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I often walk from my home on Lantern Lane to the Postal Center to get my mail. Round trip is about an hour, so it's long enough to be good exercise, but it doesn't tie up so much time that I can't squeeze it into my day.

There are two ways to do this: there's the Fox Run route and the Oak Point Drive route. Oak Point Drive is steeper, much steeper. In fact, Oak Point Drive is steep enough that I'll usually go the other way unless I'm feeling very energetic or very guilty about not exercising enough. There's a particular section that taxes your legs and steps up your breathing - it's great exercise of course, but it's easy to talk yourself into not doing it.

One day not so long ago I did decide to return that way. Maybe I felt guilty about the chocolate cake I'd had at Dave's Diner, or maybe I just felt full of extra energy, I don't remember. But after picking up my mail, I headed up Oak Point Drive toward home.

I noticed that a woman was walking a hundred feet or so ahead of me. I noticed also that she was a good sized person - you might say portly, or plus sized, or big boned or large framed. However you want to say it, she was carrying plenty of weight, and as this is Oak Point, she was no spring chicken either.

I figured I'd pass her in five minutes or less.

After all, she's shorter than I am and probably weighs as much. My legs are longer, and I just have to be in better shape than she is, right? Right?

But five minutes later I hadn't gained a yard on her. That's odd, I thought, this woman really can pump those legs. Good for her, I thought, but the steep parts are coming. We've been fairly level up to now, but gravity is going to be a lot harder on her than it is on me as we start inclining toward vertical. I'll be sailing by her soon, for sure. I leaned into the job and stepped up my pace.

We reached the steeper parts. Not steep enough for my legs to complain yet, but surely steep enough to slow her down. No, if anything she seemed to have picked up her pace and was pulling farther ahead. What the heck? Come on, feet, let's move a little faster!

OK, here we are, the steepest part of Oak Point Drive. It doesn't last very long, but your thighs and lungs are going to feel it, especially when you are hard charging as the two of us were. I simply have to gain ground now, gravity and physics are on my side. Maybe I won't pass her, but I'll get closer, by gum!

Well, no. I didn't gain an inch. As she crossed Pheasant Lane, I was still well behind. I mentally saluted her and admitted defeat. Whoever she is, that woman can walk!

I slowed my pace as I turned onto Pheasant. Another ten minutes maybe to home. Nice day, good smelling air. Life is great here at Oak Point. Damn, that woman can walk!

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