I didn't know that CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms existed until last Saturday. I found one that still had shares available. For the share price, I'll get a basket of locally-grown vegetables and fruit each week for 23 weeks, whatever they are growing. No need to grow my own garden (more like plant and watch die.) I'll be forced to find new recipes to use the variety of produce I'd never buy on my own. I'll finally get enough veggies into my diet. Our Local Foods Guide has good info on How to Join a CSA. If you got an Economic Stimulus check and were debating how to spend it, I'd suggest this is a great way to keep it local and do something good for your body and the planet.

I found one by searching for my zip code at LocalHarvest.org. For urban-dwellers, the CSA farm will often have a pick-up point at a local farmers market or other convenient site in town. We are almost into the growing season and many CSAs have already sold out their shares. But you may be lucky like I was, or be able to get onto a waiting list if more shares open up during the season.

I grew up in farm country, and about half of what I ate each day was grown in our garden or on Grandpa's farm, including the meat. But I'm a walker, not a gardener. I only seem to get to a farmers market when I'm in the middle of a long walk with limited carrying capacity. Yet I long to return to eating fresh local produce in season. Now, it will be easy!
Why Should You Eat Local Foods?
How to Eat Locally
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2000

Two studies published this week have good news for walking women - and motivation for all women to start walking and exercising. You can reduce your breast cancer risk by as much as 25% through regular moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking. One exciting study showed the risk reduction for developing breast cancer before menopause. The other showed that staying active after menopause reduced the risk through the rest of your life.
What is Moderate Intensity Exercise and How Much Should You Do?

The first Nike+ system in 2006 relied on the iPod nano for display and upload of data from an in-shoe sensor. Now, Nike is debutin the Nike+ Sportband: You no longer need an iPod nano, and you can view your data on the wrist Sportband and upload it to your computer via a USB connection. The Nike+ Sportband kit includes a sensor that fits inside Nike+ ready shoes and communicates wirelessly with the Sportband. Get visual readouts of your time, speed and distance while working out (walking or running); this system is not meant to be used for continuously recording daily steps.
Nike+ Sportband Review

Nike expects you to buy special Nike+ shoes for your Nike+ sensor. It is meant to fit into a compartment in the footbed of Nike+ shoes. But you can use it with other shoes. In the olden days, I used packaging tape to attach it to a pair of New Balance shoes. Now, Marware and other companies have designed sensor pouches for other shoes. Or, you can knit your own!
Sensor Pouches for the Nike+ Sensor
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2008

Do you need to spend $1 to $5 on a fancy energy bar to help you power through a long walk? How about energy gels? Sports drinks? While each of these can be convenient, you can probably use a far less expensive substitute. Like gorp, "good old raisins and peanuts." You can mix your own sports drink for pennies a gallon. I like the convenience of packaged snacks, but as we all head into tougher economic times, saving a dollar adds up to big bucks over the months. Find out more about what a research group says about overpriced energy snacks.

Donald Arthur takes his marathon walking seriously. He has a cause -- organ donation. Inside his chest beats the heart of another person. Together they plan to complete a marathon in each state of the USA. I met him at the Discovery Walk Festival marathon finish as he checked off the state of Washington. Full disclosure: I am the president of the non-profit organization that hosts this event. His story had me in tears, as he asked for additional marathon patches to give to his donor family and his physician team. I have rarely met anyone as full of life and radiating peace and gratitude as Donald Arthur.

Donald Arthur's story begins with a diagnosis cardiomyopathy in 1989. He became so debilitated he says he could hardly walk two blocks. He received his heart transplant in 1996. Only 15 months later, he finished his first New York City Marathon. While many recipient and donor families remain anonymous, Donald Arthur met and formed a close attachment with his donor family. His donor's brother later completed a marathon with him.

As a man in his 60's who came to marathoning later in life, Donald Arthur would be an inspiration even without the heart transplant angle. As part of Transplant Speakers International he spreads the word on how people can enlist as organ donors and share the gift of life. Donald has completed 27 marathons in 16 states. His plans are very ambitious, to complete one a month. I wouldn't recommend that schedule for anybody, but he is going strong.
Training to Walk a Marathon
Charity Marathon Training Programs
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2008

I've been recommending the Camelbak Pixie hydration pack as one of my top gift suggestions for walking women for the past few years. But to my displeasure, Camelbak discontinued the model. You can still find it here and there from online retailers, but it is an endangered species. While my personal one is in great shape and will serve me for many more years, what can I recommend for my friends and readers? The Pixie was so perfect that four of my walking buddies bought them. We had to embroider our names on them to tell them apart. Is there another hydration pack that could attract that loyalty?

The hunt was on. I spent several sessions in my local outdoors retailer going through their wares. What I wanted was what we love in the Pixie. It is made for women or those with short torsos so your hydration pack isn't hanging over your backside. It has simple straps, which can be worn as a sling bag or a backpack. No current model has that feature. The hydration capacity is 35 oz. which is just enough for a 2-4 hour walk without refilling. The cargo capacity is just right, with a compartment big enough to stuff a light jacket into and another compartment for other essentials.

Ultimately, my hunt was not quite successful. I found several good models that could work, but none that is a true replacement for the Pixie. Get a Pixie while they last!
Best Hydration Packs for Walking Women
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2005

It's finally capri-wearing spring walking weather in my neck of the woods. Capris are great for that time of year when it's too warm for long pants but it's too cool for shorts. Sports capris are made of technical fabric which wicks away sweat. They come in two varieties. The running variety has a fitted leg opening, usually with a notch to allow some freedom of motion. The fitness variety has a boot cut bell shape at the leg opening. I have favorites of both kinds.
Favorite Walking Capris
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2006 - Lucy Speedy Knee Pant

My walking buddy Krista is the sparkle/glamour girl of our gang and she was quick to adopt a running skirt for walking. Running skirts have become popular in the past two years. A running skirt differs from a culotte in that it is made of performance fabric that wicks away sweat to help keep you dry. They include built-in bike shorts or liner. Most of them have slits or vents to allow for freedom of leg motion, but some don't. As for me, shorts are just fine all by themselves. Maybe I'm missing the "glam" gene. Or maybe I'm still rebelling from 8 years of enforced skirt-wearing in Catholic school. But I do love the color of the Zoot RUNfit skirt pictured, it called to me from across the store!
5 Fun Walking Skirts
Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber

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I volunteered at a large community walking event last weekend and a local medical center donated 3000 water bottles for the participants. I fielded several inquiries as to whether these bottles were "safe." The walkers had heard of the bisphenol-A (BPA) concerns in Plastic #7 polycarbonate water bottles. These bottles were of the opaque polyethylene, which isn't made with BPA. I also received advertising email from companies jumping on the BPA-free bandwagon. If people are concerned, they are happy to sell them new water bottles made of materials that never had BPA (including aluminum, stainless steel, polypropylene and polyethylene) or newly formulated BPA-free polycarbonate. You can check your current water bottle by looking on the bottom for the embossed triangle. If there is a 7 inside the triangle recycling symbol, it may be polycarbonate and may or may not be manufactured using BPA. In other words, if there is any number except 7 in the triangle, it is BPA-free. If there is a 7, you would have to check the labeling further to see whether it is BPA-free.

Reviews of BPA-Free Water Bottles

• Nalgene OTG Tritan Bottle
• SIGG Sport Aluminum Bottle
• Camelbak Performance Bottle
• Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle
• Ultimate Direction