Part of what got me started walking back in the late 90s was not being able to keep up when hiking on a family vacation. I was depressed and felt old and out of shape. Walking for health and fitness changed everything.

Last week, while on another family vacation with many of the same family members, a couple of us went on a hike. My brother-in-law is one of the people I could not keep up with way back then.

Well, I still could not keep up, but not because I’m not fit, but because I’m short! For every one of BIL’s steps, I had to take at least 2 to match him. If we were on a flat surface where I could use my pseudo-racewalking form, I could have easily beat him. But those rocky, uneven trails meant I had to watch every step. Well, I SHOULD have watched every step.

The biggest difference I noticed was, I couldn’t go faster this year because of safety and short legs. (I could have gone quite a bit farther.) The last time I was gasping for breath, my legs were killing me and I rested a lot! I definitely could not have gone farther.

None of the others from that infamous hike over 7 years ago were with us. I wonder if I would have still been last if they were.

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