We have all read countless articles about how running and other forms of exercise have tremendous health benefits. There is no doubt that it is all true, with very few skeptics at best. Running in moderation and consistently practiced can improve your overall health. If you haven't started - try it.
However, there is one benefit that is seldom mentioned and only runners and walkers can appreciate it. That benefit is that runners and walkers alike get to "see where they live" in a different way than do their neighbors. They get to see things that they may have never seen before by running and walking in their community.
As our busy lives cause us to zoom around roads and highways of our various communities, rushing our lives away in our cars we never get an appreciation for where we actually live. I am sure there are people who have lived in one place for 30 years and may have never really have seen or gotten to know where they live in the same way as someone who runs or walks regularly.
By running and walking along the roads, pathways and trails in our neighborhoods we would see our towns and cities in a different light. Think about the different experiences you may take notice of; now we see a birds nest in a corner lot tree, a house with kids playing, the sounds of dogs barking, a lady reading on the front porch. Running and walking in the open allows us to experience the sights and sounds of life outside our house walls, cars, and buildings where we work.
The beauty of experiencing your neighborhood or community is that regardless of the season you are in, you can experience different things. In the winter you may notice a building normally tucked away behind some trees but now visible through the trees that have lost their leaves. In the spring time you may notice when the spring flowers actually start to sprout. During the summer you may notice new neighbors who moved in and are now out playing with their children. Finally in fall you may notice the movement of animals such as deer. The list could be exhaustive of the number of experiences you would enjoy by running and walking.
So, whether the current season is winter, spring, summer or fall take the time to take notice of where you live by experiencing firsthand the community you live in by taking a run or a walk and you will be pleasantly surprised at what you see.