AIBU will people think I’m strange?

[starsparkle08]

I have chronic fatigue syndrome and am trying to increase the amount of walking I’m doing in hope to help myself .
I have just started to walk to my local park and around it . I don’t have a dog . I would like one but my son has autism adhd ld and his behaviour isn’t stable enough to consider having a dog at this point.

I just feel a bit silly walking alone and around the park feel as though I look a bit odd because I don’t have a dog . I’m just wondering what people think seeing a person alone walking around a park . Would you consider it a little strange ?
I no that everyone is within their right to go walking and enjoy a park , I just feel a little uncomfortable really and wondered am I alone in this ?

Assuming you are female you are fine but I do know a couple of men who have done the same for health reasons and people have made remarks about them.

I wouldn't give it a second thought. I ran around our local park today, it's no different.

You know that most people don't have a dog, right?! Parks are for people. People who have dogs, people who have kids, people who just have themselves for company. Of course it's not weird to walk in a park

(signed, single woman with no pets who walks by herself)

Assuming you are female you are fine but I do know a couple of men who have done the same for health reasons and people have made remarks about them.
My elderly neighbour used to get suspicious looks when walking in the park and woods. So he got a dog, people now smile and chat and make a fuss of the dog.

Go for it. And it’s great you’re trying to get out there. Definitely agree get a decent playlist loaded up, have a walk along to your fave tunes!

Trust me, nobody remembers random strangers they see in the park

Lots of people walk for their health ( for quite a variety of conditions). It’s not strange at all. I will admit I felt rather conspicuous when I first started trying to recover with snails pace from my house to next door and back and eventually to and around the park a few times. ( I have cfs- it took more than a year of carefully pacing.) Be careful not to push yourself and good luck.

I was also going to suggest park run for the walk. Look at Nordic walking too- groups that walk. Enjoy. I walk to avoid paying for petrol/ bus fare!

I used to walk on my own most lunchtimes, because my close colleagues didn't want to walk as far as I did and I really enjoyed the peace and quiet.

I have fibro (possibly CFS) and I struggle to get out to walk much these days, so good on you for getting out there. Don't worry about what people think, plenty of people walk alone, especially if they are doing it for exercise (gabbing with your colleagues on your lunch break often slows the pace ).

As a chronic over thinker I know exactly what you mean, but honestly, other people don’t care and probably won’t even notice you. I walk in the park on my own and if I was to give another person walking alone a second though, I would probably think they were doing exactly the same as me (having a nice walk to get some exercise or fresh air or escape the house for 30 mins), we’re on their way to work or the shops or to see a friend and were taking the nice route. one thing I find useful to take my mind off being self conscious about being alone somewhere public (or to actually help me relax when I go for a walk) to do some of the mindfulness activities, e.g. tuning in what I can hear, feel, smell, see. I might also count things like how many dogs or cyclists I see.

Carry a lead - that way you can pretend you've got a dog if anyone looks at you oddly You could also throw sticks for it, call its name, have a lovely chat with it (probably best when no-one is looking for that one)....

I’ve being walking alone in the park my whole adult life! You must see other women out walking?

Sweeney “I do know a couple of men who have done the same for health reasons and people have made remarks about them.”

What remarks do they make please?

Carry a dog lead and whistle every now and then and everyone will assume you have one.
However if there's a nuisance loose dog, they may assume it's yours.

As an aside, as a fellow ME sufferer, go gently with the walks. Yes being outside and moving is very good but you also need to think about pacing and not pushing yourself too much. Otherwise, you’ll feel crap instead of better (being there, done that)

I wouldn’t think this was even slightly strange. Hope you start to feel better soon!

I have dogs so spend a lot of time walking in my local park. There are loads of people walking on their own, walking in groups, walking in couples, all with or without dogs. There are also people jogging, older children in groups. People are sitting on benches on their own or with others. Nobody thinks any of this is unusual.

The only advantage to waking with a dog is you get to know the other dog walkers but there are also regulars without dogs I would chat to. They comment on the dogs and next thing, you're chatting.

@sweeneytoddsrazor - Assuming you are female you are fine but I do know a couple of men who have done the same for health reasons and people have made remarks about them.

Not in my local park, they wouldn't. Loads of men and women waking on their own.

I see lots of people out walking with out a dog. Today I saw a man out in the woods walking with his remote control car 🤣.

You could offer to walk someone else’s dog, a friend, neighbour or “borrow my dog”?

I feel a bit lost walking without a dog so I recently adopted one (after losing my old dog). My dc’s have ASD and they have accepted the dog, dd1 says she feels calmer around dogs than humans.

I wouldn’t in a million years have assumed parks are only for dog walkers . Can’t believe the “whistle occasionally and people will assume you have one” type posts?!
Walk your socks off, op. There’ll be plenty of others doing exactly the same.

Loads of people walking alone in my local park, some in activewear, some in regular clothes, some marching along, others just ambling and taking in the lovely surroundings. Plus all is dog walkers, and runners. You tend to find you see the same people at the same times - and a nod or hello is not unusual. Go for it and enjoy it - you certainly won't be seen as odd

I walk around loads, it never occurred to me that it might look odd! I just stick an audiobook on and go for a wander, honestly nobody will think twice or even give you a passing thought.

I wouldn’t even think about it. You could be walking through the park for all sorts of reasons. I see people running and walking through the park alone regularly, it’s perfectly normal.

I do have a dog but every day I meet people walking alone in the park.

They're walking for health, to work or just for fresh air and to enjoy the leafy surroundings.

One very unpleasant woman accused a man on his own of being a paedophile but she was awful and has moved away now, thank goodness.

Could you offer to walk an elderly neighbours dog on the days you feel able (I had ME too for a while )