Walk a Mile, or Three, in Their Shoes

April 17, 2012

The Human Resources department onboard ship exists for the welfare of the crew. That’s why we conduct events such as the Biggest Loser competition to assist our crew members in getting and staying fit. Since Tim has been onboard he is trying to ramp up the number of activities that the HR team directly sponsors to ensure this program’s success. For instance, Lavern is leading an Insanity class a couple of times a week late in the evening in SKY B.

Tim decided that he and I would lead 3-mile deck walks as our way to get involved. These would need to be late in the evening to allow more crew members to attend and to ensure that the deck was mostly clear of guests so as not to interfere with their enjoyment of the outside deck. We chose 9:30pm and our location was Deck 14, where our ‘jogging track’ is positioned. The track is 1/8 of a mile long requiring 24 circuits to complete the 3 mile course. We showed up a few minutes early and had small water bottles available for anyone who needed the extra hydration while exercising.

Eight people showed up for that first walk. It was good to see a diversity of job classifications represented but especially nice to see those who did not usually get to enjoy the guest areas. We set off with all those who were there and encouraged crew members to join us even if they showed up late. Each person could set their own speed. This was about getting people exercising and not about a competition. However, the competitive fires always burn brightly which resulted in some good-natured positioning any time someone would try to pass another on the track. A few decided to jog. For those that alternated a jog and a walk, Tim and I liked to pick up our walking speed when they were walking to be able to catch and hopefully pass them. Invariably, this resulted in them starting to run again as soon as we approached. Since Tim, due to a recent back injury, was not allowed to jog, I continued to walk with him and encourage all the crew members as they completed their laps.

With two laps to go, my natural tendencies kicked in. I started with a quick jog for the second to last lap and then accelerated to a full spring for the last 1/8^th of a mile. It felt good to end the day with energy gained from that last burst of speed. After we finished we all sat and talked for awhile before we each sauntered off promising to commit to making this a new habit.

The next 3-mile was scheduled for two days later, alternating an early morning time for those who could not make it in the evening due to work. This did not prove nearly as popular as Tim and I were the only two who made the appointed rounds. It looks like the evening time slot, while not good for everyone, will be the best time to hold this event. But with our crossing to the Med forthcoming there is no guarantee that we will be able to continue this until later in the summer when the weather at night will be warmer. Still the chance to go ‘play’ on the upper decks with crewmates was a real blessing. And it was a healthy option, as well!

And the adventure continues . . .