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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;At graduation ceremonies around the world, graduates will hear the tune, &amp;amp;#34;You&amp;amp;#39;ll Never Walk Alone,&amp;amp;#34; from &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Carousel&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Is that a promise or a curse? &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;What&amp;amp;#39;s so bad about walking alone? Here are reasons I sometimes enjoy walking alone.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;1. Pace: &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;It&amp;amp;#39;s impossible to really go your own pace when walking with somebody else. Larry Longlegs or Suzy Shortlegs can be a pain to try to match pace with.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;2. Getting together:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; It is hard to find a partner who is ready to walk when you are. Maybe I prefer mornings or after work or lunchtime, but any willing partner has an opposite preference. It gets expensive posting classified ads looking not for love but for a walking partner.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;3. Early, late, or never:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; So you make a date to walk with a partner -- and he shows up late, or doesn&amp;amp;#39;t show up. Your schedule gets blown and you don&amp;amp;#39;t get in the walking you planned to do. Sally Stressedout always arrives 15 minutes late with some heartbreaking excuse, expecting sympathy, while you&amp;amp;#39;ve been getting in your walking pacing the floor.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;4. The need for speed: &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;I want to build speed, but my walking partners don&amp;amp;#39;t want to racewalk. Or it may be a downer day and my walking partners have turned into racehorses. Ruthie Roadrunner or Sam Slug leave you in the dust or hold you back.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;5. Tough enough:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; I want to do some hills but my walking partner whines the whole way up or down, dreads the next hill, etc. Or maybe it&amp;amp;#39;s me doing the whining because my planned easy walk has turned into an Everest expedition. Wind, rain, sun, bugs, hills, dust, gravel, traffic are part of the walking experience -- get over it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;6. Going the distance: &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;I want to build distance to prepare for a long event, but my partners never want to do more than 10K. Not a problem -- unless you&amp;amp;#39;ve carpooled to where you plan to walk. Or the look they give you when you say you need to go another 5K and will do it alone.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;7. Event choices:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; I want to enter a charity walk but my partner thinks it is too expensive or too crowded. There is a great walking event held an hour away, but my walking partner has chores to do and just wants to walk the neighborhood....again.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;8. Chatter:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; Maybe I don&amp;amp;#39;t feel like talking, or like listening. It gets embarrassing if you &amp;amp;#34;zone out&amp;amp;#34; and then realize they are asking you for an opinion or advice on the tale you weren&amp;amp;#39;t really listening to. When doing a faster walk or hills, I usually don&amp;amp;#39;t feel like talking, I feel like breathing.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;9. Misery doesn&amp;amp;#39;t always love company:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; On long distance events or speed events, I don&amp;amp;#39;t want company, I am concentrating on my own form, my own endurance, my own needs. I don&amp;amp;#39;t need anybody else&amp;amp;#39;s misery intruding on my own.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;10. Eat, drink, and restroom:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; With a partner, deciding when and where to take a restroom break, drink, eat a snack or stop for a celebration meal on the way home becomes a matter of negotiation.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;When to Walk Alone&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;To get into a good walking habit, you need to keep to a walking schedule. Finding a partner with the same goals who is also able to keep a schedule is difficult. The result is that you will need to walk alone some days as your walking partner is busy, sick or vacationing.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Stick to Your Walking Schedule&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: It is important to accept that you will be walking solo sometimes, and keep to your walking schedule anyway if you wish to meet your goals -- fitness, weight control, speed, endurance.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A partner can keep you on track by showing up to walk, rain or shine, in sickness and in health. They can be a great motivator. But you only get the full benefit if you commit to yourself to walk alone on the days your partner is not available.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;The Benefits of Solo Walking&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Meet new people:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; I walked for years with my husband on &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/walking-with-the-ivv-worldwide-3436668&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;volkssport walks&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and never met anybody. When he got busy and I went alone, suddenly I began to make dozens of walking friends.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Explore your limits: &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Change your route on a whim. Go further and faster.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Listen to your own music: &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;If you simply must have some entertainment, plug in your favorite music player and enjoy music, podcasts or audiobooks. Or sing, play a flute or kazoo and be the entertainment.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Stop and shop, eat, drink, see a movie or a play along the route:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; I have spent 5 hours doing a 10K walk in Las Vegas, and made money along the way as I gambled! I&amp;amp;#39;ve shopped at garage sales, stores, farmers markets. I&amp;amp;#39;ve ducked into a cute little restaurant to enjoy on a whim. These can be difficult to negotiate when walking with a partner.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Solo Safety When Walking Alone&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Safety is a big reason for people to avoid walking alone. It is a very good reason -- your risk of stranger attack is greatly reduced by walking with a partner.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It is also important to avoid walking alone on forest trails where help may not be readily available in case of a health emergency. Falls, broken bones, bee attack, heart attack, stroke and heat sickness are all real dangers.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;To reduce the risks:&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Let Others Know&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Always leave notice of where you are going and when you are expected to return with a household member. If you live alone, leave a note.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Cell Phone&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Carry a cell phone to have handy for 911 and other minor emergencies. But don&amp;amp;#39;t be a distracted walker by making and taking calls while walking.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;First Aid Kit&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Carry a small &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/first-aid-kit-items-1298545&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;first aid kit&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Bee Sting Kit&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: If you are allergic to bees, carry your bee kit.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Dog&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Walk with a dog. The bad people would rather victimize somebody who doesn&amp;amp;#39;t have a dog likely to make noise or attack them.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Walking Stick or Walking Poles&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Carry a walking stick or &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/before-you-buy-fitness-walking-or-trekking-poles-3432912&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;walk with walking poles&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and know how to use them to ward off an attack. Simply having a stick may make you a less-appetizing target.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Weapons&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: If you choose to carry a weapon (including pepper spray), get training and adhere strictly to the laws of the area in which you are walking.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;When to Call 911&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;: Know the symptoms of health emergencies such as &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/warning-signs-of-heart-attack-and-stroke-for-walkers-3432467&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;heart attack&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/heat-exhaustion-symptoms-and-treatment-1298746&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;heat sickness&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and seek assistance immediately.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/reasons-to-walk-alone-3432483>