These mall walkers are bringing a ’90s vibe back in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (Aging Untold) — In the 1980s and 1990s, the mall was a place to gather beyond shopping, and one Oregon woman is bringing vibes from that era back to the Lloyd Center mall in Oregon.

Krista Catwood started the Food Court 5000 walking group. Participants wearing spandex, windbreakers, sneakers and scrunchies gather every Sunday morning for three and a half miles of power walking.

“We’ve become sort of B-celebrities of the mall,” Catwood said. “I think most people that come here kind of know who we are.”

How the group started

Catwood started the group while searching for a fun way to move. She knew it had to be silly, social and shared with others.

“I knew when I had this idea that it was a good one,” Catwood said. “I had no idea how many people would be interested.”

Members describe what keeps them coming back

The idea drew people in, and the energy, kindness and inclusion keep bringing them back.

“I’m having the time of my life, and I’ll be 81 in two months,” Leslie Kelinson, one of the walkers, said. “I get so much from those two hours, you have no idea.”

She said the meetups are “fun” and “healthy” and “inspiring.”

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