In Bella Vista, Women Run Arkansas is entering its second year, but the name isn't completely accurate, leader Danita Maloy said. While they are affiliated with the statewide group that is dedicated to beginning female runners, locally the group is all walkers but not all women. Several men have been involved as well.
There are running clinics in nearby Bentonville, Maloy explained, so she and co-leader Carol Johnson decided to concentrate on walkers. Last year, they had 181 people participate in clinics, she said, almost all of them were walkers.
They also decided to concentrate on two locations; Lake Bella Vista and Loch Lomond Dam. Three or four small groups meeting at each location. Everyone begins at 9 a.m., she said. Lake Bella Vista is Monday and Thursday. Loch Lomond is Tuesday and Friday.
The small groups include one for health challenged walkers, and three for different distances; one mile, two miles and three miles. Both locations have a paved trail that is relatively flat, Maloy said.
Each group will have several different leaders, she said. Because people in Bella Vista are so busy, it's difficult to find enough people to commit to the entire ten weeks, so she trained several different people to lead groups for two or four weeks. The leadership changes will add variety to the program and keep walkers interested, she said.
Although the 10-week program started on March 2, Maloy said walkers can join anytime. There is no fee to participate.
"Walking is a fitness exercise, a conditioning exercise that lowers blood pressure, reduces weight, and is good for your heart ... it's free. It's easy," she said.
While people can walk by themselves, it can be easier with a group, Maloy said. "When you're walking by yourself, it doesn't go as fast. You think about how hard it is. When you're with others -- it makes the whole thing much easier," she said.
Last year, Ann Coghlan was using a cane when she joined the one-mile group. At 53, she had already had two hip replacements and was being treated for high blood pressure and diabetes. The first time she tried to walk, she wasn't sure she would make it around Lake Bella Vista.
"The leaders were so nice," she remembered, "They said it wasn't a race. It was about health. They stayed with me and distracted me by pointing out the scenery."
Eventually she made it around.
"It was the best feeling in the world," she said. It felt so good, that she went back the next day and ended up walking with several groups.
"It became an addiction," she said, "I wanted to go even if it was raining."
By the time the 10-week program was over, Coghlan had incorporated walking into her way of life.
About that same time, she also joined a TOPS group. TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly and offers support for all kinds of weight-loss programs, she explained. Several of the women who walked with her were also in TOPS.
Between the walking clinics and TOPS, Coghlan lost 73 pounds in the last year and still loves to walk. Although her hip replacements limit her to fairly level surfaces, she can walk much longer and much faster than a year ago.
Her husband, Darrel, one of the men in this year's clinic, lost 80 pounds.
"It's all about health," she said, "If you don't have your health, you don't have anything."
The Women Run Arkansas program finishes with a 5K in Conway where the program has its headquarters.
Maloy is hoping to organize a Bella Vista contingent to travel to Conway for the final walk. But first, she'll ask everyone to walk one last time at Lake Bella Vista on May 2 when she will pass out attendance awards.
General News on 03/25/2015