We have a guy in Chicago named Joseph Kromelis. He's been walking the city day in and day out since the early 1970s at least. All day, every day. Not homeless or mentally ill or anything, just likes to walk.
It's true, but in a busy city environment, you're pretty much forced to form pairs. Because of the noise, it's very hard to hear what the person on the other side is saying.
It definitely makes the situation feel a lot lower pressure to me. After all, the chief activity is taking a hike/walk, so if the conversation lulls it never feels awkward and there's always something new to see and remark on.
I had a manager who (back when we were office workers) liked to do outdoor walking 1-on-1 meetings. TBH, I really disliked it, but not enough to ask to stay indoors. I found the noise and sights rather distracting.
I always have the problem that I can either focus on the conversation or on the environment, but not both. When I concentrate on the conversation, I completely blind out my surroundings. Trying to repeatedly switch between both is exhausting.
My interpretation is that GP is observing that the benefits do not scale linearly. Most of the exercise benefit happens after a relatively short walk. The extra two hours a day for a long walk is expensive in time, but doesn't multiply the benefits 3x.
Walking is nice in that it's low-impact, although it's probably much more time-efficient to do a shorter, higher intensity exercise like running. (Saying this as someone who primarily walks and never runs)
Last year I used the CityStrides website to track and walk every street in my town. All told about 385 miles or so.
Some changes I've noticed since doing this are listed below. Not that they are earth shattering, but just a few things I've observed.
* My resting heart rate fell by about 5 BPM.
* I can now run and walk in my dreams and rarely have the "legs in molasses" thing (if you know what I mean).
* I now wear trail running shoes all the time - a total shift from the old Birkenstock and whatever shoes I wore for years before.
* My town has a number of fun, curious little sidewalk shortcuts between neighborhoods that I did not know about. They aren't secret, just not obvious at all.
Getting to know the area you live is a great reason to start walking.
One of my favorite things to find in Santa Barbara are old concrete stamps marking which company/contractor poured that section of sidewalk. Often these are 100+ years old. I've currently found ~25-30 different ones.
I'd love to have this freedom. As well as a nice cabin up in the Green Mountains of Vermont to explore. But 12mi a day, and you're basically a professional hiker for a living when you include prep time and post prandial hot tub soaks for recovery ;)
Hey I understand the spirit of your message but you don't really have to be a professional hiker. The OP says it takes three and a half hours to walk 12 miles but could be easily squeezed to 3 hours. Then, it could be split. Half of this could be done in the morning and the other half in the evening.
I would kindly urge you to consider this and give walking a fair try. It made a lot of positive change in my life. Best wishes.
The fraction of the population that can sustain a 4 mph pace comfortably for three hours is probably small. That's a pretty good clip. 2.5 to 3 mph is much more realistic.
Yes. I've been walking for a LONG time and 12 miles takes me about 4 hours. That's a lot of time out of your day, plus you likely won't have a lot of energy left for errands or whatever else needs to be done afterwards.
I'm a pretty fast hiker most of the time, and I find that my pace almost always works out to 2 mph once I figure in breaks and miscellaneous stops or delays. Like fishing out sunglasses, taking bio breaks, removing or adding layers, or enjoying the view for a few minutes. (Granted we're not necessarily talking about hiking.)
You're already talking yourself out of walking and you haven't even started. ;)
12 miles is totally doable, but start with less because you'll injure yourself if you don't walk at all now. Even just 15 minutes of walking is great.
I am more of a bicyclist and luckily there are many trails around me. (I don't like riding on the streets) On a nice summer day I can easily spend 3 hours riding. If you work a full time 9-5, there is still plenty of time in the morning or evening to get a few hours of exercise in . (I should take my own advice here!)
I'm a cyclist too and in the recent good weather I've averaged about 50km per day (split into morning/evening rides) during the week and usually a 70-80km ride one weekend day. Making the most of the weather while it lasts!
After walking to and from work for 5 years along the same route, I found that I prefer walking without listening to anything on headphones.
Just thinking increases awareness of my surroundings, allows me time to process existing thoughts as opposed to consuming more inputs, and connects me to the people I would inevitably see on a semi-regular basis.
Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim for for some really quality thinking. After about an hour I've already processed normal stuff about family or work and have moved on to deeper topics.
I used to listen to music and stuff a lot while walking or even commuting but a few years ago I decided to give up on most idle listening, preferring to listen to music or podcasts with intent now: eg to enjoy some music, not just passively.
I used to walk a lot (I still walk a good bit but because I work from home I don’t walk to work each day anymore) and I found the quiet time to be the best time to come up with solutions to problems, to reflect on my life or day, to just wind down and switch off, to enjoy nature (when I walk to walk, as opposed to walking to reaching a destination, I typically walk along a river near my home). I think we are overstimulated far far too much and some quiet time and boredom is good for the brain and certainly it’s good for creativity.
When you set out do you have a mental agenda or do you find that your mind gravitates toward worthwhile topics once you're walking?
I'm more a mind wanderer, though for a season I tried to mentally prepare myself for the transition from being at a controlled work environment to walking into a house with two young kids at the end of the day.
Unless there’s something specific on my mind beforehand (eg I’m trying to solve a problem I’m working on or having), no, my goal is generally not to purposefully think about anything and let my mind wander instead. I found often my best thoughts come in their own, when I’m not actively trying to think them.
How I read what they wrote is that instead of mindlessly listening to anything just to listen to something as the default, they prefer to instead be selective if they decide to listen to something.
Sibling comment is correct. What I meant is I don’t listen to music/podcasts by default: when I walk, I walk in silence. I don’t use audio as background noise.
Instead, when I listen to music, it’s usually by sitting down deliberately to exclusively listen to music. The music isn’t idle background noise but rather the point of that activity. I enjoy music a lot more now, I find.
In general I try to have silence where in the past I would have had audio playing in the background. So definitely while walking but also while working (since I’m working from home and don’t need to drown out office noises).
> allows me time to process existing thoughts as opposed to consuming more inputs
This can't be stressed enough.
With phones and the Internet today, most of us consume way more information than we have time to really process, organize, and reflect on. It's like we do a shopping spree every single day and never spend any time in our house unpacking any of the grocery bags. Our minds are a chaotic mess of piled up worries, news, unmade decisions, etc.
Walking (without audiobooks or other media) is the single best solution I've found to give my brain the idle time it needs to run a defrag and work through that backlog.
What I like to do sometimes is spend the first 10-ish minutes listening to a book or podcast to plant some ideas, then let these ideas percolate, let my mind wander, and if I get to somewhere interesting and actionable, I take a note.
