Walking Clubs: How it started vs how it’s going
More than a month ago, Joe Walker launched the Walking Clubs which were set up to bring together people from all walks of life, interested in walking as a lifestyle or as a form of physical exercise within their neighborhoods. Filder Kobugabe shares her experience so far.
I started my journey of walking, around early June when preparing for the 45-kilometre walk. Before that, I had taken almost a year without jogging or doing any type of exercise, which was not good. I was really unfit. By the time I joined the Joe Walker community, I had weighed myself and discovered that I was almost hitting 100 kilograms (98kgs). That’s when I realized that I needed to start exercising or risk becoming obese.
Short walks
I started by doing five kilometres every day. After that, I increased to 10 kilometres while walking at my own pace. What mattered was consistency. By the time we walked the 45 kilometres, which was on the 17th of June 2023, I was a little bit fit and that was my target.
I managed to walk for 15 kilometers but I felt tired after walking this journey. The members I was walking with left us behind which demoralized me a bit. Along the way, I ended up cheating by getting onto a boda to catch up with them. Fortunately, I found when they were resting [in Bugoloobi].
I did some stretches, took coffee, water, and rested. I managed to walk another 15 kilometres after the coffee break. That day, I walked 30 kilometres, but my whole body was so tired and my legs were not moving anymore… I remember some guys pulling me up, on the hills. I never wanted my members to leave me, so I had to hold someone’s hand in order to climb Green Hill, which I finished.
After our lunch, I walked for five more kilometres at my own pace to cut the food and go home.
Life after 45km Walk
After walking the 45 kilometers, we got body pains. The next day we had to do some massage, played football, and ran around just to recover. After a week, Joe called and asked us to join him for a 15km recovery walk. My pace had not really increased that much but every Friday we went back for another 15-kilometre walk.
My target in June was to be fit, but in July it was to cut weight.
Setting targets
In July, they asked us to set targets and my target was to walk 150 kilometres in that month. I divided my kilometres (10 kilometres a day), which I managed to complete constantly.
Whenever we reached the hill, they would leave me because I was still unfit. My heart was beating very fast, I could not really calm myself and I was so heavy.
Improvements
On the other days when I was with the Joe Walkers, I would walk on my own to keep practicing the speed and the pace so that I could catch up with them the next Friday. I was so consistent and I was trying to achieve my target. My target in June was to be fit, but in July it was to cut weight. By the end of June, I was already fit; at least I could walk.
We are now in August. My target has increased to 200 kilometres, but so far I think I’m going to exceed it because we are just halfway the month and I’ve already achieved almost half or more than half of what I’m supposed to finish the whole month. I might find myself walking for 300 kilometers or 250, depending on how the month will end and how busy it gets.
When you exercise today, say it’s Friday, you can rest on Monday or add three more days consecutively.
Losing weight
I lost four kilogrammes in July and I have so far lost two kilos this month [August]. As I exercise, I also mind the food that I eat because I do 60% exercising and 40% dieting.
Basically, that has been the journey. I’m enjoying it and I love it.
