If you can move your body for 55 minutes, Altonia Fowler Dugar wants to walk with you.
A Covington resident for the past 15 years, Dugar started the 5:55 Walk Club in the spring as something of a women’s exercise community and watched it evolve into so much more. “I was already walking, and I was tired of walking alone,” she said. “I made a simple post on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to walk with me. Women responded. We met up and walked, and that was the beginning of the 5:55 Walk Club. There wasn’t some huge master plan behind it. It started with a need for community, and I quickly realized I wasn’t the only woman who needed it.” The group adopted a simple philosophy: No one walks alone, and all ages, levels, paces and bodies are welcome.
“It has grown into something much bigger,” Dugar said. “It’s a reminder that movement can be powerful, community can be healing and you never know what can change when you simply decide to keep showing up. Movement looks different for every woman. I want women to start where they are, honor their bodies and recognize that sometimes the biggest victory is simply being able to move.”
Women have joined the club through seeing social media posts and by invitation.
"There was a time when mobility was an issue for me, and there were days when simply moving my body was difficult." — Altonia Fowler Dugar
“One of my friends sent it to me,” Chelsey Reece said. “We were trying to get active and do some things over the summer.” Reece highlighted the camaraderie and sisterhood that develops from being with a diverse group of ethnicities, ages and abilities. “It’s a great culture being built. It’s very uplifting,” she said. “It opens doors for people to network, not just being healthy, and it exposes you to different opportunities and community.”
Groups of five to 20 women—mostly 25 years of age and older—meet regularly in Covington and Conyers on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:55 p.m. In the summer, the time changes to 6:55 p.m. due to Georgia’s infamous heat and humidity. They also sometimes walk in the mornings.
“Our goal is simple: Move your body for 55 minutes,” Dugar said. “Steps and miles don’t matter. Pace doesn’t matter. You walk one mile while someone else walks three. The accomplishment is that you showed up and moved your body for 55 minutes.”
Walks take place at Legion Field, the Cricket Frog Trail, the Forum at Covington Town Center, Wheeler Park and other locales around Covington and Conyers. Schedules are usually posted on the 5:55 Walk Club Facebook page.
“We intentionally choose local locations in Covington and Conyers,” said Dugar, who also enjoys walking along the Atlanta BeltLine. “I wanted the club to be rooted in our community and to introduce women to safe, accessible places where they can continue walking, even when they aren’t walking with the club.”
Some walks are simply about getting together to move, while others may carry a specific theme or focus. “During our scheduled walks, we may start with affirmations or prayer,” Dugar said. “We sing, laugh, talk, encourage each other and, of course, walk. For awareness walks, we are much more intentional about incorporating education and personal stories. I want those walks to be more than putting on a color and taking pictures. I want women to leave having learned something, connected with someone or feeling encouraged by another woman’s story.” She lives with lupus and wants others to know how walking has helped her improve her health while dealing with the chronic autoimmune disease. Dugar lifts weights in addition to walking. She has lost 37 pounds and has even run in 5Ks.
“There was a time when mobility was an issue for me, and there were days when simply moving my body was difficult,” she said. “That makes what I’m able to do today even more meaningful. I didn’t start walking with a weight-loss goal. I started walking because I needed it mentally and emotionally. The physical transformation became a byproduct of consistently showing up for myself.”
Fellow group member Tenille Stewart has battled lupus for more than 20 years. She got wind of the club after moving to the area from Florida.
“They are super welcoming,” Stewart said. “I’m excited to explore.”
Dugar has already staged a lupus walk and plans to host more awareness events in the future.
“My vision is for the 5:55 Walk Club to continue growing as a positive, safe space where women can move their bodies, become healthier and find genuine community,” she said. “Yes, we walk, but it has become about so much more than walking. It’s about connection, accountability, encouragement and sisterhood.”
Dugar hopes others can discover walking as an additional positive outlet.
“It gives me space to think, release, reset and reconnect with myself,” she said. “There’s something empowering about realizing that your body is capable of more than you thought.”
