The Joy of Outdoors I was a chubby girl. Of course others told me so, maybe not in direct ways. For example, I was always picked last for group activities. So I started running. At age 13. It would be the second biggest transformative event of my youth—the first being a 10 day backpacking trip I went on at age 14, sponsored by my school. Ever since then, I’ve benefited wildly. Running and hiking have given me fresh air, time for reflection, and a better cardiovascular system. And while I joined a gym years ago, the second the weather turns nice, I’m outside. So now that gyms are closed, I’m not sure I’m going back. Being ‘forced’ to spend time outside is, well, a gem. Seeing blue skies, noticing how the grass shifts in the breeze, seeing new flowers is the stuff of real-life. …see more