Finding good health, and friends, on the trail

Gloria Johnson is quick to tell you that her Delaware Sole Sisters is not just a walking group. Far from it. There are birthday parties, baby showers, an annual Christmas gathering, and community service projects.

“We try to take care of each other,” Johnson says. “We want to be healthy for ourselves, our daughters, our granddaughters. We’re healing ourselves and our community.”

The walking is healing, certainly: A core group of 40 to 50 women commit to walking a minimum of five days a week for at least 30 minutes. Many walk far more — including 10- to 12-mile jaunts on Sundays. And there is always conversation, sometimes 10 different conversations at the same time, Johnson admits. The Sole Sisters are part of GirlTrek, a national organization working to build a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles.

Smaller, physically-distanced groups have continued to walk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delaware's trails and greenways have provided much-needed space for essential exercise, helping the Sole Sisters, like so many others, maintain mental and physical health.

Johnson's own health concerns prompted her to start walking a few years ago with a friend. Then she found GirlTrek and started growing the Sole Sisters. On all but the worst winter days the women walk outside on a few stretches of East Coast Greenway and other parks near them. The trailhead of the 7-mile Markell Trail, a brand-new stretch of Greenway connecting Wilmington and New Castle, Delaware, is just a 15-minute drive for Johnson. It’s perfect — although she does hope for bathroom facilities one day. 

“We are so excited about the Markell Trail,” Johnson gushes, passing along her gratitude to greenway advocates for all the new options for short and longer walks.

And support is there for continued Greenway growth in Delaware and beyond, as parks have become "an essential and vital part of our civic infrastructure," according to New York City Parks & Recreation Commissioner Mitchell Silver. 

During a challenging year, trail use has surged along the East Coast Greenway with more than 50 million rides, runs and walks taking place in 2020 - making it the most popular park in America. There has never been a more critical moment for our nation to invest in regional trails and greenways, and the Greenway’s off-road route is one of many projects all over the country set to grow dramatically with the necessary federal infrastructure stimulus funding. Learn more at greenwaystimulus.org.