Same. I start with a book/podcast and if my mind likes it, I keep it on. But often my mind wanders (may it be a distraction or inspiration from whatever it is in my headphones) and I'll go ahead and operate sans audio.
There is a benefit of re-listening to certain audiobooks, lectures or podcasts. If there was a sophisticated way to just have content on-repeat, that would be cool. New content all the time is over-consumption, while repeating could be used for learning.
Also if walking alone, people should try calling friends and family. It's a great way to reconnect and stay connected with friends. Handsfree, heads up, it's good fun. I also feel much more chatty when on a walk.
In seasons of life where there are a lot of new things happening I tend to re-read books or re-listen to familiar music whereas other times I find myself in more of an exploratory mood.
The Count of Monte Cristo is my current go to re-read.
I just picked this back up last week for similar reasons. I have so much going on in my life right now that I wanted something to read where I already know the story well and can allow parts of my brain to "defrag" while still enjoying a book.
This is an excellent articulation. I’ve read dozens of books and articles about the cons of using technology too much and it’s never quite clicked like it did when I read your shopping analogy. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you’re a stranger on the internet and I don’t have any underlying worries about your stance being motivated by selling books or building an audience on social media.
I just do whatever I feel like on that particular walk. I'd say 40/20/40 on whether I want to listen to a podcast/audiobook, listen to music or walk in silence.
When I lived in NYC, my commute was about 45 minutes. As much as everyone hates long commutes, I found that to be a very ideal amount of time to decompress from work. It's different when you don't have to drive; standing or sitting on a train is much more relaxing.
Driving is very stressful, and inherently risky (most people a cramped up in their car). Also, 45 minutes of walk is near ideal to get endorphins (AFAIK).
I try to double fork my commute, either explore some new path or do some groceries so the 45minutes are not just walk/train.
Right now I do bike - train - bike (but, surprisingly, trains are unreliable this month .. they're the one making me late :)
I started biking to work (only 3 miles) and after a year I switched to walking because I found biking wasn't giving me enough time to separate "home" from "work". Even during Covid, my wife would kick me out of the house for thirty minutes after work so I could decompress. The difference between "coming down stairs" and "coming home from work" were night and day.
I do 2 hours of activity per day (cycling, walking, swimming, etc). More in a summer. Since in winter it is more or less routine I just work when I do it. Usually solve some design / programming / planning task which I will implement later when at my desk. Over many years it has become a habit. Sometimes when I come back home for a walk I can't remember a thing about outside because my legs were doing on work and the brain was busy with the other.
> Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim for for some really quality thinking. After about an hour I've already processed normal stuff about family or work and have moved on to deeper topics.
I find this kinda pointless for myself. Most of the time I just revisit the same subjects over and over and come to the same conclusions no matter how I try to solve it. Once I’m done with the menial tasks - the “deeper” topics just make me upset to think about because they make me realize how hopelessly fucked I am. I’d rather not focus on that and instead do a bit of hedonism while I can.
Interesting, the way I think I think while walking/hiking is much less wrestling one specific topic to come to a conclusion and more bouncing around between many things. Maybe I don't even really conclude things but instead just move an idea along.
Been hiking for a long time and do really long hikes. Eventually an epiphany or moment of self realisation will appear out of the blue. I had one at the weekend which was somewhat life changing.
It's a good time to let thoughts resurface on their own, consider them for a moment and let them go. It gives me time to zoom out, to untangle my feelings, to make sense of them.
It's a sort of personal retrospective slash backlog grooming session.
We need that idle time. When I go on long motorcycle trips, I return with a clear head and a much better idea of what I want to do next.
Maybe you should try the reverse of listening to audiobooks/podcasts. Use your phone as a voice recorder, and just talk about anything that’s going through your mind. Basically an audio brain dump. Since you know that your thoughts are being recorded, you are much less likely to “run in circles“ mentally.
I've been taking a walk every day since covid. Part of my daily routine now, early as soon as the sun comes up. It's usuallly 30(ish) mins, but your comment just made me change tomorrow's time to 90 mins.
Just wanted to say thanks, ill seriously give this a try.
I've been the same lately, I already think so much at work so I don't need more things to think about.
However I did have a great time learning Chinese and Japanese via audio courses while taking long walks - without that time it's hard for me now to find the time to do the same.
For the past year or so, I've walked between 1 and 6 miles a day at my local park (weather permitting). Putting headphones on never struck me as an idea, which is strange because I had them in basically constantly when I was wandering the UF campus all day a few years ago.
I enjoy listening to the animals / birds / insects, and tossing friendly hellos to the people walking by. (Actually, maybe that's why -- at the park where I walk, headphones would feel slightly antisocial)
I actually have trouble thinking while I walk. I have heard quote about it a thousand times, but I think better sitting down. I can't think at all when I run (yes, long runs).
During my time as a producer at a game studio, the office was located in a little business park surrounded by grass and rivers and small lakes, with lots of wildlife and some hiking trails. We had a tradition of going out on walks every day before/after lunch, usually a couple loops around the park. I made a point of going every time because I found that lots of conversations would happen naturally during the walk and some of them helped me identify process issues that weren't being addressed or discussed yet - the sorts of things that people were afraid to complain about in meetings because it would make them seem like a whiner.
Sometimes getting out of the loop and going to a coffee, to a walk, or anything that just makes you leave the building but keep talking with coleagues can make wonders for productivity.
> I found that lots of conversations would happen naturally during the walk and some of them helped me identify process issues that weren't being addressed or discussed yet
I stepped up to a line manager role (to cover someone for maternity leave) so that I was suddenly line-managing my peers. We had always gone for walks at lunchtime and we very quickly evolved the convention that conservations during the walk were with 'old me' vs those in the office that were with 'manager-me'. This allowed me to vent as well, given that we all a fairly cynical non-corporate bunch.
I used to ride bicycle with my friend a few times every week 10 years ago. Now it's a distant dream. Both of us have families and full time job so barely getting enough sleep. Weekends are usually spent on chores or personal projects that never get finished.
Amen brother. I walk about an hour a day, most every day, and do some light weights. It's the perfect amount of clear-your-head-and-think time for me, and makes me feel tons better. But it's a tradeoff about what doesn't get done (or that I push off on my wife & family) because I do it. The theme some folks in this thread are pushing that "oh, just take 3-4 hours a day...no big deal anyone can do that...you have nothing more important to do" is seriously defective.
Exactly. It's always trade off. I actually don't spend a lot of time on my kid because my parents are helping a lot. That will change in a year or so and I'd have even less time. Just hope he can sleep throughout the night without waking up so that we can grab more sleep.
I'm a big fan of walking (or hiking). So much that I moved to a mountain town.
