#LoveWalking®

Sue Rawkins, 67, Geelong:

Sue Rawkins now loves finding art in her local streets. Sue Rawkins now loves finding art in her local streets. Photo: Steve Howell

Sue follows Victoria Walks on Facebook. Prior to Covid-19 lockdowns, Sue was a self-confessed 'couch potato' who only left home in her car. She commented that the Covid pandemic prompted a change

Here is Sue's #LoveWalking story:

I am a performer and I love to dance, but I don’t do the things people think of as ‘exercise’, like walking up mountains. I’m not a particularly ‘fit’ person and I never used to walk. I used my car for everything.

When Covid hit, we only had that one-hour window to go outside. It did not bother me much at first. I thought ‘I will just sit on the couch’. But I went a bit stir crazy. So I decided one day 'I will walk around the block’.

I did not know how far I could walk, so I stepped outside, I started walking and discovered a little alleyway. I wanted to see what was down the alleyway. Because of Covid, I didn’t want to encounter people and so alleyways appealed to me. I started looking at the wooden fences I was walking past, and I saw faces in knots in the wood. I started seeing patterns in things.

I’m an artist and designer - a visual person.
I took a few pictures. I kept walking and continued around the block, seeing birds and flowers. It was so enjoyable. I was proud that I made it right around the block. I posted the photos on Facebook, and it became a big hit with my friends. I called these posts ‘My iso strolls’. It has become my thing now. I can’t do without my daily walk. I have to walk every day so I can keep my audience entertained with my funny pictures. 

I don’t know how far I walk. Perhaps I should get a step counter. I just wander about. I stroll so I can notice things. Sometimes I wander for an hour, other times just a quick 10 minutes. But I have become a lot fitter now because of my daily walks.

I look forward to days when it’s not too hot – I just can’t go out in this sun (I'm from England originally!)  I’ve discovered all the great walks along the Barwon River too. Sometimes I drive out into the country to look at a lake.

The furthest I walked in one go was 4km – that nearly killed me! Now I know my limit, and I am comfortable with that.

Feel inspired to get outside and smell the roses?

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