So this morning was the first official day of "training" for the big hike. The Team-in-Training people provide a day-to-day schedule for getting all fit for the big hike and today was "Day 1".
Day 1 = 15 minute walk. (I like this starting off slow business!)
So this morning I strapped on my shoes, tried to dress in the appropriate number of layers, remembered to wear my watch so I would be sure to turn around at the 7.5 minute mark so that I walk 15 minutes exactly, grabbed my keys, my phone (in case of emergency!) and my camera (?) well I thought maybe I'd see something worthy of a photo in 15 minutes. It turns out I did...more on that later.
This wasn't the first time I'd gone for a walk in the early morning in my neighborhood. In the warmer months I go all the time - heck some mornings I actually run. But in the winter it is tough to get motivated. The only people I came across were people walking their dogs. People in all form of dress walking their dogs. Some were bundled head-to-toe in down jacket/hat/boot/mitten combos. Some were clearly not warm enough in their Evanston-Hockey jackets and no hats. One lady was clearly wearing her pink bathrobe and pjs under her jacket. bravo, sleepy lady.
Just after my 7.5 minute turnaround I peeked up ahead of me to scan the nieghborhood.
(Let me point out that when it is this cold people tend to keep their faces turned as far towards their chest as possible to ward off the frigid air. Not the best policy for walking alone in the early am, I know. Perhaps I need a face mask)
Up ahead I saw this small person coming towards me. I couldn't make out whether it was a man, woman or child, but whoever it was they were walking fast! As I got closer I realized it was an elderly woman, but what was most noticeable was the walk..or rather the swagger this lady had going on. She held her arm out to the side - just above her hip, arm loose, but extended. Her left arm was tucked in above her purse, her hand firmly placed on the strap just at her breast. With each step her hips hit a silent beat to the left and then to the right. And her loose extended arm snapped at the wrist in time with her hips. eyes fixed up ahead on wherever she was headed. She belonged on a runway with that walk. Or in an old movie where they'd have her walk just like that past a group of men who'd crane their necks to watch her pass, eyes bugged out, jaws to the floor...someone would utter "humina, humina"
It was awesome and envy worthy. I could nearly hear the beat she sashayed to.
Boom-boompa-boom-boompa-boom-boompa-boom
