Interruptions to my morning walk are increasing.

I love my morning walk. Since several years I and my wife go for half an hour walk at the nearby Parade grounds. We start from the house at 5:30 A.M. by car and reach the Parade grounds in about seven minutes and after the walk we return home by 6:20 A.M. This schedule is now getting affected very often. Heavy rains in the recent past were one reason and then a sprain in my left leg prevented me from going on these walks for few weeks. Then last week we missed our walk for few days due to Deepavali festival-related activities. And today my wife is going to Bangalore with her sisters and brother for three days to attend a marriage and I do not like to go for the walk alone.

Otherwise we normally stick to our walking schedule for six days every week. Occasional skips would be due to previous evening parties, movies or fatigue or some early morning engagements of that day. Even when the Parade grounds are closed for the walkers during Republic Day and Independence Day rehearsal parades and celebrations, Military events and exercises or let out for cultural, commercial events and political rallies we do not miss our walking routine. On these days we walk at Sanjeevaiah Park, which is almost the same distance from our house as Parade grounds. Then there is a Treadmill in the house but I do not consider it equivalent to the early morning outdoors walk at Parade grounds or at Sanjeevaiah Park.

I find the outdoors morning walk relaxing and refreshing. The benefits of walking are plenty. It is the easiest form of exercise with many advantages. It improves muscular fitness, ensures optimum blood flow and adds to the improvement of lung and heart performance. At that early hour there are not many people at the ground and it is very quiet. There is always a fresh strong breeze mostly along one stretch of the ground. Then depending on the season we get to enjoy seeing the Moon vanish and the Sun rise with the sky in different colors and formations. When the advantages and the pleasure of such a routine are so many I think I should try hard not to miss this important morning schedule. And I advise the same to you.