The Art of Rage Walking
Image Source: Atlanta Magazine
As a child, I would hear that my Maw-Maw was always “out walking” with her friend Claudia. In Louisiana, they would find time to walk a couple of times a week. Even in the dead of summer and hurricane, you’d hear about Florence and Claudia 'out on their walks again.'
And I just thought, 'Oh, that’s nice that she has a friend.' And that was that.
At 38, I was missing a friend who I used to see nearly every day at childcare pickup or dropoff. Now our children are at different schools. But there is a park near us. 'Hey, do you want to meet and walk the park?' I suggested one day.
And so a tradition was born and handed down to two new women.
Establishing a new routine is always rocky at first. But, eventually, we got the hang of it. At first, the nearly 4 miles seemed so long. Now, it flies by. At first, we would cancel if the weather looked too cold. Now, we rarely miss a walk.
Even through the pandemic, you would find us walking. What makes this a commitment worth getting out there in 20-degree weather to walk 4 miles?
The rage it releases.
This isn’t just walking. This is THERAPY.
You see, we aren’t walking. We are solving the day’s problems, talking through issues with our children and spouses, confiding in each other family secrets for help and guidance, and sharing intimate moments of vulnerability…while walking four miles before doing anything else in the day.
This is not walking. This is one hour, twice a week, to get it all out.
And now, with so many people working remotely, the idea of a morning rage walk has never been more achievable. If you want to give it a try, here are some tips to get started:
Schedule it. My friend and I have two standing calendar appointments each week. Before this, every week was a variable. It was harder to juggle other appointments, and sometimes, we could only walk once a week. Now, we know when we are walking and schedule other morning appointments around our walks.
Gear matters! 'There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices.' First and foremost, this crossbody bag is a must. Sunglasses (Goodr sunnies are a fave in my crowd), hair ties always, and a hat (this one is great for ponytails) are my everyday basics.
Level up for winter. These gloves were a Christmas gift to me, and they are my favorite! My walking buddy and I love these Athleta pants for winter walks. They are a colossal help when it’s cold! I have two of the tights and one of this bootcut version, so I never have an excuse in the winter if laundry isn’t done.
Be known on the trail for something. When we walk, we see the same people every time. The speedy runner. The twins. The dog walker who listens to (what we assume is) ‘90s grunge. Be known for something. We decided to level up our walks with these Bala weights. Put them on your ankles or wrists, and it’s a level-up 4-mile walk!
Five years into rage walking, it’s funny how much I miss my friend in the summer when we take a break. We still see each other, but often, we call each other and talk while doing chores just to catch up.
Claudia died quite a few years ago. My Maw-Maw still talks about missing Claudia and mourns her loss. She may mourn Claudia more than any man she spent time with and has outlived. I get why. You can bond with someone by sharing all of the daily intimacies of life. After all, you’re doing life together—and helping each other through it, one step at a time.
