Walking is my favorite form of exercise and, fortunately, our neighborhood offers safe places to walk along with a reasonable number of hills. My regular 1-hour, 3-mile walk is the perfect time and distance to listen to one of my favorite podcasts. But, as much as I enjoy listening to This American Life, the Ted Radio Hour, or Planet Money, I usually prefer to walk with a partner… and my favorite walking partner is my husband.
Walking gives us a chunk of uninterrupted time to just talk. Our discussions range from mundane household topics to plans for upcoming events to political and social issues. But, whatever we talk about, there are no computer screens, phone calls, or other distractions competing for our attention. It’s just us and whatever we want to talk about… or not. I enjoy just walking together in silence too.
I am grateful that my husband likes to join me on my walks and that we both relish the time we can spend just being together.
Retirementally Challenged 
These walk sounds perfect, Janis. Physical fitness, mental fitness and relationship fitness all in one!
Yes, all three together. That’s a nice way to put it.
Walking in my neighborhood now would be an extreme sport. It is all covered in ice. I can’t wait for Spring.
I realize that I’m pretty lucky right now as I read about the bitter cold and deep snow in other places. Spring is just around the corner!
I enjoy those kinds of walks with my husband, too. I never stopped to be grateful for them. Thank you for the inspiring thought.
I really enjoy the free-wheeling conversations we get into on our walks. Sometimes I have a topic I want to talk about but usually we just see whatever comes up.
Nice. 🙂 I walk by myself with ear buds. My husband has a bad ankle that can’t be fixed so long walks mean lots of pain for him. You and your hubby are lucky, and it’s nice that you recognize that. Here’s to many more walks together. 🙂
I’m sorry that your husband can’t walk distances. Earbuds with a good podcast playing works for me too.
😁
I know you do a lot of walking too.
I love walking!.,😉
Walking together is a perfect time to connect while being unplugged.
I love having that time to just be together… unplugged and focused.
We love walking together like that too but in our city you have to be alert to your surroundings and the weather always! Can’t wait for Spring!
I do feel quite lucky to have a safe place to walk… although I do need to remind myself to look both ways before crossing a street 🙂 Yes to spring! I can’t wait for the time change either so I’ll be able to walk later in the evening.
Lucky in love, health and spirit! Definitely much to be grateful for 😊
Thank you, Lisa. Life is good.
Great GT post, Janis.
Did you stage/snap the photo? It’s so perfect!
Yes, the image has been rattling around in my head for awhile and I finally put it together.
Cute photo! John and I walk six days a week and enjoy spending that time together, just as you do. There is one big difference. You do three miles in an hour, and we go only two. For John’s sake, I wish I could walk as fast as you do. He is very patient with me.
I’m not so fast on the hills, but I try 🙂 Slowing down does allow you to observe more, which is a good thing too.
Slowing down allows me to BREATHE! So far, when I’m not breathing, I’m panting. I don’t want it to get to the point that when I’m not breathing, I’m dead.
My husband and I hike every Sunday. It’s our time together. Mostly, we walk in silence, just being together with no interruptions. If a touchy subject needs to be broached, this is when we do it. I love this time with him. Afterwards, we kick back for the rest of the afternoon, then go to dinner. Date day.
That sounds lovely! I can’t think of a better date day than that. I may have to steal that idea for us.
If the weather is extreme, my wife and I will just go to one of the stores and just walk around creating wish list and Christmas lists. We are usually pretty good about not buying.
You don’t need to buy stuff to enjoy the looking. We are lucky to have year-round walking weather, but I think I’d look for some inside places to stroll in extreme weather too.
This sounds lovely…my husband and I don’t do it often enough. But I’m convinced that walking is definitely…the way forward…
Sometimes you just need to get up and go. I’m great with the excuses, but I’m always happy once I’m out the door (and, then happy when we are done 🙂 ).
My husband and I love to walk together, too, and we miss it this time of year when weather makes it challenging. I can’t wait to get back to it! We do have a lovely winter walk we can take but it has been too cold to even do that recently. To make up for our lost time together walking we are having a winter cribbage tournament. Not as much exercise but lost of fun!
