Over the years I have used a treadmill on and off as my main source of exercise. I heard many times that outdoor exercise was good for you in a different way than indoor exercise, but I have never really been an outdoors person. I don’t like bugs or extreme temperatures or rain, and I worry about falling, so really the treadmill makes a lot of sense for me!
I have used it religiously since starting the journey to a healthier lifestyle with Sara Best in January 2018 and it has been critical to my success (for more on that see From 22 to 12).
But in that time I have also come to recognize the added benefits that can be derived from walking outdoors, while appreciating the confidence that has come from the strength the treadmill has given me. Being surrounded by the natural beauty of Muskoka, along with the smells and sounds and the feeling of accomplishment after a challenging hike; just some of the benefits of outdoor hikes.
There are a couple of spots on the Wilson’s Falls Trail where you have to climb a big hill and I always hear the Rocky theme song and picture him at the top of the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; if I’m alone, I sometimes even raise my arms in the air like he did!
I can remember feeling anxious about outdoor walks. The treadmill is something I can control – the speed, the incline, the length of time that I am walking. But when I went outdoors, I wasn’t in control of any of that. Anxiety would set in; a fear that I might get somewhere and be too tired to get back or there might be a hill I couldn’t climb and I would feel embarrassed that I had to turn back.
Using the treadmill regularly has given me the confidence to enjoy the challenge of walking outdoors. First there was Wilsons Falls Trail with my family, then there was a hike with Gilles when we went to Banff. I remember thinking that day that for the first time in my life, I could just enjoy the hike and not have to worry about whether or not I could finish.
Back when travel was possible, I found I would look for opportunities to hike somewhere new. I’m definitely not ever planning to climb Mount Everest or anything like that, but it is so liberating to feel confident enough to tackle a trail and see where it leads me!
I am happy that I had the chance to take advantage of our spring in November this year. I loved being able to hike at Huckleberry Rock and Wilson Falls and at a friend’s cottage – with all the busyness of this summer, I didn’t get out there as often as I hoped.
I love hiking with my family, but I have discovered that I can also hike by myself. There is still that sense of direction thing, so I like to be on well-marked trails or someplace I have gone before, but this is not something I would have even considered until a couple of years ago.
So, on these solo hikes, in addition to listening to Matthew McConaughey read his book Greenlights, I have been doing some reflecting. Do you ever notice how some people walk in the bush so naturally? When I walk with Gilles or Bridget or Adam or any of my kids, I am amazed at how they just walk along like it’s nothing.
I am definitely not a natural. I have to watch my step very closely and pause every once in awhile to look at the scenery. Earlier this month while climbing a hill on Wilson’s Falls Trail, I started to slide on the mud and ended up on my hands and knees. I considered sitting down and sliding back down the hill on my butt, but I eventually worked my way to the top. I was definitely raising my arms like Rocky after that one!
One of the mantras I have adopted from Sara is, “I can do hard things…and this is not that hard”! For me, hiking is that mantra in action. I am not a natural, but I can do it…and the rewards are awesome!