For one, creative inspiration often comes to me while walking. Second, it beats sitting on a couch. If you need added stimulation, go with a walking partner or listen to a podcast. Plus health benefits (not going to say it's an amazing workout depending on intensity but it's better than being sedentary) and it's fun.
Yes, it takes time. Sometimes you don't have time. That's ok. It doesn't have to be every day. But it's something you can do with kids, parents, colleagues, by yourself, etc...
I would reverse this advice. See if you're fine with doing frequent walks before getting a (high energy) dog. Too many ppl get dogs and then don't properly walk them.
Easy to accomplish (at least for me). One word: Dog. I walk daily 90 minutes at least. There was a time (and another dog, but thats not the reason) where it was more like 120-200 minutes a day outside. I live in a fairly populated town in east Germany. We have a solid forest and lots of lakes around. Its great and like 20 years+ later I know most of them, but not all.
My coworker and I worked like a year together at my place. He came around, we drank a coffee together and started working. Like 3-4 hours later, depending on schedule, we took a good 60 minutes+ walk with my dog. We talked project related things sometimes, but it felt never like "we have to talk about work", We were kind of friends so we had lots of other topics. Then back at my place we continued for 2,3 or even 5 hours. We had no issues stopping after 2 hours, but did often way more. We were very productive.
We were a good match, but those breaks outside enjoying life (forced by my habits to go at least 60minutes outside with the dog) helped a lot not burning out and making room in the brain.
I am similar and walk my dog for about an hour before and another hour after work every day. It’s amazing how much you can think through with dedicated time and space to do so, not to mention physical health benefits
As for safety, always look left and right when you cross, just like how your were probably taught as a child, really. Because of today's rise of mostly silent electric vehicles, and because of drivers distracted by phones sometimes, you should not cross "by hear", if it ever was a good idea (I used to do that), even if you have the green light. Be extra cautious if a large truck or bus blocks your view. Remove your headset/earphones in high traffic environments.
The author mentions other (hostile) people as a potential problem, one could also mention wild animals or straight dogs in urban environments. I had a couple of encounters with lost dogs myself, thankfully they were not hostile. Advice on how to behave from "pros" would be welcome.
So much this; It's really easy to be upset at others for not conforming to your expectations in a car. Stepping into another mode of transportation (walking/cycling/even a different kind of motor-vehicle) can do a lot to expand your awareness of others constraints.
I would add that absolutely do not cross if a car has stopped at a stop sign UNLESS you have an explicit signal from the driver. Most drivers have an almost instinctual stop & go at such stop signs and not in response to seeing a pedestrian. Always wait for the driver to see you and have a nod with them so you are sure they have stopped for you.
My girlfriend used to smirk and roll her eyes at me when I would stop and stare at drivers and wave to them when we would cross in front of them at crosswalks and stop signs and wait for them to wave back, until someone almost ran us over the one time I didn't. Now she's a waver like me.
And even then, you have to be careful of the cars behind them. Was crossing at a cross walk once- the first car stopped to let me cross- the car behind them swerved around them and blew through the cross walk- at about the time I would have been there, had I not been paying close attention and stopped!
I always do this anyway. I figure if they're stopped I can be decent and let them go, I'm usually not in any hurry when I'm out walking, no reason to hold up the person in the car and like you said it's much safer.
watch the freaking turning lane like a hawk too. I got hit by a police car, of all things, once because he was turning and just didn't see me. I had to do the whole ninja roll across the hood and off the other side. I wasn't injured too bad, just a sprung wrist.
I know it's not really the point of this missive, but I average right around 12 miles per day at my treadmill desk. So for anyone who'd like to multitask their walking and work, I'd highly recommend trying it. After about a month the walking bit really becomes second nature.
I recommend trying a decently long slow walk first. The mechanics of walking slowly are not the same as walking at a normal pace. Some people get sore, some do not, better to find out before spending real money on the walking desk. Or be like me, know already from experience walking with slow people that I can't walk that slow and not hurt, buy the treadmill desk anyway, sell it six months later after giving up.
To counter, try standing for a few hours vs. walking slowly and you will be surprised that walking is actually easier. Humans anatomy seems to prefer walking over standing. It's particularly obvious after those long moments where you are deep into woking through some code, where you totally forget to move for about 20 min. The treadmill takes care of that. So if you already bought that standing desk...
I don't disagree at all. I can walk many miles at 3mph. At 1.5mph I'll be in pain pretty quickly. But if I really want to suffer, I'll stand for a couple hours.
So I don't have a standing desk, either. I primarily sit when working at the computer. But every 30-45 minutes I get up and go for a stroll, even if just around the yard.
Yeah I gotcha. Don't get me wrong, nothing beats sitting down to work. It's the best. But with kids I don't have time for the gym, and a stroll in the yard wasn't helping my growing waistline.
fwiw my walking desk is set to 2.4mph, which seems to be the sweet spot between my natural walking speed and a pace that I can still comfortably read and type. Pretty much a linear ramp up from 1.0mph to 2.4mph over 1 year period.
I recently bought one of these to pair with my standing desk and I'm losing about one pound per week from walking a leisurely 5-6 miles a day during work. Took me a few days to get acclimated, but after a few weeks I felt fully productive. Wish I'd figured this out sooner.
Great article hashing out the details of implementing regular long walks as a habit.
However, it would be cool if there was a way to get paid for walking. That would motivate a lot more people, even if it is minimal pay. Walk-to-earn crypto game anyone?
Figure out how to convince coworkers to schedule all meetings during a specific 3 hour window each day, perhaps.
On my walks I regularly see a guy who seems to either be doing exactly that, or he just has meetings all day. I've never gone past him when he wasn't chatting away on a phone meeting.
that's smart. We always had 1:1s where we would just step out and walk. In a way, it forced 1:1s to be 30 mins long. Now 1:1s have become "you can have 15 mins back in your day" lol. 1:1s can definitely be done walking, even if some of the other meetings can't be.
agree that walking is a reward in itself. I should have phrased it as - "more people would walk more if they were rewarded more tangibly". Friendly competition might incentivize more people to walk. Just some thoughts since the article is trying to encourage more people to walk.
Some fitness tracker apps and websites such as Garmin Connect have monthly challenges for walking steps or distance. They allow you to challenge your friends and track progress.
I wasn’t very charitable with my interpretation there, you’re right incentivizing more people to walk is definitely a good a thing.
I think a lot of the smartwatches have done a decent job at that, though there of course is the overhead to buy and wear one of them.
But even as someone who has been getting daily exercise for at least a decade now and doesn’t need encouragement, the little awards my Apple Watch gives me for hitting my targets feels good.
