Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

If you're anything like me, making time to exercise isn't always the first thing on your list.  I've learned to carve out time in my week for yoga classes, wellll, most weeks.  I've even hit the exercise bike and finally tried out the treadmill for the first time last month.  Once I got used to it, I realized that the treadmill may very well be right up my alley. 

Even though the gals on all sides of me are trotting along with their perfect runners' forms and the great physiques to show it, I'm content to just chug along at a good walk.  Walking is something we have to do to get just about anywhere, so we might as well make the most of it and call it "a workout", right?

Did you know that if you enjoy walking enough you can actually join in marathons?  Who knew?  Not me, that's for sure.  I thought marathons and their almost as intimidating little brothers, half-marathons, were for avid runners only.  (At which point we revisit the fact that I don't run unless I'm being chased or chasing my own child.  Hence, I rarely run.  heh heh)

Anyway, if you're up for it, you can not only compete in marathons, you can journey around the world to do it!  According to Walk About magazine, there are walking marathons all over the globe.  Don't believe me?  Check these out:

• Big Sur International Marathon
• Beaverton, OR, Pumpkin Caper 5K
• Portland, OR Marathon
• New Las Vegas Marathon
• Great Wall of China Marathon
• Vancouver, B.C., International Marathon

The most amazing part is that these are only a few of the many walking marathons and half-marathons listed!  Not ready to hit the road quite that far?  Try doing an online search focused on walking marathons in your neck of the woods instead, then work your way up.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll chalk up enough air miles that you can earn that flight to Beijing!