By Staff
With more and more participants on the "Shapeup" bandwagon, everyone is thinking about their own personal goals.  What can they truly hope to accomplish in 90 days? Well how about entering the Brewton Area YMCA and Smurfit-Stone 5K Run/Walk for Health and One Mile Fun Run/Walk.  What a wonderful opportunity to strut your stuff and show off a happier, healthier you.  
So let's talk a little about the value of walking.  Walking was the fitness activity of the 90s and has continued in popularity in the 2000s.  Here are the top 10 reasons to walk according to Reebok, a national fitness organization:
Top 10 Reasons to Walk
10. Walking increase feelings of well-being.
9. Physicians recommend walking more often than any other fitness activity.
8. Walking is one of the safest activities around.
7. A walking program has positive effects on one's health.  It can lower body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, LDL and body fat.  It can also increase HDL and bone mineral content.
6. Walking is great for people with chronic diseases (diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, arthritis, cancer) as well as special conditions such as
pregnancy.
5. Walking is a low-impact activity that you can do anytime, anyplace and in any weather.
4. Walking requires no special equipment. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes.
3. Walking improves fitness a much as running and step aerobics with a lot fewer injuries.
2. Walking is an excellent fat burning activity.  A walker striding 12 minutes per mile will burn the same number of calories as a runner pounding along at nine minutes per mile.
And the number one reason to walk – Almost anyone can walk!
Remember this is a run/walk for health.  There will be awards in all age categories, but everyone will get a great t-shirt, refreshments, fellowship, and the possibility of a cool door prize.  
So mark your calendars now. Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8:30 a.m.
Registration dates are from Oct. 1 to 29. Look for our yellow registration packets throughout the community. Cost is a mere $12 per person.  The course itself will begin and end at the Brewton Area YMCA and proceed through the neighborhood.  It is a fairly flat course with mostly paved roads.  It will be well marked with orange cones and arrows.  
We are recruiting for volunteers to assist the walker and runner throughout the neighborhood.  Get your group together and start your own walking/running program today.  Remember, our new "Walk Free" class on Mondays from 7 to 8 p.m. is open to all YMCA members.  
With more than 77 million Americans walking for fitness, why not see if it is the right exercise for you. So set your fitness goal today, commit to participating in the 5K Run/Walk for Health or the One Mile Fun Run/Walk.  For more info on this race or any of the fitness programs offered by the Brewton Area YMCA, call me at 867-9622.
Janet Peterman is a personal trainer at the Brewton YMCA. She can be reached at 867-9622 (YMCA).