Morning walks - Just me and the road

There are two lifestyle practices I am known to advocate for, hydration and walking everywhere.

Today, I want to share about walking.

I have been walking for a long time, long walks, mostly 1hr +.

I blame and thank this to growing up in the village, we walked often and walked long distances, to visit family and get access to different things eg shopping centers or hospitals, even schools. That has since changed in the village as the transport system has improved including having accessible bodabodas.

And now in city life, I made sure to keep this up.

Since 2020, with COVID-19 and the transition to working from home, I made a deliberate choice to replace my commuting time with morning walks. Since then, I've faithfully kept up this routine, typically walking for an hour on weekdays without fail.

And this has come with immense benefits, physically and mentally.

From moving my body to clearing my mind, having time to think device-free, connecting with others as sometimes I walk with whoever is staying with me, and basking in the morning sun which always sets a positive tone for the day.

I have also been influencing friends to do the same.

We should all be walking more, there’s so much fulfillment I have gained from the walks and I want others to move and walk more, or run or jog, especially in the morning. Be outside and engage with their community and surroundings.

Here are some observations and things I have picked up:

• I get to experience the weather, in all different forms, from cold mornings, sometimes rain and drizzle, other times warm mornings.

• I get to see the sunrise, which never fails to amaze me.

• Listen to the sounds of my neighborhood, most times, as I walk near the road it’s noise from the hooting matatus, though I have another section where I get to observe and listen to people wake up and go around their morning activities.

• Observing the rhythm of life, from commuters heading to work, and kids going to school, and seeing the hustle and bustle of people’s morning routine.

• Interacting with other walkers, runners, and cyclists, creates a sense of community.

• Breathe in and feel the fresh air.

• Slow mornings, observing, listening, smelling. I get to engage other senses before the digital stimulation that is our current reality.

• This habit has changed my evening routine for the better, need to sleep early so I can hit the road early in the morning.

Looking forward to doing this forever! Honestly, walking is literary a love of my life, a religion, a lifestyle I deeply cherish.