I can’t imagine the self-talking I’d have to do to get myself out the door when the weather is extremely cold. Fortunately, we don’t have to deal with that here. Having a cribbage tournament sounds like a great substitute!
It is not only difficult but for me not even healthy to be out in below zero temps. I tend to start wheezing and have trouble breathing. We’ve had fun with the cribbage tournament. Lot’s of silliness midst the dark, winter days.
Had to laugh at the coincidence when I read your comment regarding the 3-mile walk, as we have just calculated the walks we do here in France, and they are 4.6 km or approximately 3 miles! Today’s one even had a small amount of sunshine to spur us on. With the added motivation to buy a fresh baguette at the baguette machine in the village as we went along around the loop. Good to have a hill or two, which is lacking here, though not when we get back to Spain!
I am envious of your walks! We have some areas with nice views on our walks, but nothing like yours! And… a baguette machine! Every neighborhood should have a baguette machine! I always look forward to your posts and pictures from your walks – no matter where you are!
Thanks Janis, I enjoy reading yours just as much! We have more challenging weather here than down in Southern Spain!! Though just as rewarding especially having a fun option such as the baguette machine 🙂
Walks are a great time to gain clarity, both along and with a partner. Love your title!
I think I see more when I’m alone, but I really enjoy the focused conversation when I’m walking with a partner. Either way, it gets me outside and moving!
I feel the same way, my husband is my favorite hiking partner. It’s something we both enjoy. And, it’s not just the hike, but the planning and reflecting on it afterwards
We don’t take hikes as much as we’d like to… probably mostly because they would require a (sometimes long) drive. I think I’d like to change that and plan a day away, not just an hour.
I like your photo, Janis. Very creative 🙂 Your walks sound so enjoyable.
Not that I’m objecting, but I know how difficult it is to respond to all these comments when they all say pretty much the same thing. Did you change your mind and decide not to disable your GratiTuesday comments?
I know, Karen. I am still debating that decision. I love getting comments and sometimes they can change my thinking about a subject. But, even if they don’t, they feel like little gifts. We’ll see… maybe on for some, off for others.
I look forward to when Z-D and I can have walks like yours. It sounds so peaceful and productive to me– instead of our current chaotic and jumbled approach to life. I dream.
For me – who spends way too much time in front of a screen – it’s nice to get out and move. I think you and Z-D would love the break from chaos.
My husband and I rarely walk together but occasionally we have breakfast, just the two of us. For some reason (maybe because we are morning people) it’s always interesting and delightful.
Having those special times together – walking, breakfast, whatever – when you can just talk and enjoy each other’s company is a key ingredient for a happy relationship.
It is important.
Those sound like wonderful walks. I love the photo of the shoes.
Thanks, Dan. Sometimes I wish we had a dog like Maddie to take along with us on our walks… how does she feel about hills?
She’s good with any terrain but she doesn’t have a lot of stamina.
There was an ad campaign years ago for a popular sports brand. I have them posted in my home to view daily. One read – walking isn’t just good for your heart, it’s good for your soul. I find walking to be very meditative. I do some of my most creative thinking on the 2-mile walks. Another read – I believe you can walk away from your problems…. There are times when I think that all would be well if I could just go for a walk. My body breathes a sigh of relief when the shoe rubber hits the road. Walking is one of the “two-fors” in my life, providing exercise, fresh air, meditation.
I love those quotes about walking! There is something very meditative about walking, especially when I’m alone. Although I enjoy listening to podcasts, I also walk completely unplugged when I have something to think about (like a personal issue, an upcoming trip or a blog post). I’m glad that you find walking so beneficial too. Thank you for your lovely comment!
Unplug and talk. The greatest medicine out there. I’m glad the two of you can do it together.
Thank you. It does feel like a tonic for happiness.
Ha ha, my conversations with John on walks tend to start “Wait for me – don’t go so fast!”
🙂 But, I see that you happily go anyway! Then it’s “Wait for me – I have to take a picture!
