I come from a family of fast walkers.
My paternal grandfather, who died before I was born, was the principal of a small elementary school in rural Middle Tennessee. He walked several miles to his schoolhouse every day at such a fast pace that people thought it was strangely amusing.
My mother, who died in 2006, was a fast walker, too. In her later years, she put in laps every weekday inside the mall in our hometown, striding past J.C. Penney and Sears while eating chocolate bars for energy.
During the last year, COVID isolation has activated my walking genes – not to be confused with my walking jeans, which are also getting a good workout.
Most days I get in my 10,000 steps, the theoretical magic threshold for good health. I always thought that was such a round number that it must be contrived, and I was right. A recent study showed that 7,500 steps a day is just as good.