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The View Along My Walking Route

I joined a walking group at work. Every spring my company sponsors a friendly walking competition among the employees. We form teams of 10 people, and for 12 weeks we all walk as much as possible. Almost any kind of walking counts: treadmill, speed walking, strolling along the avenue, even walking the halls in the office. Most of us wear pedometers to be sure we count every single step. The teams report in once a week and the company publishes the progress on the intranet.

I must say, of all the exercises I've tried, I like walking the best. I don't even mind walking on a treadmill, as long as I can plug in my iPod and listen to my favorite music as I walk. I'm really lucky, though, in that my company is smack in the middle of a beautiful neighborhood, with flowering trees, lovely gardens and gorgeous homes. In fact, I took this picture along my route last year.

There are hills, but I can always structure my route so that the end of the walk is downhill. Not only that, I can generally find a Starbucks along the way if I need extra fortification.

The "competition" ends in June. There are no prizes for winning, only bragging rights.

Well, I take that back. The prize is better health, tighter muscles, stronger legs, and maybe even a few pounds gone. I'll be tracking my progress here -- care to join me?