I find the anti-backpack mindset interesting, because I started urban walking after getting wilderness backpacking experience. I can't imagine walking around without a daypack, and I often bring it with me even when it's empty. On my morning commute today it held a Kindle, a spare set of headphones, and a plastic bag for when I buy more groceries than can fit in the pack. I'm probably not going to use any of those before I get home, though.
Backpacks are magic for longer trips. Food, water, coffee, all go in. Unsure about the weather? Layers layers layers, all in the pack. I also use LL Bean's PrimaLoft Packaway (I own two, one black and one orange), and have a shell for rainy/snowy weather. Unless it's both cold and rainy, one of the two goes in the backpack.
I've also never worried much about pocket preferences on my shorts and pants. I instead care about pockets on my packs. My current big pack is an Osprey Exos 58 (but the newer version doesn't have hip belt pockets or a shoulder strap pocket), and my daypack is an REI Flash 22 (with easily accessible side pockets, and a top pocket that you can reach with an awkward shoulder movement).
Edit: The big floppy hat comment was absolutely spot-on
I cannot deal when a backpack when the temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, for the very reason Arnade gives -- a sweaty back. I've been using a Nittany Mountain Works fanny pack on bike rides recently (the larger model will carry A5 notebooks, which is plenty big for my non-work commuting since I'm remote full time now). I guess I will still deal with a sweaty lower back, but that's better than my entire back.
That said, I agree with you -- I could imagine walking (or riding) with stuff in my pockets.
Getting a good hiking pack designed to sit off of your back a bit was a godsend to me. I'm with you that I won't carry one if it's hot out, but I'll gladly carry a smaller pack all the time otherwise.
Fanny packs are sweet, except the part where you're wearing a fanny pack.
> Fanny packs are sweet, except the part where you're wearing a fanny pack.
Hear me out:
Sport coats. (edit: and blazers)
Very light linen ones for hot days, which keep sun off your skin without really making you hotter. Cooler days, break out the wool.
All those extra pockets are wonderful. Grab some thin old mass-market genre paperbacks and discover why they made them that size :-)
They're like purses for men, that you can wear instead of carry, and that make you look better. Similar storage capacity to a fanny pack, I'd say. Maybe a little more.
You could grab one or two from a thrift store and see how you like it, then upgrade if it seems like something you want to keep doing. Nice and cheap way to try it out. Difficulty: a nice light linen jacket's probably gonna be a little hard to find at a thrift store, so it may be best to start this attempt in the Fall.
Cross body bags are a nice midpoint between a backpack size and a fanny pack size and they don't sit on your back causing sweat - I got an adidas one for like $30 and I can easily fit a 32oz water bottle a folded light jacket plus other small things.
In my experience, when you go on very long (10-20mi) walks in hot weather, you need a backpack even more, since you have to carry around large amounts of water (either in water bottles or in one of those hydration pack things).
Biking is different, of course--you're not outside for as long (at least for a given number of miles), and you can store your water bottles on the bike itself.
Hydration bags tend to be slightly less problematic as many incorporate some amount of airflow-management and moisture-wicking, and the water itself tends to be somewhat cooler, at least initially.
I can't stand sweaty back either. Each of my bikes has some sort of rack or basket.
With that said, the college kids tend to prefer a backpack because it's their mobile office, and they don't want anything on their bike that can get stolen.
Sir/madam, have you ever tried an Osprey that suspends the weight of the bag off of your back with a sturdy piece of mesh and very minimal metal internal frame?[1] (I think Osprey pioneered this, other manufacturers now have it too). It has been life changing for me. I use it daily for commuting, and just finished 3-week tour through 3 countries with laptop, Kindle, and everything else packed inside this one bag. I’m sure Osprey has smaller versions if 34L is too much.
The metal frame must be the key. I have an Osprey backpack without it, and the mesh alone does almost nothing to help with sweat, even though it was sold to me as being better. A friend in high school found an old Vietnam-era? US army rucksack with a metal frame that was less comfortable in the short term but not bad in the long, sweaty term.
I fixed that by using a small gym sack for longer (mostly urban) walks and hikes. There are some with rather thick ropes, and they are quite comfy if you don't pack them too heavyweight. Also lets your back breathe due to the smaller area covered, and the ropes are narrow enough to not leave a sweatmark (as opposed to straps).
I am coming from same path as you describe - hiker to the core. Be it 2 hours or 3 weeks in himalaya. That's my past 14 years of life described (with some climbing, ski touring and few other sports on top, but this is the solid base).
I have 2 small kids now, and they are really not in best shape for long hikes or anything more extreme. Son on baby backpack would be 20 kilos without any further equipment/food required.
So I switched to long evening walks during work week after they go sleep. 2-3h, up to 10km. Luckily there are some nice options around me, so I try to variate things a bit every time, join things in loops and so on. Often music in the ears, very dark, walking in the forests where path surface is not really visible, rather than just very weak line and I trust my feet (and know the surface is not really tricky since I walked it 100x already).
Walking fast, as fast as my legs allow it for prolonged time (one gets this sense after some time spent doing it, pushing oneself too much is very bad idea). Also not fan of backpacks for this, rather stuffing pockets of jacket with everything required.
Its magical, clears head, tons of ideas come to me, for family, work, anything. Sometimes I struggle to write it all down and not forget anything. Sometimes smoking a bit of weed which makes this process more smooth. One activity that keeps such previously-active person as me still sane, even if kids sometimes try hard to push me the other way.
My bike commute to work used to be this time for me, though it was pretty short by the clock (25mins each way), and obviously was lost with the pandemic/WFH. In the last few months I've reclaimed that space somewhat with recreational evening walks, and that's been really great— sometimes with a friend, often on my own, usually in silence. Currently these are around 40-60mins, but your post is for sure inspiring me to step that up.
I'm a fan of the small backpack when I'm out with my kids, particularly for a water bottle, tubs of snacks, a place to put that pinecone they found, etc. But just me? A wallet and phone in my pants pockets is more than enough.
Depends on how hot and humid it is outside. Even in breathable clothing like Nike Dryfit or any of the thousand knockoffs, in 90+ degrees, high humidity weather, a backpack blocks perspiration evaporating off. It literally becomes a hot spot on your back. He did have one tip I don't entirely agree with to use Vaseline, but instead I use Glide just because I don't care for the consistency of petroleum jelly. Although he mentions long sleeves shirts and a hat with neck guard, he said nothing explicitly about skin or eye protection; people in the sun day after day should be wearing polarizing lenses and high SPF clothing along with sun screen.
Nice! Good tip. Anything to prevent the advance of macular degeneration and cataracts. [1] Maybe that's not settled science - not sure - but it's a cheap preventative. And it's settled enough at least that good sunglasses can be purchased through some FSA/HSAs.
