My 5 Favorite Walking Things
I walked 10,000 steps a day with my fictional characters while writing both The Wildwater Walking Club and The Wildwater Walking Club: Back on Track. Along with Noreen, Rosie and Tess, I discovered and rediscovered that it’s not about the vanity, it’s about the sanity. Whatever is or isn’t happening in our lives, walking ALWAYS helps.
As I logged my miles, I also discovered some new favorite walking things you might want to check out.
[image error]1. Each chapter in both books starts with a daily step count. At first I just thought it would be a fun thing to do instead of numbering the chapters in the traditional way. But very quickly I discovered what a difference a simple thing like counting steps can make in terms of fitness motivation. Reaching that daily step quota is enough to make me hit the streets again after dinner, or walk in place in front of the TV. It’s kind of magic.
But, while I’m a big fan of technology, I also realized that sometimes less is more in our overloaded lives. I don’t really want my fitness tracker monitoring the quality and quantity of my sleep. I don’t want texts beeping in to my wrist. I just want to know when I hit 10,000 steps. Period.
I tried everything from pedometers to high end fitness trackers while writing these books. I’ve circled my way back to this basic Fitbit Flex. It lets me know when I’ve hit my daily steps, and then it pretty much leaves me alone!
2. I also love that you can buy inexpensive replacement bands for the Fitbit Flex that come in every color you can imagine. It must be a carryover from playing dress up as a child a gazillion years ago, because for some crazy reason I find these almost as motivating as counting steps!
3. I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the hunt for a better walking shoe. I’ve had good luck with Asics, but whenever I find myself putting in some extra miles and want something that gives me a little more support, I go back to one made by Saucony. It’s called the Grid Omni Walker. Obviously our feet are all different, but I’m really happy with it, so if you’re looking for a new walking shoe, it might be worth checking out.
4. A bigger challenge for me has been finding a slightly fancier shoe that I can walk all day in. I discovered the Jambu Charley, wore them on my research trip to Provence for The Wildwater Walking Club: Back on Track, and they never once let me down. So comfortable! They come in lots of styles and colors, but this is the one I chose—and yes, one of my Fitbit Flex bands matches them perfectly!
5. I found a water bottle I like that has its own water filter and is BPA-free. It’s easy to pack when I’m traveling, and it also comes in especially handy then because I don’t have to spend time or money trying to hunt down a place to buy bottled water. It’s called the Brita Sport Water Bottle and I’m glad I found it.
Okay, that’s it for now!
Shine on!
xxxxxClaire
Claire Cook wrote her first novel in her minivan when she was 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the adaptation of her second novel, Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, which has become a 5-book series. Claire is the now the New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of 17 books as well as a sought after reinvention speaker. Read excerpts and find out more at ClaireCook.com. Be the first to hear about new releases, giveaways, and insider extras at ClaireCook.com/newsletter.
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