Candelaria Silva describes how she got in better shape, physically and mentally, simply by walking up the hills of Dorchester every weekday on her way to Ashmont station:
... Turning right, I walk a few blocks down to the Pope's Hill neighborhood to S. Monroe Terrace, which has a monster hill that starts immediately from Neponset and gives no grace until you’ve reached its top and magnificent views. Walking that hill is always a bear for me: will I make it? Turn back you fool! Nah, I can do this!. I keep my head down, focusing on each block of pavement until I make it.
Another challenge is to walk over Adams Street to the playing field and up the sixty plus steps to Train Street (I think that’s the name of it). I pretend to be Rocky Balboa. ...
