No pain, many gains: Meet the Reed’s Crossing Walking Club

A simple yet powerful way to incorporate physical activity into your daily life, walking has been shown to improve heart health, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve balance and coordination. It can boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function, including memory and sleep. Plus, walking is a great way to burn calories, making it an accessible and effective form of exercise for all ages and fitness levels. 

Recently, we had the pleasure of chatting with members of the Reed's Crossing Walking Club in Hillsboro, Oregon. This active group of residents gathers every week to enjoy the outdoors, socialize, and stay fit, all while exploring the beautiful outdoor spaces our community has to offer. Read on to learn more about the club’s founders, Chris and Deepak, as they share what inspires them, their favorite walking routes, and the importance of fostering community.

What inspired you to start a walking club at Reed’s Crossing?

There had been some idle talk about getting a walking/running group together, and finally last December Deepak and I said, “Let’s actually pick a day and a time, and see if this can help us maintain or gain some fitness.” It also seemed like a great way to meet our neighbors.

How many people are in the club? Are pets allowed? 

Our standard group ranges between 5 to 10 people; there’s a lot of variability depending on people’s work and schedules. And pets are definitely allowed—Deepak often runs with his pupper, who’s the official group mascot!

How often do you meet? How long is your typical walk?

Our scheduled walk/run is Tuesday nights at 6 pm, though sometimes people will decide to meet up on different days, as well. The standard lap we do around the community is 2.1 miles, so the whole thing tends to vary from 2 to 4 miles.

Have you always enjoyed walking, or is this a new hobby?

I’ve always enjoyed jogging, so this was a really good way to get back into it after an injury layoff.

Has the club grown since it started? How did people find out about it? 

The group numbers wax and wane; for our first meetup we had about 10 people, and then in the winter it averaged between 4 to 7 people. Generally, people have found out about the club either via the community Discord or word of mouth from someone who’s in the group.

Have you found it easy to meet new people in Reed’s Crossing? 

There are enough community events that even someone like me, who isn’t super extroverted, can find a group that matches their interests and meet their neighbors.

How does it feel knowing you have a support system right in your neighborhood?

It’s huge knowing there are people right around the corner (figuratively and literally) that can help out if the need arises. A lot of people bring friends to do the walks/runs, so the group is a healthy mix of existing friendships and new ones.

Does the club have a favorite park or walking route?

We do a figure eight lap on one side of the neighborhood as our standard route, though we’ll sometimes head outside of the neighborhood as well, depending on the group and how far we feel like going.

Have you heard about any other clubs at Reed's Crossing?

I’ve heard about a few different ones—there’s no shortage of groups here!

How has the club enriched your life? 

It’s definitely helped a ton with the motivation to exercise more often, on top of our usual Tuesday get-together. You don’t want to be the person who isn’t showing improvement within the group, but at the same time everyone is super supportive of each other. This group exists for anyone, of all abilities—if you’re just starting your fitness journey, come on out and walk with us. If you’re looking for some motivation to get out the door, regardless of what your pace is, come join us.

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