Even during monsoon season in AZ, I still find an all-mesh marathon vest like Ultimate Direction Marathon Vest V2 plenty comfortable. I put my phone, flashlight, ID, hand sanitizer, tweezers (for cactus thorns) and keys in it. If I need to I can also put something like a Patagonia Houdini in it for windy / light precip.
In addition to the ones I had in my ears. It's not a normal thing for me to carry. I had thought I lost a pair of earbuds. I keep an extra set of cheap headphones at home, so I put them in my backpack. And then it turned out my main earbuds were in my jacket pocket, so now I'm carrying two pairs until I get home tonight.
Perhaps an odd thing to ask, but what are you packing in your backpack for coffee? That sounds lovely, but between the need for hot water, the subpar quality of most powdered coffees, etc, it has seemed out of reach.
For day trips I brew coffee at home and carry it in a vacuum insulated bottle. The bottle smells like coffee even after cleaning, so I have one that I always use for the task.
For multi-day trips I already have a small camping stove (MSR PocketRocket or an alcohol stove), and I pack instant coffee. I heavily prioritize saving weight on longer trips, so I generally drink my coffee out of the same light plastic bowl that I just ate oatmeal out of, which doubles as a decent way to clean the bowl.
Not the OP but I take every opportunity to brag about my Zojirushi SM-KHE insulated mug. I use mine every day -- cold coffee and tea are a thing of the past.
I have several friends that really like their Fellow Carter Everywhere mugs if you want an alternative.
+1 for the Zojiroshi. I've owned a variety of vacuum flasks and it's by far the best. Years later and my tea is still scalding hot ten hours later (I usually let it cool a bit after steeping before I put it in because it protects too well). It's gone on dozens of flights and journeys with me and other than a few scratches looks and feels as good as the day I got it. It's also trivial to disassemble and clean.
For wilderness backpacking I'm a big fan of Jet Boil and their clones. You can make your own freeze dried / just add water meals pretty easily, only using it to boil water for that and drinks. They make a french press insert that actually works ok. Personally I just converted over to earl grey tea. It's crazy convenient to just do one boil for food, one for coffee / tea, and nothing to clean or pack out but a zip lock bag.
For urban backpacking the more high end thermoses are really effective at keeping stuff hot once you've made it.
I take my backpack [1] on my daily 1.5+ walk. Typically, with just an iPad, and a water bottle, but when I get to the destination in SoHo (Manhattan) it gets stuffed with fresh baked Bagguete, and some other minor daily grocery etc.
This has been my norm for most of adult life, and I recently discovered Chaclas which kinda feel like a cross between Birkenstocks and Teva and are a breeze to walk 15 to 20 miles in. Highly recommend checking out their sandals
Can you link to the sandals you’re talking about? Only thing that comes up for me are the misspelling of chanclas, the generic word for sandals in spanish.
My family is a bit of a Chaco cult. We've climbed 14'ers in Colorado in them, my sister wore Chacos under her wedding dress, and I unintentionally ended up living and working close to the HQ.
I personally have walked 10 miles in a pair, but it was pretty casual walking.
Get them on sale, and send them in to get refurbished from time-to-time. They are fantastic.
For creative inspirations, or even just thinking through a project in your head, a walk outside can be amazing.
What's best is if you can take a full hour-long or more walk, and let your mind wander for the majority of it. You don't need to be actively thinking the whole time, that can actually defeat the purpose of it.
But don't let the great be the enemy of the good, if all you can take is 15 minutes, and you need to be thinking the whole time, do that instead.
Most days I walk home from work. I'm up on 98th st, Upper West Side, work is down in Soho. It's about 8 kilometers direct, or I can go up the east side, then wander across Central Park, and make it 9 kilometers, or even 10 kilometers.
i walk a lot, not 12 miles a day, but an above average amount. Good shoes and good socks go a long way in keeping your feet happy. Also, i have pretty bad posture so i have to make it a point to not slouch while walking or else my back or shoulders eventually start to ache so be mindful of your posture when walking more than 2 or so hrs at a time.
> I will end by saying, as a guy, I have never had any problems from other people. In all my years walking all over. But that it is sadly very very different for women.
He's either only walking in exceptionally safe areas, he's very large, or I have a particularly punchable face. I biked every road in St. Louis a few years ago, which required biking every street in some high-crime neighborhoods. I was frequently made to feel uncomfortable. I was never attacked or anything like that, but multiple times it was made clear to me that I was where I didn't belong. And I was on a bike and could quickly ride away. I think I would have had a lot more trouble on foot.
I remember being in a bar once and some guy started trouble with me for no reason and my buddy, who is 6'3'' and 250 pounds did not believe that detail, because "nobody would start trouble with you for no reason." To paraphrase Don Draper, "no, nobody would start trouble with you for no reason."
I would invert your statement and posit you were riding in very dangerous areas. Most of the US is very safe compared to St. Louis, Chicago, Oakland, Richmond (CA), Detroit, Atlanta, etc.
Don't go to stupid places filled with stupid people doing stupid things and you'll likely be okay — and this includes bars after midnight just about anywhere. Nothing good happens after midnight, but I digress.
I agree with you that it was a good thing you were on a bike and I'm glad you're here to post about it!
Don't go to stupid places filled with stupid people doing stupid things and you'll likely be okay — and this includes bars after midnight just about anywhere. Nothing good happens after midnight, but I digress.
I stayed in downtown ATL for a bit and it seemed pretty safe. It’s not a particularly rough city. Downtown isn’t particularly walkable though, with its 4 lane 1 way streets. I ended up driving a lot.
My son likes to relate what he has found going on in the world online.
But I have one injunction: I don't want to hear about stupid people being stupid. There is just an astounding amount of that, always has been, and everybody seems to want everybody else to know all about it, in detail.
I live in a downtown Chicago neighborhood. I would say that outside of certain neighborhoods, it’s pretty safe. I go for long walks all the time with no concerns. Time of day matters somewhat too. I rarely venture out after midnight.
I’m not a particularly imposing person but I grew up in a big city so I know how to navigate one. Less savvy people might have lower thresholds for safety.
> I biked every road in St. Louis a few years ago, which required biking every street in some high-crime neighborhoods.
He is likely avoiding high-crime neighborhoods. There is a big gap between 'exceptionally safe' and 'high-crime' neighborhoods. Your average and even below average neighborhoods are likely safe for most walkers.
I had a conversation with a cyclist who grew up in one of those "high crime neighborhoods" in St. Louis. He said that he received strange looks and comments when he visited his old neighborhood with a road bike attached to his car. He belonged; the bike did not. I suspect that more-than-casual cycling is a cultural oddity in some areas. I'm not sure that walking would garner the same reaction.
