Westfield Annapolis Mall Walkers

When I woke up and heard the wind howling through the trees, I sent up a prayer of thanks for my editor — not just because she is so easy to work with, but because my assignment for the day was inside at Westfield Annapolis mall. Spending some time talking to mall walkers would allow me to avoid the 30-degree temperature and the blasting wind. Still, I wondered whether the walkers would welcome me into their morning fitness routine and allow me to learn more about what motivates them. 

All of the walkers I approached welcomed me to walk with them. I walked with and spoke with dozens of walkers and learned something I should have already guessed. Walkers, like runners, are a diverse group.

One 73-year-old lady incorporated mall walking into her daily routine 20 years ago and told me that it is less about getting in shape and more about living a healthy lifestyle. I met at least one mall walker who is walking at the mall as a safe way to recover from a serious foot injury, while others are walking as a way to lose weight and get fit. Many said they do it for the social aspect. 

Dale Dawes had the most interesting reason for starting a walking program. She and her husband are planning a trip to China and she wanted to be prepared for climbing the steps of the Great Wall. She started walking with a goal of completing 90 minutes non-stop and, within months, met her goal. Better yet, she combined her quest to get in shape with a daily meeting with her friend, Peggy Christman.

I expected I might get a little bit of a workout as I literally chased down this story, what I did not expect was the amount of laughing I would do. Peggy and Dale stood out immediately among the more conservative mall walkers. With snowflake headwear fashioned from pipe cleaners, they would have stood out in any crowd. Even without the headwear, these two stand out for the fun they seem to have the entire time they are walking. Going back to my recording of our conversation, I am struck by how often our voices were covered by Peggy's infectious laugh.

Peggy and Dale, like many of the walkers I met, vary their walking routine. They walk outside in their neighborhood or on the local trails, coming in only when the weather turns cold or nasty. However, many people walk in the mall year round.

A group of men who first met at Heritage Baptist Church in Annapolis began walking at the mall eight years ago when they all fell into retirement at the same time. Walking the mall exclusively allows the group to meet up at different points throughout the mall, get in a quick walk and end with a cup of coffee before heading out into the real world.

When I left my house this morning, I expected to find a handful of walkers with fanny packs and velour sweatsuits, older women puttering slowly through the mall, calling it exercise. Instead, I met dozens of walkers, walking briskly through the mall, taking their fitness routine seriously. Many people use the weather as an excuse to stay inside, skipping their workout routines. However, these mall walkers have not only found a way to stay fit during the cold months in a safe, welcoming environment and often with friends.