Walk your way to wonderful!

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Walking provides one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors while also maintaining health and fitness. Whether you take a daily stroll near your Jefferson County home or venture out on weekends to paths farther afield, the simple act of walking could be the equivalent of taking a wonder drug.
“There is no single medicine that comes close to what physical activity can do,” stated Dr. Thomas Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control, in an interview with PHIT America. “People who are physically active live longer and have a lower risk for many chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Being active can help you feel better about yourself and be more productive. Regular physical activity benefits body and mind.”
While one might choose to walk on an indoor track or treadmill, walking outdoors can boost the benefits even further.
Erica Price, a certified therapeutic recreational specialist at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, says, “Being outdoors in nature can be healing and beneficial for the body and mind. Whether at the beach, forest or in a neighborhood park, nature offers a calming effect. And when we combine nature with physical activity, it can help fight depression and anxiety.”
Spending time outdoors can reduce stress, improve mood, increase focus, promote faster healing and support graceful aging. In addition to more commonly known benefits of regular walking, Harvard Medical School points out five additional, surprising effects revealed in various studies. 1) Walking briskly for one hour a day can counteract the effects of weight-promoting genes. 2) A 15-minute walk can reduce cravings for chocolate and a variety of sugary snacks. 3) Women who walk at least seven hours a week may lower their risk of breast cancer by 14 percent. 4) Because walking lubricates a person's joints and strengthens the  muscles that support them, it eases the pain of arthritis, and walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming at all. 5) People who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43 percent fewer sick days and milder symptoms than those who exercised once a week or less.
With so many reasons to get outside and walk, it makes sense to work a 20-minute daily walk into a morning routine, a lunchtime break or winding down time in the evening. If you're anxious about walking alone, consider buddying up with another walker. Walking with a partner is yet another way to boost overall wellbeing. The American Heart Association points out that walking with others can be fun as well as an opportunity to build friendships or family relationships.
With an understanding of “why” to walk and a plan for “when,” next comes the question of “where.” Luckily, Jefferson County's abundant natural beauty makes finding great places to walk outdoors easy — through a neighborhood, around town, at a city park or on a larger trail system.
Around Home
For many people, a daily stroll through the neighborhood or along the fencerows of one's property lines will do the trick. A regular route provides a great way to make frequent contact with those who live nearby and enjoy the gradual progression of seasonal changes in the landscape. Many neighborhood streets also intersect with designated walking trails. Local residents David and Linda Ricke walk daily in their Tally Hills neighborhood, and then once a week they drive into town to walk the nature trail at the Monticello Ecological Park with their dog, Lord Beasley.
Monticello Ecological Park
The Monticello Ecological Park offers a 3/4-mile nature trail that is right in town at 1000 S. Water St. A leisurely stroll here will take you through mixed hardwoods and pines, leading to an elevated boardwalk across a spring-fed stream, with exercise stations along the way.
A special event for enjoying this trail is planned for Friday, Feb. 25, at 10 a.m, when the Jefferson County R.J. Bailar Public Library is leading a Family Nature Walk. This could be a great way to become familiar with this trail with a group. Participants should wear clothes suitable for outdoor play and bring water, a snack and bug spray as needed. Once you know the trail, you can visit it on your own as often as you like during daylight hours.
Chase Street Park/Clifford Brown Park
A short loop walking trail is located at Clifford Brown Park, at the intersection of Chase Drive and South Railroad Street. It is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and also has a picnic pavilion, playground equipment, a mini soccer field and parking for access to the Monticello Bike Trail.
Monticello Bike Trail
The Monticello Bike Trail for is for walking as well as biking. The paved pathway runs for two miles from north to south through the city, parallel to Railroad Street, along the abandoned railroad line. Monticello resident Barbara Morris, who was recently seen out enjoying an afternoon stroll where the trail crosses West Washington Street, says she walks this trail almost every day. Access is easy, whether by foot from a nearby neighborhood, cycling to a cross point or driving to a nearby lot and walking from there. Motorized traffic is barred from access. The north end of the bike trail connects by a sidewalk to the Jefferson County Recreational Park.
Jefferson County Recreational Park
Jefferson County Recreational Park has a paved, shaded walking trail that encircles the property located at 1380 Mamie Scott Drive, with parkour activity points and rest stops along the way. The park also contains a baseball/softball complex, tennis and racketball courts, a playground and covered picnic areas.
Around Town
In response to a Monticello News poll about walking, Hayley Peeler said, “We live close to downtown, so we often walk downtown from our house. My friend and I meet at the vacant subdivision north of the dog track. Walking with others is a great opportunity to chat and bond! Walking with my kids has allowed my four-year-old to master his scooter while I push my two-year-old in a stroller.”
The Florida Trail
Robbie Slack also responded to the poll, saying he liked to walk on the Aucilla Sinks section of the Florida Trail. According to the Florida Hikes! website, this trail offers 4.4 miles among the most geologically weird piece of any National Scenic Trail and is by far the most fascinating segment of The Florida Trail. For information about guided hikes along sections of The Florida Trail through the Big Bend area, visit floridatrail.org.
Starting a new routine sometimes presents challenges, and becoming a regular walker is no exception. Research shows that joining others who have similar intentions helps us to be more successful at meeting our personal health goals. One program offered locally through the Jefferson County Extension Office is Let's Walk Florida!
Let’s Walk, Florida!
This statewide, virtual healthy lifestyle education program and physical activity challenge supports people interested in benefiting from regular walking. During the 10-week program, participants will receive weekly eGuides, engage in weekly eConnections with a local health educator and other residents from Jefferson County, and track and report their physical activity minutes. This virtual community provides education, support, accountability and a certificate to all participants while also offering prizes for competitive folks.
Program registration in Jefferson County is free and will begin on Feb. 21. The Let's Walk, Florida! program is open to individuals, families and organized teams. For more information about this program and to register, visit LWF.ifas.ufl.edu/lwf. Local contacts are Gretchen Thornton and Bryan Danford at the Jefferson County Extension Office, (850) 342-0187.
Whether you participate in an organized walking program or develop your own plan of action, walking outdoors, even for just a little while each day, can put you in touch with both the wonders of nature and wonderful you.