Whenever I see a bike in a car I assume the person has a lot of free time and therefore is somehow what well-off. Perhaps people were subconsciously judging his wealth?
I am a huge advocate for walking, and I walk a lot, but there is a certain biased assumption of safety.
I live in Chicago. I live in a…oh…let’s say a gentrifying area of Chicago.
I can imagine it would be intimidating to walk around some of the areas near me if I was a woman, or presenting as female/non-binary, or even a smaller man. (The non-binary bit is not some empty bit of woke, it is also a very LGBT-heavy area of town.) It’s easy to advocate walking, and perhaps easy to shrug off alarmism about crime, when you’re not likely to be the target of harassment or criminality.
Fortunately for me, I am easily the most terrifying creature on the street at 4am, and can blithely walk 2 miles to get home when Uber prices spike to $40. https://imgur.com/a/QoTzQr6
I've done a lot of urban walking in a variety of towns. One time in a town much smaller and lower crime than St. Louis, I had a guy approach me and say "thanks for finding my phone-- give me my phone!" I was holding my own phone, and I ignored the comment and kept walking- at a brisker pace, and watching their actions very carefully. I am 90% sure I could have defended myself if he had attacked me. I'm a very average sized person, if I had been smaller who know what he would have done?
Any way, I agree, its best to always be alert and aware no matter where you are and be smart about where you walk, no matter what your gender presentation is. There are some crazy people in this world.
I've gained an appreciation for walking through very roundabout means.
For the longest time I found walking even short distances insufferably slow and boring. I ride my bike--a lot. The distances and durations I cover have grown each year to the point that centuries (metric or imperial) are a regular weekend event. Boredom is always an issue when you're out for 5+ hours, but you'd be surprised at how much your sense of time can change if you normalize riding long distances. Interestingly, my mind's time-condensation for cycling never translated to walking.
This year I branched out into winter ultra fat biking, which, as it turns out, can involve a significant amount of walking. In bad snow conditions one can end up pushing a heavy bike for hours at a time. The two races I did this winter had their respective all time worst course conditions. So, I did a lot of walking.
This spring I've found myself opting walk to the gym and office, leaving the bike at home. My mind doesn't count the minutes the way it used to. I actually have no sense of how long it takes me to get to these places. I suspect the exaggerated stimulus of pushing a bike for hours through snow drifts has adapted my perception of everyday walking. I would hypothesize that the author's 20-mile weekend walks makes their long daily walks more doable. If you want to enjoy short regular walks, perhaps it would help to go out for a very long and hard walk from time to time.
> If you want to enjoy short regular walks, perhaps it would help to go out for a very long and hard walk from time to time.
Bingo. Adaptation can do wonders for our perception of an activity. How do you adapt? By pushing the limits a little bit at a time; getting in the zone of discomfort for a short while, and stopping before pain/injury.
Lately, I've been trying to enjoy discomfort by thinking of it as an indication that my limits are now shifting in the right direction.
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[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 259 ms ] threadNessim Nicholas Taleb describes himself as one.
Some changes I've noticed since doing this are listed below. Not that they are earth shattering, but just a few things I've observed.
* My resting heart rate fell by about 5 BPM.
* I can now run and walk in my dreams and rarely have the "legs in molasses" thing (if you know what I mean).
* I now wear trail running shoes all the time - a total shift from the old Birkenstock and whatever shoes I wore for years before.
* My town has a number of fun, curious little sidewalk shortcuts between neighborhoods that I did not know about. They aren't secret, just not obvious at all.
One of my favorite things to find in Santa Barbara are old concrete stamps marking which company/contractor poured that section of sidewalk. Often these are 100+ years old. I've currently found ~25-30 different ones.
I know exactly what you mean. That’s fascinating that it went away with more walking; maybe the brain is now better able to “simulate” walking?
I would kindly urge you to consider this and give walking a fair try. It made a lot of positive change in my life. Best wishes.
The fraction of the population that can sustain a 4 mph pace comfortably for three hours is probably small. That's a pretty good clip. 2.5 to 3 mph is much more realistic.
12 miles is totally doable, but start with less because you'll injure yourself if you don't walk at all now. Even just 15 minutes of walking is great.
I am more of a bicyclist and luckily there are many trails around me. (I don't like riding on the streets) On a nice summer day I can easily spend 3 hours riding. If you work a full time 9-5, there is still plenty of time in the morning or evening to get a few hours of exercise in . (I should take my own advice here!)
Just thinking increases awareness of my surroundings, allows me time to process existing thoughts as opposed to consuming more inputs, and connects me to the people I would inevitably see on a semi-regular basis.
Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim for for some really quality thinking. After about an hour I've already processed normal stuff about family or work and have moved on to deeper topics.
I used to listen to music and stuff a lot while walking or even commuting but a few years ago I decided to give up on most idle listening, preferring to listen to music or podcasts with intent now: eg to enjoy some music, not just passively.
I used to walk a lot (I still walk a good bit but because I work from home I don’t walk to work each day anymore) and I found the quiet time to be the best time to come up with solutions to problems, to reflect on my life or day, to just wind down and switch off, to enjoy nature (when I walk to walk, as opposed to walking to reaching a destination, I typically walk along a river near my home). I think we are overstimulated far far too much and some quiet time and boredom is good for the brain and certainly it’s good for creativity.
I'm more a mind wanderer, though for a season I tried to mentally prepare myself for the transition from being at a controlled work environment to walking into a house with two young kids at the end of the day.
> I agree completely.
> preferring to listen to music or podcasts with intent now: eg to enjoy some music, not just passively.
That's the opposite of what parent suggested.
Instead, when I listen to music, it’s usually by sitting down deliberately to exclusively listen to music. The music isn’t idle background noise but rather the point of that activity. I enjoy music a lot more now, I find.
In general I try to have silence where in the past I would have had audio playing in the background. So definitely while walking but also while working (since I’m working from home and don’t need to drown out office noises).
This can't be stressed enough.
With phones and the Internet today, most of us consume way more information than we have time to really process, organize, and reflect on. It's like we do a shopping spree every single day and never spend any time in our house unpacking any of the grocery bags. Our minds are a chaotic mess of piled up worries, news, unmade decisions, etc.
Walking (without audiobooks or other media) is the single best solution I've found to give my brain the idle time it needs to run a defrag and work through that backlog.
Also if walking alone, people should try calling friends and family. It's a great way to reconnect and stay connected with friends. Handsfree, heads up, it's good fun. I also feel much more chatty when on a walk.
Anyway, walking commutes are the best.
