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Walking in Mariemont - Part Two By Kristin Kalsem Please enjoy this second installment of our Walking in Mariemont series. If you missed the first part, you can read it in the April edition of the Town Crier. Hard copies are available at the Mariemont Library as well as most businesses in The Promenade and The Square. You can also view all issues on the Town Crier Facebook page. “I walk: I prefer walking.” Jane Austen, Persuasion When I ask my two terriers if they want to go on a walk, they go nuts—twirling around in happy circles, racing over to their leashes, wagging their tails, and barking until we head out the door. While I don’t literally jump for joy as they do, the truth is that the thought of a long walk on a bright sunny day excites me in the same way. In 2013, I was invited to walk The Cotswold Way in England with a friend. Loving everything British, I immediately accepted, but soon realized that I was going to have to up my walking game. It would take preparation to ready my feet, body, and mind to traipse over hill and dale for many miles each day, for ten days in row. Luckily, I live in Mariemont, which is not only a walking community but a community of walkers. I was able to walk on trails, through the woods, and on low traffic streets--alone, with my dogs, or in the company of friends. Since that time, walking has become one of my favorite things to do. During the summers, I walk national trails and hiking paths, mostly in England, but I have also walked in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Spain, Italy, and New Zealand. The rest of the year I enjoy trails in the Great Parks of Hamilton County; Cincinnati Parks like Ault and French; and nearby California Woods and Withrow Nature Preserves. But most of my
Ann Foran and Leslie Pennell miles are logged right here in Mariemont, with no need to travel to find charm and natural beauty. So why am I hooked on walking? Because I love how it makes me feel—a sentiment echoed by so many Mariemont walkers. The Pennell family, for example, is a walking family. For years, it was difficult to go anywhere in Mariemont at any time of day without catching sight of Leslie, Mark, or one their three children out walking–usually with a Corgi or two in tow. Leslie enjoys walking every day because “the combination of fresh air and exercise is good for my body and soul.” And research backs that up! Walking is
beneficial to physical health in so many ways. Among other things, it can boost immunity, enhance sleep, increase metabolism (which burns calories and prevents muscle loss), lessen joint pain, and improve digestion. It also has been found to reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. But it’s that soul part--those mental, spiritual, and communal benefits—that so many walkers emphasize. Leslie takes long walks to clear her mind, and Shelley Reed finds it calming to walk with her dog Sam at dusk when the colors of the sky are so striking. Laura Gerberick is grateful to her restless dog Bear because she feels so refreshed when she takes Cont'd on page 4