Conscious Choice: Hoofing It and Loving It

June 2003

Hoofing It and Loving It

by Tom Judge

Chicago is a city made for walking. From neighborhood sidewalks to park paths to forest preserve trails to former railroad rights-of-way, if you can’t find something to suit you and your feet in Chicago, then you’re just not in to walking.

I love to walk around Chicago. It’s great exercise, you don’t have the foot and joint aches you can get with running and, if you know where to look, you can find some spectacular scenery to calm your soul and some quiet nooks that will ease your tired mind.

According to the National Institutes for Health, walking can give you more energy, make you feel good, help you relax, reduce stress, aid sleep, tone your muscles, help control your appetite, and increase the number of calories your body uses. Not bad for an activity that’s virtually free.

Getting Off on the Right Foot

The great majority of us are ready to start walking right now! Walking is a self-pacing activity, so you can start at a comfortable stride and gradually increase it. If you’re at all unsure about any health issues you might have make sure to check things out with a knowledgeable healthcare professional before walking.

You’ll need a good pair of walking shoes. Personally, I prefer shoes designed specifically for walking, not running shoes doubling as walkers. Consumer Reports does a piece on walking shoes every year, including the three top-rate shoes for men and for women. The most recent story (October 2002) had a surprise with the second highest rated shoe for men: the Strap Walker from PayLess for about $20!

The most important reasons to choose a pair of shoes are how they fit and work while on your feet. Try the different brands to find out what feels good on you. Really good walking shoes actually add a little spring to your step when you walk.

When you take your shoes off after walking, pull the liner up out of the shoe so that both liner and shoe can dry more easily.

Don’t forget socks. While any sock with a thick cushion will do the job, there are several brands out there that will keep your feet warm, dry, and comfortable as you stroll along. The best shoes and socks allow you to forget about your feet and enjoy your surroundings.

My personal favorite currently is SmartWool, but my sock drawer has lots of pairs from ThorLo, Wigwam, and Rohner. Wool and synthetic fabrics can keep your feet warm and dry. Cotton can cause blisters on longer walks or hikes. I prefer socks made for walking and hiking. You can find them in the many outdoor or sports retail stores in the area, including ems, rei, Erewhon, and SportMart.

For casual walking, you don’t need special pants or tops. Dress for the weather, with comfort getting the top priority. I always wear a hat or cap to keep me warm in winter or to keep the sun off my head in summer. For most of my walking, I just put on some walking socks and shoes and go out dressed in whatever I’ve been wearing while sitting around the house, usually cotton wash pants and a sweatshirt or T-shirt. If you’re going to be out after dark, wear something light-colored or something reflective.

If you’ll be outdoors for a while, you need sunscreen with at least 30 Sun Protection Factor (spf). Theoretically, the higher the spf the longer you can stay out in the sun without getting sunburned. Tip: If you wear a hat with a visor, you don’t need sunscreen on your forehead. That way, you don’t have to worry about sweat carrying the sunscreen into your eyes on warm days.

Do a few minutes of stretching to avoid injuring your muscles. The nih lists several exercises on its Web site, www.nih.gov.

When’s and Where’s of Walk

For most of us, when to walk is determined by available time. Every time period has advantages and disadvantages, so pick one that suits your convenience and go for it. Mornings can be very nice before most people are up and about. The sun coming up over Lake Michigan is gorgeous. Walking around downtown as the city prepares for the day is fun. Evenings can be beautiful, too, with the long shadows and the red and purple light.

Where will you go? I could fill up this entire magazine with places to walk, but I’ll stick to a few of my favorites. Remember, you can walk all the way or part of the way to and from work, head a mile or so in any direction during your lunch break, walk to your errands, get out on weekends in the forest preserves — any place you want will do.

My favorites include:

1. Rosehill Cemetery at Bryn Mawr and Western Avenues (the West side section) or at Rosehill Street and Ravenswood Avenue (the East side section). This walled cemetery, which dates back to 1857, is a beautiful, peaceful place to stroll. There are huge old trees everywhere and upright monuments rather than the flat stones seen in more modern graveyards. Three manmade lakes usually host honking and quacking Canada geese and ducks all year long. As you walk, the names on the tombs seem familiar, because they are the families for whom Chicago’s streets were named: Hoyne, Kedzie, Ogden, and more. Rosehill Cemetery is private property so be respectful. Stay on the paved areas, don’t play loud music, etc. After your walk through the cemetery, stroll over to the Andersonville neighborhood to shop or get a bite to eat.

2. River Walk. From our house in the Ravenswood neighborhood, my wife and I like to head to the North Branch of the Chicago River. After walking a nature trail on the west bank north of Lawrence Avenue and watching the waterfall where the North Shore channel begins, we cross back over at Foster Avenue, then follow park paths all the way to Peterson Avenue. Then we walk down Lincoln Avenue to come back south.

3. Argyle Street and the lakefront. We make our way to Argyle Street at Clark Street, then walk east past the old Essanay Studios where people such Wallace Beery, Charlie Chaplin, and Gloria Swanson once worked. The Asian community on Argyle Street between Broadway and Sheridan Road provides a very different flavor from a typical Chicago street. Then we enter Lincoln Park, use the pedestrian tunnel under Lake Shore Drive, and do a loop north, east, south, and west to come back to the tunnel and retrace our steps.

4. Anywhere on the lakefront. When I have the time and energy, I walk home from my office downtown, cutting over to Michigan Avenue, then to the lakefront, and down the paths all the way to Lawrence Avenue. I never get tired of the scenery as I enjoy the beauty of the lake and the tremendous diversity of the park.

Walking is healthful, it can reduce pollution from fossil-fueled vehicles, and it’s fun. So do yourself a favor and get out and stroll.

Tom Judge is a lifelong Chicagoan who enjoys local outdoor activities, including walking, canoeing, and cross-country skiing.

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