When I signed up for a fitness walking class for my health and exercise general education requirement this semester, I didn’t think too much of it. Walking as a class? It seemed like such a easy, no-brainer type of class. But, turns out, signing up for that class was one of the best wellness decisions I’ve made.
My fitness walking class was on Mondays and Wednesdays afternoons, giving me a nice break from my other college work and assignments. And luckily, I had a friend in the class, which made my class much more enjoyable. My friend and I would walk and talk about all sorts of things – from what was happening in our lives to our thoughts and just random stuff. It made the class something I looked forward to instead of it just being another required course I had to go through.
As the semester went on, I started feeling better. I was less stressed and could focus more on my studies. Walking a mile or two, especially with a friend, was really good for my mood. Additionally, my walking pace improved significantly. At the beginning of the class, I was walking at a pace of 15:11 minutes per mile. By the end, my pace had improved to 12:58 minutes per mile. In just 8 weeks, I managed to shave off approximately 2 minutes and 13 seconds from my initial pace.
Now that the class has ended midway through the semester (it was only an 8 weeks long course), I realized how important it is to incorporate walking into my lifestyle and the benefits I gained from the class. I noticed I didn’t feel as good on days I didn’t walk. Because of this, I decided to keep walking as part of my routine, even without the class. I want to start walking at least a mile at least twice a week. I’ve found it to be a great stress reliever and just a fun thing to do with friends.
This fitness walking class, which I wasn’t sure about at first, ended up teaching me the importance of being active and spending time with friends. It made me see how a simple thing like walking outside on a trail or inside on a track can really help with my overall well-being and productivity.