Hiking for Fitness, a series of 8 weekly group hikes, is part of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park’s ParkRx program, introducing people to the joys of walking in the outdoors. It’s free to those with a physician’s prescription.
To lose more than 100 pounds, five years ago Brittany Stewart all but starved herself on a popular weight loss program.
The medically prescribed dietary odyssey worked for that purpose. But it left Stewart in no shape to further pursue her health goals.
“I would try to run and jog but I didn’t have any muscle,” she said. “It left me with no muscle or habits on how to be healthy.”
Though she grew up in Sonoma Valley, Stewart, 33, was never much of an outdoors person. Severe allergies, a deviated septum and her weight created barriers to exploring and discovering many of Sonoma County’s beloved landscapes and trails.
On Jan. 4, however, she and several dozen others embarked on a 2.1-mile hike in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park as part of an 8-week, fitness program aimed at introducing local residents to the joys of walking in the outdoors.
The program, which cost $80, is free to people participating in Sugarloaf’s ParkRx program, which gives free access to fitness events to those who could benefit medically from physical activities.
About half the 40 hikers who went on the Saturday morning trek, from Sugarloaf’s White Barn to the Uranus marker on the Planet Walk trail, were participants in the ParkRx program. Other program activities include Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing), yoga hikes, Tai Chi and family outings.
The Hiking for Fitness series that started Jan. 4 is targeted toward beginners, with each Saturday morning trek becoming slightly more challenging by ramping up the mileage and elevation change.
The program is offered by the nonprofit Sonoma Ecology Center, which operates Sugarloaf Ridge.
The hikes are mostly located in Sugarloaf but also include treks in Howarth Park/Spring Lake, Jack London State Historic Park and Sonoma Valley Regional Park. The final hike, on Feb. 22, is 4.4 miles long with an elevation gain of nearly 1,000 feet.
An intermediate program, with more challenging trails, is scheduled to begin March 8. About seven volunteers keep the group motivated and offer inspiration to trail newcomers.
Carrie Girvin, a local Kaiser Permanente oncology nurse, has been participating in the fitness program as a volunteer for the past five years. Girvin said the latest group is the biggest since the Hiking for Fitness program was started.
“Some of the participants have never been to the park,” Girvin said. “They don’t even know about the other programs we have (at Sugarloaf), such as camping and the observatory.”
The intermediate program ends with a 5-mile trek that includes the Bald Mountain summit, where hikers climb to 1,700 feet and are treated to a 360-degree view extending to San Francisco. On clear days, she said, you can even see the snowcapped Sierra range.
Girvin said she first did the fitness hike seven years ago, shortly before the 2017 North Bay wildfires “tore through everything.”
“Initially it was devastating,” she said. “When the park opened back up, you could see how many areas were affected.”
She said it’s been amazing seeing all the changes as the area recovered over the years, including the post-fire eruption of wildflowers and new madrone and manzanita shoots emanating from fire ravaged burls.
Girvin said the program allows her to meet new people constantly. Some of those she’s been hiking with for years now are part of what she calls her “hiking family,” and many have become volunteers.
Stewart said she’s inspired by many of the hikers. She said on the first hike, she met a 78-year-old woman who told her she used to hike 15 miles a day when she was 65.
“Those kinds of motivational stories are really what drives me to keep going,” she said. “My goal is honestly just to feel confident … the biggest part is continuing to get outside.”
Mary Stafford, 67, another ParkRX hiker, said that as a senior, building community is just as important for her as building strength.
“We have to be very intentional about keeping our bodies as healthy as possible to face the inevitable health challenges ahead of us,” she said.
Stafford, a retired educator, moved to Sonoma County three years ago to be closer to her grandchild. Three months after she got here she was hit with a medical condition that left her homebound and unable to get out and experience the surrounding area.
Stafford said as part of her health regimen she’s been going on long walks in her neighborhood, several miles a day, multiple days a week. The Hiking for Fitness program, she said, has enabled her to expand her community beyond her neighborhood.
“I’m now trying to get outside my community and meet people,” she said. “I’m not ready to keep my world that small.”
Stafford was unable to attend the second hike on Jan. 11 because she sprained one of her ankles. She said she’s hoping to recover in time for the third scheduled hike on Jan. 18.
She said she wonders how many of the 40 participants will complete the entire 8-week program. “I’m determined to be one of them,” she said.
You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.
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