Fall into Walking

I love this time of year. Without a doubt, fall is my favorite season. Living as I do where it can get pretty hot during the summers, fall to me means cooler temperatures, less humidity, and the beginning of the most beautiful months. As September moves into October, we feel the cooler weather and breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, a chance to be outside without sweating profusely or being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

I believe that fall is the perfect time to get into walking for exercise and better health. In fact, it's when I started walking regularly for the first time. It's been just about 5 years since I started this journey toward an active, healthy lifestyle. To to me, fall is special, because it's an anniversary of sorts, a reminder of where I came from. Fall is also, in my mind, a time for new beginnings. A time to leave behind the hot, lazy days of summer and get outside.

The sunny, crisp days of fall are also perfect for hiking. You can experience the great outdoors with more of your senses. You see the beautiful colors as the trees lose their summer greens and burst forth in a riot of color. You hear the crunch of leaves under your feet, or the snap of branches as a deer runs off in the distance. You smell a campfire off in the distance, or simply the clean and crisp scent of fall. You feel the fall breeze across your skin. And you taste a fresh apple, juice running down your face when you bite into it. (You did remember to bring a snack for the trail, right?)

Fall is perfect for walking. It's comfortable to be outside this time of year, and walking is best experienced outdoors. The temperatures are often perfect: not too hot, not too cold. There's still daylight in the morning or evening before or after the school or work day. All in all, it's a great time for walking. So put on your shoes and get out there already!