The D&L Blog

By Michele Stanten, My Walking Coach

Stephanie Augello, 51, of Bethlehem, ran off and on when she was younger. She even competed in track at Liberty High School. While never a serious runner, even leisurely running started to aggravate her knees and trigger headaches as she got older. So, when Stephanie heard about a walking group training for the Marine Corp Marathon in 2005, she signed up. She’s focused on walking ever since.

Training for half marathons, doing FitBit challenges with co-workers, and walking with friends has kept Stephanie walking through the years. While two bouts with cancer of cancer in the last two years have slowed her down, she hasn’t stopped.

“Getting outside for some Vitamin D and walking, if even just for a few minutes, was what I looked forward to everyday,” she said. “Walking alone always gives me the chance to destress, clear my head and has helped me with my anxiety as well as having a positive effect on my mood. It is also when I get my best ideas.”

Now that she’s in remission and has a new puppy, Stephanie’s stepping up her walking.

“My dog, Nellie, would go for 10 walks a day if we could fit them in. The mere mention of ‘leash’ or ‘walk’ gets her excited,” she said.

Unfortunately, Nellie usually has to settle for two. One in the morning with Stephanie, and then a group one in the evening with Stephanie and her husband, Mark.

“It’s the one time a day my husband and I get to talk and focus on each other without any distractions. We catch up, discuss our children, our hopes, dreams, challenges, anything.”

Both Stephanie and Nellie are excited to do even more walking during the D&L Trail Challenge. They especially look forward to logging more miles on the D&L Trail. As a retired social studies teacher, Stephanie loves the history and many historical points along the trail. Meet Stephanie (and Nellie) in the D&L Trail Challenge Walker Facebook group. Keep an eye on her, too. Stephanie, infamously, sneaks in late-night walks to beat others out for the most steps that day.

Registration for the D&L Trail Challenge is open through October 15. To learn more and register visit: runsignup.com/Race/PA/Easton/DLTrailChallenge