The Count of Monte Cristo is my current go to re-read.
that's a neat idea to allow us to be cognizant of life. And to keep other things simple to create mental and physical bandwidth for the main things.
Ah, this is such a good suggestion too! I've been doing that more lately too and it's really valuable.
You didn't check his profile, then? ;)
He's also been on the Corecursive podcast, about Crafting Interpreters: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/corecursive-coding-storie... which happened to be one of the most recent things I was listening to while out walking.
The content must flow.
I try to double fork my commute, either explore some new path or do some groceries so the 45minutes are not just walk/train.
Right now I do bike - train - bike (but, surprisingly, trains are unreliable this month .. they're the one making me late :)
I find this kinda pointless for myself. Most of the time I just revisit the same subjects over and over and come to the same conclusions no matter how I try to solve it. Once I’m done with the menial tasks - the “deeper” topics just make me upset to think about because they make me realize how hopelessly fucked I am. I’d rather not focus on that and instead do a bit of hedonism while I can.
It's a sort of personal retrospective slash backlog grooming session.
We need that idle time. When I go on long motorcycle trips, I return with a clear head and a much better idea of what I want to do next.
I’m genuinely asking, because I couldn’t tell from the context of your comment.
When things are going well, I don't get frustrated by free form thinking.
Just wanted to say thanks, ill seriously give this a try.
However I did have a great time learning Chinese and Japanese via audio courses while taking long walks - without that time it's hard for me now to find the time to do the same.
I enjoy listening to the animals / birds / insects, and tossing friendly hellos to the people walking by. (Actually, maybe that's why -- at the park where I walk, headphones would feel slightly antisocial)
I stepped up to a line manager role (to cover someone for maternity leave) so that I was suddenly line-managing my peers. We had always gone for walks at lunchtime and we very quickly evolved the convention that conservations during the walk were with 'old me' vs those in the office that were with 'manager-me'. This allowed me to vent as well, given that we all a fairly cynical non-corporate bunch.
Those were the good days.
I figured I'd probably have more free time when he goes to middle school when teenager rebellion kicks in. In about ten years.
For one, creative inspiration often comes to me while walking. Second, it beats sitting on a couch. If you need added stimulation, go with a walking partner or listen to a podcast. Plus health benefits (not going to say it's an amazing workout depending on intensity but it's better than being sedentary) and it's fun.
Yes, it takes time. Sometimes you don't have time. That's ok. It doesn't have to be every day. But it's something you can do with kids, parents, colleagues, by yourself, etc...
My coworker and I worked like a year together at my place. He came around, we drank a coffee together and started working. Like 3-4 hours later, depending on schedule, we took a good 60 minutes+ walk with my dog. We talked project related things sometimes, but it felt never like "we have to talk about work", We were kind of friends so we had lots of other topics. Then back at my place we continued for 2,3 or even 5 hours. We had no issues stopping after 2 hours, but did often way more. We were very productive.
We were a good match, but those breaks outside enjoying life (forced by my habits to go at least 60minutes outside with the dog) helped a lot not burning out and making room in the brain.
Well. I suppose not all dogs. But get yourself some retriever mutt monster, and strap on those snow boots.
https://imgur.com/a/E8bPE5h
The author mentions other (hostile) people as a potential problem, one could also mention wild animals or straight dogs in urban environments. I had a couple of encounters with lost dogs myself, thankfully they were not hostile. Advice on how to behave from "pros" would be welcome.
* or right and left, if you're in the UK
https://youtu.be/_awciO_uFdc
Stray dogs aren't hostile. Dogs defending their owner's territory are hostile.
https://www.lifespanfitness.com/products/tr1200-dt3-under-de...
So I don't have a standing desk, either. I primarily sit when working at the computer. But every 30-45 minutes I get up and go for a stroll, even if just around the yard.
fwiw my walking desk is set to 2.4mph, which seems to be the sweet spot between my natural walking speed and a pace that I can still comfortably read and type. Pretty much a linear ramp up from 1.0mph to 2.4mph over 1 year period.
However, it would be cool if there was a way to get paid for walking. That would motivate a lot more people, even if it is minimal pay. Walk-to-earn crypto game anyone?
On my walks I regularly see a guy who seems to either be doing exactly that, or he just has meetings all day. I've never gone past him when he wasn't chatting away on a phone meeting.
As a daily walker, I have to say it is its own reward.
I think a lot of the smartwatches have done a decent job at that, though there of course is the overhead to buy and wear one of them.
But even as someone who has been getting daily exercise for at least a decade now and doesn’t need encouragement, the little awards my Apple Watch gives me for hitting my targets feels good.
Dog walker
Backpacks are magic for longer trips. Food, water, coffee, all go in. Unsure about the weather? Layers layers layers, all in the pack. I also use LL Bean's PrimaLoft Packaway (I own two, one black and one orange), and have a shell for rainy/snowy weather. Unless it's both cold and rainy, one of the two goes in the backpack.
I've also never worried much about pocket preferences on my shorts and pants. I instead care about pockets on my packs. My current big pack is an Osprey Exos 58 (but the newer version doesn't have hip belt pockets or a shoulder strap pocket), and my daypack is an REI Flash 22 (with easily accessible side pockets, and a top pocket that you can reach with an awkward shoulder movement).
Edit: The big floppy hat comment was absolutely spot-on
That said, I agree with you -- I could imagine walking (or riding) with stuff in my pockets.
Fanny packs are sweet, except the part where you're wearing a fanny pack.
Yes, my teenagers were shocked and appalled when they saw it, and made me promise I would only wear it while on the bike.
Hear me out:
Sport coats. (edit: and blazers)
Very light linen ones for hot days, which keep sun off your skin without really making you hotter. Cooler days, break out the wool.
All those extra pockets are wonderful. Grab some thin old mass-market genre paperbacks and discover why they made them that size :-)
They're like purses for men, that you can wear instead of carry, and that make you look better. Similar storage capacity to a fanny pack, I'd say. Maybe a little more.
I wear a short sleeve polyester t-shirt in black. I own a dozen of them, all identical, and wear them most days. My wife hates it.
The black is not good on very hot days. It’s surprising how much difference a light color makes. But, I can’t seem to keep light stuff clean.
I don’t know if I could stand my arms in a sport coat, but I guess it’s no different from a regular jacket in the winter.
Biking is different, of course--you're not outside for as long (at least for a given number of miles), and you can store your water bottles on the bike itself.
With that said, the college kids tend to prefer a backpack because it's their mobile office, and they don't want anything on their bike that can get stolen.
[1] https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/tropos-TROPOSF19.html
I have 2 small kids now, and they are really not in best shape for long hikes or anything more extreme. Son on baby backpack would be 20 kilos without any further equipment/food required.
