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Mall Walkers Get Fit And Have Fun VIDEO CLIP

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

From left: Mall walkers Emily Rader and Alice Britt loop the Lakeshore Mall early Wednesday morning in Sebring. The two walk the mall about five days a week.

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By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: January 10, 2008

Video: Mall Walkers

SEBRING — Before the stores open their doors, Lakeshore Mall is buzzing with activity as walkers make laps around the half-mile loop through the mall.

Everett and Susan Finney call themselves "huff and puff" walkers because they walk at a quick pace and work up a sweat after their three-mile daily morning routine.

"We try to get here seven days a week, and we get a good workout," Everett Finney said as he wiped sweat from his brow. "We see all fitness levels, so that makes it interesting."

Ken Mahoney, on the other hand, admits he doesn't walk for speed. The 95-year-old uses a cane to make his way around the mall.

"I walk around the entire mall one time, through all the wiggle-waggles and everything," Mahoney said. "Once around is about all I can handle."

Mahoney said he can feel the health benefits of the workout he repeats five times a week.
"I no longer have problems with my arthritis," Mahoney said. "After about 10 minutes, my body feels so much better. Walking is so good for you."

Residents throughout the county make Lakeshore Mall their first stop of the day. The doors open at 8 a.m., and music plays loud enough to motivate the walkers.

"I think it's a great thing the mall does, opening up early for us to come in and walk," said Kathy Lane, who drives from Lake Placid to walk inside the mall.

What is it about the mall that the walkers find so attractive?
Wallace Woody likes being able to rest on the benches if he needs a break.

Susan Finney said it's a safer atmosphere than walking along the roads near her Lake Josephine home.
Emily Rader enjoys the smooth, tile surface, which her doctor said would be good for her knees.

Emily Hayner said the climate control attracts her to the mall, especially during the hot summer months.

Most of the mall walkers said they appreciate the social aspect of mall walking as much as the fitness benefits.

After making their laps around the mall, the walkers congregate at the same table every day, to enjoy their cups of coffee and to chat with fellow walkers.

Linda's Café and Starbucks even open early for the walkers to grab a treat after their workout.
"I have my regulars who order the same thing every day, and when I see them coming, I get their orders ready," said Linda Platt, owner of Linda's Café. "A lot will try the flavored coffee of the day, and some even grab a cookie for an extra treat."

Walkers come and go, and the table will empty and fill several times during the course of the morning.
"We talk about anything and everything," Lane said. "During the holidays, we talked about cooking, and when it was so cold, we talked about the weather."

Alice Britt and her neighbor, Rader, chat as they walk for 45 minutes five days a week. They walk slowly for the first lap and then speed up their pace each of the following rounds.

"It's always better to workout when you have a friend to go with," Britt said. "We motivate each other."
By the time the mall officially opens at 10 a.m., the walkers have cleared out.

"This is such a great way to start the day," Hayner said. "I don't know what I would do with myself if I couldn't exercise. I love the way it makes me feel."

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