Walking the halls: High schools let club members get their exercise indoors

View larger image The Indoor Walking Group meets at Strasburg High School on weekdays at 8:30 a.m. to use the halls as a place to get exercise out of the cold. Rich Cooley/Daily Recommend This Print This Get E-mail News Alerts Buy Photos/Page Reprints * Breaking News If local news is breaking and you know about it: * Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos View larger image Freda Palmer, left, and Linda Bott walk the hallways of Strasburg High School on a recent morning. Rich Cooley/Daily

By Josette Keelor -- jkeelor@nvdaily.com
It can be difficult to find time to exercise during any time of the year, but with long hours of dark and cold as a deterrent, wintertime fitness often takes a back seat to other responsibilities.

For residents who need a location to wear out their walking shoes, Shenandoah Parks and Recreation Department has the answer. Its indoor walking program offers an alternative to walking outside in the cold by making use of high school hallways around the county.

Steven D. Wood, recreation program coordinator for the department, hopes that residents will not let winter weather dampen their workout program.

Strasburg High School, Central High School in Woodstock and Stonewall Jackson High School in Quicksburg opened their halls to community residents on Dec. 6 for the Indoor Walking Group's second year.

"There's no charge, no fee," said Wood. "All we do ask is that they [walkers] be sure to go by the main office ... and pick up a visitor's pass."

Having taken over heading the program in its second year, Wood says it mostly benefits area adults who would have to alter their outdoor walking schedule because of bad weather.

"You always see people walking around [outside]," he said. He figures during the winter many of them probably don't want to walk outside.

Judging by the number of program participants so far, he could be right.

Strasburg and Central highs have seen consistent numbers since the program started, say school employees. Linda Bott of Strasburg and Freda Palmer of Clary walk at Strasburg High every morning. Central routinely sees the same three or four walkers in its halls, and Stonewall Jackson, where the staff normally expects six to eight people, had 10 walkers on the last day of school before the winter holiday break.

"That's more than I've ever had," said Sherrie Whetzel, a secretary at the school.

"And they just started walking this year," said Caroll Douglas, 61, who walks with her husband Jim, 62. They walked with the program last year too but said the participants they have encountered this season are new recruits.

"My wife said, 'Hey, let's get walking,'" Douglas said, remembering how last year the couple were preparing for a trip to Italy when they would need a lot of energy for their travels. They walk outside on warmer days.

Indoor walkers enjoy the companionship of exercising with friends, but they also enjoy the routine, knowing that rain or sleet or dark of night will not prevent them from striving toward their fitness goals.

Only a school closing halts walkers in their tracks, so participants should keep an eye on school announcements.

At Stonewall Jackson, the hallway route is 101⁄2 laps per mile, Douglas said, "So it's very, very easy for us to walk and stay warm." He and his wife say the time passes quickly too, with another couple joining them each day.

"Beginning walkers particularly would benefit," Douglas said, explaining that the floor is level, so it's easy on the legs. Also, there's no risk of wearing out and having to walk back to where you started.

"If you get four laps in and you're tired, you're not four laps from home," he said. "You walk as many laps as you want."

"It's better than walking on a treadmill," said Bott, 59, who walks with Palmer for about 40 minutes each day. "It's great, and tell them that they can join us," she added of others interested in the program.

"The more the merrier," Palmer, 60, agreed.

During the warmer months Palmer walks either on her treadmill at home or outside with Bott. She enjoys walking through the hall around the gym at Strasburg High, though.

"The kids keep us entertained," she said, indicating a few students moving through the halls on the recent morning.

"And it's warm in here," Bott said.