So I switched to long evening walks during work week after they go sleep. 2-3h, up to 10km. Luckily there are some nice options around me, so I try to variate things a bit every time, join things in loops and so on. Often music in the ears, very dark, walking in the forests where path surface is not really visible, rather than just very weak line and I trust my feet (and know the surface is not really tricky since I walked it 100x already).
Walking fast, as fast as my legs allow it for prolonged time (one gets this sense after some time spent doing it, pushing oneself too much is very bad idea). Also not fan of backpacks for this, rather stuffing pockets of jacket with everything required.
Its magical, clears head, tons of ideas come to me, for family, work, anything. Sometimes I struggle to write it all down and not forget anything. Sometimes smoking a bit of weed which makes this process more smooth. One activity that keeps such previously-active person as me still sane, even if kids sometimes try hard to push me the other way.
I'm a fan of the small backpack when I'm out with my kids, particularly for a water bottle, tubs of snacks, a place to put that pinecone they found, etc. But just me? A wallet and phone in my pants pockets is more than enough.
Depends on how hot and humid it is outside. Even in breathable clothing like Nike Dryfit or any of the thousand knockoffs, in 90+ degrees, high humidity weather, a backpack blocks perspiration evaporating off. It literally becomes a hot spot on your back. He did have one tip I don't entirely agree with to use Vaseline, but instead I use Glide just because I don't care for the consistency of petroleum jelly. Although he mentions long sleeves shirts and a hat with neck guard, he said nothing explicitly about skin or eye protection; people in the sun day after day should be wearing polarizing lenses and high SPF clothing along with sun screen.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21617534/
For multi-day trips I already have a small camping stove (MSR PocketRocket or an alcohol stove), and I pack instant coffee. I heavily prioritize saving weight on longer trips, so I generally drink my coffee out of the same light plastic bowl that I just ate oatmeal out of, which doubles as a decent way to clean the bowl.
I have several friends that really like their Fellow Carter Everywhere mugs if you want an alternative.
For urban backpacking the more high end thermoses are really effective at keeping stuff hot once you've made it.
[1]: https://projektco.com/products/gravy-silverado (can't recommend this high enough.)
I have a pair and as an avid hiker and trail runner... I'm not sure I'd walk 15-20 miles in them. I have other better-suited footwear for that!
I personally have walked 10 miles in a pair, but it was pretty casual walking.
Get them on sale, and send them in to get refurbished from time-to-time. They are fantastic.
What's best is if you can take a full hour-long or more walk, and let your mind wander for the majority of it. You don't need to be actively thinking the whole time, that can actually defeat the purpose of it.
But don't let the great be the enemy of the good, if all you can take is 15 minutes, and you need to be thinking the whole time, do that instead.
How did you deal with keeping yourself hydrated and filled? Did you drink caffeine to keep yourself awake?
I would love to try something similar when I'm in a new city once
I’d say biking is (in the right environment). It’s certainly easier on the knees than walking.
Also, walking is weight bearing exercise, which is supposed to be better for bone strength.
He's either only walking in exceptionally safe areas, he's very large, or I have a particularly punchable face. I biked every road in St. Louis a few years ago, which required biking every street in some high-crime neighborhoods. I was frequently made to feel uncomfortable. I was never attacked or anything like that, but multiple times it was made clear to me that I was where I didn't belong. And I was on a bike and could quickly ride away. I think I would have had a lot more trouble on foot.
I remember being in a bar once and some guy started trouble with me for no reason and my buddy, who is 6'3'' and 250 pounds did not believe that detail, because "nobody would start trouble with you for no reason." To paraphrase Don Draper, "no, nobody would start trouble with you for no reason."
Bars have aggressive drunks.
Don't go to stupid places filled with stupid people doing stupid things and you'll likely be okay — and this includes bars after midnight just about anywhere. Nothing good happens after midnight, but I digress.
I agree with you that it was a good thing you were on a bike and I'm glad you're here to post about it!
I see we both watch the same YouTube channel!
But I have one injunction: I don't want to hear about stupid people being stupid. There is just an astounding amount of that, always has been, and everybody seems to want everybody else to know all about it, in detail.
I’m not a particularly imposing person but I grew up in a big city so I know how to navigate one. Less savvy people might have lower thresholds for safety.
He is likely avoiding high-crime neighborhoods. There is a big gap between 'exceptionally safe' and 'high-crime' neighborhoods. Your average and even below average neighborhoods are likely safe for most walkers.
I live in Chicago. I live in a…oh…let’s say a gentrifying area of Chicago.
I can imagine it would be intimidating to walk around some of the areas near me if I was a woman, or presenting as female/non-binary, or even a smaller man. (The non-binary bit is not some empty bit of woke, it is also a very LGBT-heavy area of town.) It’s easy to advocate walking, and perhaps easy to shrug off alarmism about crime, when you’re not likely to be the target of harassment or criminality.
Fortunately for me, I am easily the most terrifying creature on the street at 4am, and can blithely walk 2 miles to get home when Uber prices spike to $40. https://imgur.com/a/QoTzQr6
Any way, I agree, its best to always be alert and aware no matter where you are and be smart about where you walk, no matter what your gender presentation is. There are some crazy people in this world.
Never have I felt as unsafe and unsure as in the US.
For the longest time I found walking even short distances insufferably slow and boring. I ride my bike--a lot. The distances and durations I cover have grown each year to the point that centuries (metric or imperial) are a regular weekend event. Boredom is always an issue when you're out for 5+ hours, but you'd be surprised at how much your sense of time can change if you normalize riding long distances. Interestingly, my mind's time-condensation for cycling never translated to walking.
This year I branched out into winter ultra fat biking, which, as it turns out, can involve a significant amount of walking. In bad snow conditions one can end up pushing a heavy bike for hours at a time. The two races I did this winter had their respective all time worst course conditions. So, I did a lot of walking.
This spring I've found myself opting walk to the gym and office, leaving the bike at home. My mind doesn't count the minutes the way it used to. I actually have no sense of how long it takes me to get to these places. I suspect the exaggerated stimulus of pushing a bike for hours through snow drifts has adapted my perception of everyday walking. I would hypothesize that the author's 20-mile weekend walks makes their long daily walks more doable. If you want to enjoy short regular walks, perhaps it would help to go out for a very long and hard walk from time to time.
Bingo. Adaptation can do wonders for our perception of an activity. How do you adapt? By pushing the limits a little bit at a time; getting in the zone of discomfort for a short while, and stopping before pain/injury.
Lately, I've been trying to enjoy discomfort by thinking of it as an indication that my limits are now shifting in the right direction.