Valuable lesson learnt while walking
Mike Bain joined 70-plus elderly people for the Global Walk, for our series.
Walking a lap of the Cambridge Raceway may not appear to be much of a challenge, especially for someone as fit and young as me.
Let me assure you, the day of the International Global Walk to celebrate the value of the older person sounded simple, but was in no way a walk in the park.
The day started out with a very brisk wind blowing down the track, meaning at least one way was going to be a struggle.
Fearing the risk of hypothermia, a quick shuffle around my limited wardrobe in the boot of the car resulted in a rain jacket with a hood, just in case.
Making the most of the warm up time I chatted with Sport Wai- kato’s Active and Well programme co-ordinator, Hayley Berkers.
Apparently eating takeaways is not good for you, and by making simple dietary changes can make a big difference to your overall health.
Time to venture onto the track for the walk with the other 70-plus people.
I caught up with a Hamilton couple whose names I couldn’t catch because of the headwind.
Kitted out with thermal jackets, woolly balaclavas and walking sticks they were prepared for anything.
His big backpack he told me was full of wet weather gear, as if it would ever rain in Cambridge I thought.
Coming around the final bend I caught up with Margaret Udey.
We chatted about her move from Taumarunui to Cambridge.
And suddenly without warning, the reason why this walk suddenly became a challenge.
She asked me if I knew of any walking groups in Cambridge.
My suggestion she should join the Fat Bottomed Girls walking group was like pulling the pin out of a grenade and waiting for the explosion. It came.
‘‘What! Are you suggesting I have a fat bottom,’’ she said
As any man knows before an answer is given to this question, your life flashes before your eyes. There’s a dryness in the mouth as you break out into a sweat, looking for all options of retreat before answering.
Once I diplomatically explained about the walking group we remained on good terms and ended up walking another lap together.