Well yes, him taking a picture is my chance to catch up! Then I can sigh long sufferingly when it involves complicated lens changes. Occasionally we have a proper conversation 😉
🙂
Just perfect, Janis! And that’s how you end up married (and healthy) for many, many decades! ~ Lynn
Yep, that’s the plan 🙂
That’s really nice you both do it together. We don’t do it because the gym is nearly a regular occurrence for us, and it’s hard to even bring up a walk after that. But it’s really not the same experience at all. Good for you both for making that a regular activity. – Marty
I have a regular gym routine too. No, I don’t go regularly, but a charge for our membership appears regularly on our credit card bill 🙂 I much prefer walking…
I love the photo, Janis! And, I totally agree with your gratitude post, as always. 🙂 For the same reasons, I enjoy walking the dog(s) we pet sit, with my husband. It’s a nice time to catch up and spend quality time together. As a matter of fact, in recent months, that particular hour-long daily walk has been the highlight of most days!
Dogs are a great motivator for walking (although I know you and Mark don’t need much motivation to get outside) and they help make it more enjoyable too. I bet many of your temporary dogs get a lot more exercise with the two of you than they normally get with their permanent humans.
They sure do, Janis, except for Oscar back in Colorado. It was hard to keep up the three walks a day there. 🙂 And, you are right, we enjoy being outside, which is more fun with dogs. Hence, we don’t see the dog sitting or duties as work, which is one of the reasons this lifestyle suits us so well. 🙂
I consistently say I need to walk more. I walk with some girlfriends now instead of meeting up for coffee or lunch. We do a Walk & Talk! I have not gotten in habit with hubby. He walks the dog or I walk the dog, but rarely do we walk the dog together! Your post is inspiring …maybe this spring we will do some together walks. Right now it is below freezing and snowy…not walking weather at all. My Walk & Talk next week is at the mall before the stores open! But spring will come….
It must be frustrating when snow gets in the way of doing something enjoyable. Spring will be here before you know it and then you can go on a few walkie-talkies with your husband and see how it goes. But, girlfriends are great to walk with too.
Cute title and photo, Janis. Walking is perfect for maintaining fitness, managing stress, and building relationships. Walking is my lifestyle. Fortunately, my husband prefers walking, too so neither one of us owns a car! We walk to get around and as a mutual leisure activity.
Of course, the ultimate would be to ditch the car completely, but that wouldn’t work well where we live. But, I salute you for making a 100% commitment to a lifestyle that doesn’t include a car.
Walking is such great exercise! Walking with someone is a fun way to catch up, that is if your partner walks the same pace as you 🙂 Hans walks a little slower so I end of walking ahead of him, LOL! Keep up the good work, Janis!
We typically walk at the same pace… but then towards the end of our walk, he’ll run a little bit to pump his heart rate up. I’m pretty sure that will never be me 🙂
Walking is not only a great exercise, but also a fun way to boost energy 🙂
I always feel better when I’m done… energized and happy that I took the time.
I am also a bit champion of walking! It’s a beautiful, gentle exercise, and have just found out that nature itself is very good for mental health (just done a blog post about fresh air and why it is scientifically proven to be good for you! Pretty enlightening!). I always go for walks by myself, though – I love allowing my mind to roam free!
I love walking by myself too but having that uninterrupted hour with my husband is so satisfying. Either way, it’s good exercise and a great way to enjoy being outside. Thanks for your comment!
Although I tend to be a multitasker, when it comes to walking, I always go unplugged. I love being outdoors, and the feeling of being present in the moment.
Jude
Since my “normal” walk follows a similar suburban path (think streets through neighborhoods), sometimes listening to a podcast makes it more interesting. If my walk includes more natural settings, I’d definitely go unplugged.
Walking is a great activity and you so lucky to have a partner in it! You obviously know how to enjoy life. 😉
I love to walk anywhere, but walking as part of a travel adventure is the best! I enjoyed looking at your blog and dreaming of places to go. Thanks for your comment.
Walks are always great, yours sounds like joy and fun!
Walking is the perfect exercise.