Rambling to Stronger - JT's Tales From The Trail

Jill Thomas is a rambler, traveler, and storyteller with a big laugh who thinks its funny how life leads you right where you need to be, however the roundabout path.

I've spent my life resolving to 'get fit,' being highly motivated to shed pounds from my perennially chubby body. Jogging has been my go-to exercise for most of my life. 

I first started running regularly when my 10th-grade Social Studies teacher issued me a detention for a well-aimed spitball. Students avoided detentions in Mr.Taylor's class because he coached cross-country running, and on practice days, his class delinquents were required to run with the team. 

I likely surprised Coach Taylor by enjoying my detention. Afterward, I joined his team and ran cross country for the rest of high school. Today, I'm grateful for that well-timed spitball and insightful teacher.

I enjoyed jogging for many decades but was on and off consistent in my efforts. Many times, I resolved to train for and complete a marathon. However, the closest I ever came was finishing a nine-mile race shortly before I turned 50. However, I felt so awful at the finish line that I lost my resolve to run further than that. 

In short, my commitment to exercise has waxed and waned over the decades - likely because I was motivated primarily by getting thin (a goal that proved patently impossible to achieve). 

Nonetheless, I've always loved being active when it feels like play. I adore the outdoors and enjoy skiing, hiking, biking, and kayaking. I rarely pass on opportunities to partake in these activities, and when I was younger, my fitness level wasn't an impediment. 

In my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I could go months without exercising and then spend a day skiing aggressively with little consequence—the beauty of being in a young body. However, that changed a few years back. I realized this undeniable fact while visiting my dear friend and fellow Sole Sister Rambler Founder Jane Witherspoon in Panama (where she was living at the time).

During my visit, Jane invited me on a hike with her local hiking group in the Panamanian rainforest. The hikers, the waterfalls, and the botany (especially the botany) were terrific, but my rambling abilities were lacking. I struggled with the steep, muddy, and root-ridden trails and lacked the stamina and balance to keep up with the group, most of whom were quite a lot older than me.

I was so exhausted at the end of the day that I had a spectacular fall - the kind of tumble that causes your companions to hold their breath, momentarily wondering if they should summon an ambulance. I landed on my butt with a loud thud and slept with an ice pack in my underwear for a week.

The experience highlighted that I was officially out of shape, and I knew that if I didn't do something about it, the day would soon arrive when I could no longer do these kinds of activities at all. It highlighted I needed to do a better job of maintaining my base fitness level and finally had a more compelling motivation than thinness. 

During that month in Panama, I pushed myself to the limit with multiple strenuous jungle hikes and long beach walks. Many of these were with women who are now Sole Sisters, their company and inspiration underpinning the creation of this community.

When I returned, it was winter, dark early, and cold in my home in northern Florida, but Jane and I resolved to keep up with our rambling and train for a Camino with a virtual walking challenge. We respectively completed the 420-mile challenge in two months. We were hooked! 

My hubby Stormy joined me, and we wandered our dark, quiet beach neighborhood at night, sometimes with a cocktail in hand. We'd stop and sit on the sand in coats and ski hats. It was glorious. It felt like playing, and we made it a habit. Jane, meanwhile, hiked her Panamanian jungle trails, arguing (rightfully) that the challenge was inherently unfair because one of her miles required the same effort as five of mine.

Difficulty aside, my miles increased gradually from one or two a day to five or so, and today, a brisk five-mile walk feels like a leisurely stroll while I enjoy 10-milers regularly.

Jane and I decided to do more challenges and invited more friends to join us, and our little group grew. We posted our daily miles with a picture in an online chat, which created and deepened friendships by providing a platform for more frequent contact and sharing. We quickly came to love our little rambling group, and this is how Sole Sister Ramblers got started!

Now, three years later, I don't regard rambling as an exercise (even though it is). For me, rambling is a healthy addiction I crave. I plan my days around long walks (another joy of midlife and beyond is having time to ramble for hours).

I find walking to be more bodily accessible (easier on my joints) and more fun than jogging. I don't dread it, so I don't avoid it, and the increase in consistency has improved my fitness levels. I never used to like walking alone. Now, it is one of the most pleasurable things in my day.

And . . . rambling is slowly changing my body. A year into it, I was shocked to find hard muscles popping out of my calves, and the number on the scale is slowly creeping down instead of up (for the first time in a long time). I feel fitter than I have in years. 

Hard calves, however, are not the critical thing here. I love walking because it creates space for relationship-building and exploration. Also, when walking, it feels natural to stop and explore or take pictures. Such simple but profound joy! 

Rambling has changed how I regard exercise. I no longer believe that pushing oneself to the limit is necessary or practical for most people. I have also abandoned the idea of no pain = no gain, which is increasingly less feasible as we age.

So, my Sole Sisters, I am here to urge you to consider that midlife and beyond is an excellent time to start enjoying the benefits of moderate exercise, especially a daily walk! Let’s ramble!

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