San Antonio is seeing signs of spring, and with the sunshine and warmer weather, locals may want to ditch the gym and hit the trails to get their exercise in.
Enter City Girls Who Walk – SATX, a women’s walking group started in 2022 by Andrea Diaz and Victoria Lopez. The group invites local women to mingle and enjoy the city’s scenic views while getting a low-impact, low-pressure workout in a safe environment.
City Girls Who Walk originated in New York City in 2022 when Brianna Joye started the group as an organic way to meet new friends while staying active. The idea has since spread to cities like Denver, Washington, D.C., and Houston, as well as in locations as far-reaching as Dublin, Ireland; Berlin, Germany; and Delhi, India.
San Antonio’s group sees about 20-30 members per walk, and group leaders hope to soon increase the frequency of walks, which currently take place weekly.
Health benefits
While run clubs are on the rise, walking groups offer an alternative for beginners and people with disabilities or other restrictions.
Natalie Nyren, director of University Health’s Cardio SALUD program, said walking offers significant benefits, especially for women.
Walking reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, helps the brain by reducing the risk of dementia and memory loss, and helps people live longer, she said.
While it is recommended to get up to 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, Nyren said it is OK if that goal is not immediately achievable.
“A good thing to do is look at where you’re at right now and work on getting the numbers up from wherever you’re starting at,” she said. “So, if you’re getting about 3,000 steps a day, try to aim for 4,000 in the next month.”
A recent study found women 40 years and older who take at least 8,000 steps daily had a 51% lower death rate from all causes compared to those who take fewer than 4,000 steps a day.
Safety in numbers
Health benefits are not the only reason the group focuses on walking. The slower pace allows for the women to keep a better eye on their surroundings and walking in a large group offers more safety. That was one of the reasons Alex Loredo, who is now a walk leader, joined the group last year.
“Going on a walk by myself was kind of scary. Going on a path by myself and having to tell my friends, ‘Hey, this is where I’m at, if I don’t text you back in an hour, call the police,’” Loredo said.
Recent crimes on San Antonio trails have residents on edge. The homicides of Pete Hosea Castillo at Walker Ranch Trailhead in October and Stacey Dramiga at San Antonio’s Greenway Trail System in September, as well as the death of Robert Ibarra at the Alazan Apache Trail in December, are all instances local City Girls Who Walk members are aware of.
“That’s why we continue to have the walks, so no one walks alone,” she said.
Walking in a group not only provides safety, it’s also an opportunity to meet new people. After the walk is finished, some members will grab coffee and mingle, but there’s no pressure to socialize, said Loredo.
“Sometimes girls show up and they have their headphones on and they just walk,” she said. “So you can be as social as you want or not. It’s more of a safe place.”
Joining the group is as easy as showing up. Women of all ages are welcome, and members can bring kids and pets along as long as the location allows, said Loredo.
The group posts updates on walk dates and locations on Facebook and Instagram.
