Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

The weather has turned snarky with gusty wind, swirling snow, and ominous skies.  A far cry from summer’s warmth.  So some friends and I are back to the mall to get our walking in. One friend claims that she doesn’t lose weight unless she walks.  Another says that walking for an hour is her goal. And a third just loves to walk.

Me? I’m on a mission.  I’m participating in the Denver “Turkey Trot” on Thanksgiving Day.  It’s a four mile run/walk, and I hope to do it in an hour.  So I’ve been practicing with the help of my friends. The thing is that mall walking is markedly different from walking outside.

Inside the terrain is even (which means un-bumpy), clean, and dry. Outside it’s the opposite of all those things.  Inside it’s warm and comfortable; we shed our outerwear before we even begin.  Outside, it’s scarves and hats and mittens which you must store somewhere as you begin to get hot from the exertion. So I understand that mall walking isn’t the best way to train for outside conditions.

But then, I don’t mind being called a wimp.