A long life -- in 10,000 steps a day
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on March 9, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Theresa Merritt and Susan Moneypenny walk laps around Berkeley Mall -- the indoor version of their exercise routine.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Susan Moneypenny logs her five-mile walk with the MapMyWalk app. The app allows her to enjoy her walk without having to worry about keeping track of laps or time.
Susan Moneypenny is on a mission.
She walks through the mall briskly.
She is not distracted by the sales, kiosks or shoppers.
She walks toward the Belk entrance and sharply turns off to loop back in the direction she came from.
She does not come to Berkeley Mall for shopping.
It is her gym.
In cold or bad weather, she turns to the mall's interior for her walking trail.
It is a balmy 72 degrees inside the mall, away from the ice, wind and rain of the past month. It takes three laps to make a mile.
She no longer counts the laps, but instead relies on her phone app and FitBit to track her mileage, speed and steps.
Susan does not take her FitBit off except to shower. The tiny electronic device is tucked into her waistband, where it steadily counts each step she takes.
She has walked 10,000 steps daily for the last 10 years.
According to her friend, Theresa Merritt, that is the key to staying active and fit --10,000 steps a day.
"That's what it takes to lose a pound a day," she says.
The two women walk together every day. In warmer weather, they walk at Lane Tree, but the cold drives them to the mall.
They have walked together for two years.
They have become familiar with the merchandise in the windows they pass -- keeping an eye on the displays that change -- and those that don't.
"We pick out stuff in the window," Theresa says. "There are a lot of colors we both like this year."
For Susan, these walks are the only time she makes it into the mall, so she uses it to shop.
After the five miles are done, she goes to retrieve her wallet from the car if she finds something she wants to buy. She leaves her jacket in her car, too, so she won't have to keep track of it.
In the early morning, when the mall is solely used by walkers, they leave their jackets on benches.
But during prime shopping hours, the women enjoy people watching.
"We love to see the little kids," Theresa says.
Shoppers' children often refer to the women as their friends, and wave each time Susan and Theresa make a lap.
"They run along beside us," Susan laughs.
Both women are in their 60s.
They have a strong focus on foot health. Theresa recommends stretching out your feet and toes.
"Walking is the cheapest form of exercise," Theresa says.
They walk the entire perimeter of the mall, ducking into each cutaway and walking all the way to the doors of the hallways.
They used to try to count laps, but now they track the mileage on Susan's phone using the app Map My Walk.
The app keeps them accountable as it tracks both mileage and steps.
"With all the technology today, there's not reason you can't do things," Susan says.
It also calculates calories burned, but they does not trust the results.
It takes three laps to equal a mile in the mall.
The women walk five miles at a brisk 12-minute mile pace.
"When we're outside it's a 14-minute mile," Theresa says. When they go to the beach, they walk eight miles.
But in the flat, climate-controlled mall, they really hit their stride.
Even the wafting smell of warm pretzels does not slow them down.
"If the cookie place was still open, we'd have a problem," Theresa laughs.