Walk For A Change

We can't say we specialize in changing behavior without being able to do it ourselves. After the endless french fry lunches and most of us complaining about our thighs, our print production manager came up with the great idea to go walking at lunch! It was a New Year and many of us had some health-related resolutions like losing a dress size or two. Excitement grew as we stared down at a few empty plates of fries…walking suddenly turned into running a half-marathons which quickly turned back into walking 30 minutes at lunch. Everyone decided Monday, we’d bring in our sneakers.

Monday came and two people brought their sneakers and everyone else forgot. On Tuesday, all of us brought our kicks and we shut the phones off (unprecedented) and hit the streets in one big lounge (scientific term for a group of lizards). Our company president led the pack and the rest of us kept up with determination and intensity. (Cue theme song from Chariots of Fire)

That first day we battled some dicey conditions. It was HOT for San Diego in January…the thermometer was toying with 75 degrees. I think accounts payable almost passed out. No one brought water and we were seeing stars. Our lounge ended up looking more like a line, spread out along Scranton Road. Then we saw it...

Gasp! It was a hill. Most of us were relieved we changed into our “2002 Help the Homeless” walkathon t-shirt and/or old soccer shorts from college. The hill was no stroll. This was an obstacle, we would tackle head-on, together. The more in-shape of the group decided to pull a Jennifer Aniston and run up the hill backwards. Cheering the rest of us on. Some people bowed out before the hill and went back to the office offering to pick up a “healthy” lunch. The rest of us, climbed that hill, motivating one another and smiling just because we were outside, breaking up the day with some sunshine and exercise.

We go walking almost everyday now. The people who turned around and went back the first day now try to walk further and further each time, slowly building up the strength to go the entire 30 minutes. It’s great to see your co-workers as people in t-shirts and sneakers (bright red in Marcia’s case). Forgetting everything back at the office and taking a mental break and really REALLY talking to each other.

Productivity has improved. People are more motivated and we have changed because of that positive first experience. Everyone is getting a lot out of the walks. We are almost into February and we are sticking to our resolutions (although I did eat fries today).