Page 22 - Fall 2020 CMTA Report

City Living Helps CMTer Stay Active

BY MIKE DRIEDGER has made daily exercise, especially Urban living has allowed me
in our harsh Canadian winter, to stay physically active on a regular
s someone with CMT, much easier—all I have to do is go basis. In fact, many urban centers
I’ve found that living downstairs! Even at the end of a like Toronto actually make it harder
in a city—in my case, long day, having the pool and gym and more expensive to drive than
Toronto—has made main- only a few floors away makes it to walk, cycle or take public transit.
A taining a healthy and active hard to be lazy. On average, I I’m active and getting physical exer-
lifestyle easy. Of course, urban swim about two km (1.2 miles) cise just going about my daily life.
living might not work for you. each week. And now, after 12 Whether heading to work, shop-
But I’d like to share with you how years of living with these ameni- ping for groceries, running errands,
ties, I can’t imagine living without visiting friends or heading out on
them. the town, I’m using my own body
Toronto is a dense metropolis to get there. Plus, having a gym
with many walkable neighbor- and pool in my building means I
hoods. Most of central Toronto don’t have any excuses, even when
has a high walk score, which I’m home.
means most amenities—grocery Luckily for me, my wife loves
stores, pharmacies, community being active and exercising too,
centers, restaurants and bars—are maybe even more than I do, and
within walking distance of resi- she often pushes me to keep
dential areas. So, I walk a lot. I going. We joke that our hobby is
walk for groceries with a wheeled exercise.
“drag bag.” I walk to run errands, As someone with CMT, I find
go out to restaurants and meet up that this works really well to
with friends and family. ensure I’m fit and staying active.
For distances a little farther Not only do my daily routines and
away, I walk to public transit life keep me mobile, but I actually
stops, take a bus, subway, or enjoy swimming, cycling and
streetcar, and then walk the rest of going on long walks in my spare
the trip. As I already mentioned, I time. Urban living has made all of
walk with a cane most of the time, this easy.
but I occasionally switch to walk- I’ve found that the best path
ing poles in the winter. for physical health is about mak-
Author Mike I owe much of my health, mobil- When I’m not walking, I’m ing exercise a part of my daily
Driedger with his
trusty bike ity and happiness to living in a biking. I bicycle to work most of routine—and making it as easy as
walkable and bikeable community. the year, except during the iciest possible. Even if big-city living
To start, let me introduce and snowiest months of winter. won’t work for you, maybe it
myself. My name’s Mike. I’m a During those months I drive my would benefit someone you know.
39-year-old male living in Toronto car—yes, I have a car but only If you’re young and still trying to
with my wife, and I have CMTX. drive about 6,500 km (4,000 figure out where you want to live
While I haven’t begun using AFOs miles) a year. for school or work, at least con-
yet, my CMT has progressed to My office is about 8 km (or 5 sider the simple health benefits of
the point that I do regularly walk miles) from home, so it’s a reason- living in a more accessible and
with a cane for stability—like able bike ride both ways. I’m also walkable city or town. As a person
many of you, I’m a wobbly guy lucky that my employer values with CMT, you won’t need to
who’s prone to falling. active transportation and has “find time” to be active—it’ll just
I live just outside of Toronto’s shower facilities for employees. happen! h
downtown core in a 25-story This seems to be something that
apartment building. I originally more and more urban-based Mike is the co-leader of the Toronto CMTA
Branch. He recently completed a 1,000-kilo-
moved in because it had both a employers are providing, and it’s meter ride for the Vermont Cycle (and
swimming pool and a gym, which definitely appreciated. Walk!) for CMT.

22 THE CMTA REPORT FALL 2020