Indoor walking club banishes challenging winter conditions
By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 6, 2023.
With the start of a new year comes the start of new year resolutions, like losing all that extra holiday weight gained during the festivities.The Runner’s Soul Walking Club is starting up with the start of 2023, offering two weekly sessions Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Servus Sport Centre until March 30.
Participants can walk at their own pace while hanging out with other active ‘souls’ while keeping safe from the cold weather and icy sidewalks outside.
“Our walking group starts up again for the new year starting today, January 5, and will go till the end of March,” said Shawn Pinder, co-owner of Runner’s Soul. “With the timing of our walking group, 10:30 to 11:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays, it is a little more catered towards senior citizens. But also, the last couple of weeks around Lethbridge has been very icy. This is a great way for people to come out, anybody, it gives them a warm, ice free location to get that activity and keep moving through winter. Because sometimes it’s challenging to find a space that you can go and be active.”
Thursday morning the Sport Centre was filled with active members looking to get their steps in.
“It has been great. Since I started, I have met more people and a still don’t know everybody’s name. Because, they are not cliques, but little groups that walk together and you find some and learn somebody else’s name and we stop to say hi,” said Elaine Liebelt, a participant in Thursday’s walking group. “I’m really feeling the break of Christmas, but it is just a really great group.”
Going on for around 11 years, the Walking Club helps provide options to those looking to stay active without having to search around for the perfect spot.
“Originally it started with a couple of alumni from the cardiac rehab program with Alberta Health Services. Because the cardiac rehab program used to have soccer fields, they would use it and do their program out of this facility. They had finished up and then they were looking for a place that they could do some activity walking. They were the original group that started it up, there was around five or six of them. Then they eventually approached us about taking it on, and we have been active ever since,” said Pinder.
Offering more than just exercise, the Walking Club is a great opportunity for socializing and making new connections.
“In addition to it being a good place for people to come and walk, it is also a good place for people to meet up and share stories,” said Pinder. “Even if you are walking at a different pace from somebody else, because they are doing laps, they’ll end up passing by again. So maybe a little chat for a couple laps, then whoever is going faster will head off, and then meet up again five minutes later. It is a really good community, a lot of people that are here have met up with people that they may not have seen for years.”
With previous years restricting capacity, the Walking Club is pleased to welcome everyone to the club this year with no current limits on numbers.
“One thing that is different this year from last year is that we are able to accept more people,” said Pinder. “Anybody is welcome to come out, we would be happy to have them come out.” 2
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