840 miles by Thursday. That is about 50 miles more than the distance from International Falls to Juneau, Alaska — and significantly farther than from Borderland to New York City, Miami, or Los Angeles.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the couple had roughly 20 miles to go before they hit their goal for the year — 1,000 miles.
Their 2008 total was 840 miles. So when New Year’s 2009 came around, “we decided to do better than last year,” she said.
Mayfield said that she and her husband would undoubtedly make that goal, together.
“Get a partner, it just motivates you,” Mayfield advises those hoping to make activity part of their New Year’s resolutions.
She said that if either one of them doesn’t want to get moving, the other will get the pair out the door.
She said that this is a way for them to spend time together but not be couch potatoes in front of the television.
Not even the recent foot-plus of snow stopped the couple from completing their year-long goal.
“It was tough last weekend with the snow,” she said, but added that they waited until the plows had come through and then got right back into their schedule.
She said they bundle up, and added that in their winter garb they look like “warm dorks.”
Snow or sun, hot or cold, the Mayfields walk.
And no matter how uninspired to walk she was before the trip, she said she is always “glad to have done it even though I didn’t want to.”
Mayfield said that she marks down their progress each time they go out for a walk, and have tried to do between five and 10 miles each day. Some days, work or personal schedule conflicts have limited their walking time, but they rarely let each other slack from the goal.
“Sometimes it’s quick, sometimes it takes hours,” she said of their walks.
A five-mile loop around the city is typical for the couple, and she said that they sometimes stop to look in local shops or get lunch or coffee along the way. She said that several times they have started mid-day and not gotten home until after dark because of extended stops.
“In town, we see the same things over and over again,” she said. So at times they have taken walks while visiting other cities such as Duluth and Bemidji. Itasca State Park is a favorite walking spot, she said.
“It’s something different to see,” she explained.
Mayfield said that their hearts are better after two years of the frequent exercise and that her clothes fit better. She also said that a conscientious diet and splitting meals at restaurants has aided the couple in their health goals.
“I haven’t lost a pound, but I feel better and trimmer,” Mayfield said.
PUTTING YOUR HEART INTO WALKING
Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and most Americans are not physically active enough to gain any health benefits. Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or many other activities can help your heart. Whether it's included in a structured exercise program or part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.
According to the latest joint American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine guidelines on physical activity, all healthy adults ages 18–65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days of the week. However, there are additional guidelines for those 65 and older, or for those 50–64 with chronic conditions or physical functional limitations (e.g., arthritis) that affect movement ability or physical fitness.
Source: American Heart Association Web site
