Walkers Sharing Experiences

[windwalker]

This week is going to be a good training week for me as I am supposed to be working several short days at work so that gives me more time to train. Today I went to the track (very hilly) and did 8 miles in 1:45. I could have been a little faster but I started wearing down a little and I came up on a snake while going around the track. I was actually going to do 10 miles but that messed with my head a little bit and I called it the day. I did get the snake off the track knowing that I had a lady walker behind me and wanting to make sure that she was ok. This is the 2nd time in the last couple of weeks that I have ran into a snake while walking so I think that I may need to stay in the gym from now on.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Bryan


That was nice shooing the critter off the track for the lady. I would have done the same. Her in Ky I ofter run into critters while walking.

Walking Panda:hippie:

[SideStitchWalker]

Finding a snake in my path would have ended my walk quickly or at least caused a big detour. I can deal with most critters but snakes, no thanks. I hope the lady behind you thanked you profusely.
I had a 4 miler today. 57:28 A pretty typical time for me.

[dsnyfan21]

Nice job Lynn!!
Wehn is yor Holiday Halfathon?? Are you doing any upcoming Disney Races??

Walkin Tracy

[SideStitchWalker]

The Holiday Halfathon is December 14. Not very far away!! I missed the registration for the WDW in January but will be doing the Princess in March.
I decided to go to the holiday half on short notice so my game plan right now is to try the distance at a slower pace and then work on a better pace for the Minnie.

[bubba73]

I did another 8 miles today. My times are staying consistant in the 13 to 14 mpm pace. Knowing that I have signed up for both the 5k and the Half, I am more concerned about training for stamina and endurance than speed. I know I can stay ahead of the minimums so that is not a worry. Besides, I am going to be walking with Twotoohappy (she is the one that talked me into doing this in the first place) and her knee is acting up so her speeds are not up to a real fast pace. So I am just going to make sure that I can do the miles without wanting to die or cry at the end.

Lynn Honestly, I didn't wait around to try to get any thanks from the lady who was behind me the other day at the track. I just made sure that the critter was gone and then I was on my way. I know I need to do a little research to see what kind of snake it was just so I will know if I see it again if it is poisonous or not.

Hope everyone is doing great with their training!
Bryan:cheer2:

[windwalker]

Good morning Walkers.

Most of us are experiencing unseasonably warm weather. It's wonderful and great for training but unfortunately it won't last. Once the cold hits, getting out there to walk or run gets harder to do. It's soooo much more pleasant to stay inside in the warm house. Morning exercisers like me have to get out of a warm bed to get there steps in.

Of course the treadmills are a good option, either having your own or using one at a health club. But treadmills can be boring for long distance days. It helps to use your iPods or watch television but the long days are still trying. Exercise needs to be fun and fulfill a need, long treadmill days don't do that for me. About 4 to 5 miles is my limit for inside walking.

Another option is to warm up good on the treadmill with a few easy miles and then go outside for a few more. That breaks up the boredom and gives you advantages of acclimating to the harder road surface. It may make the treadmill part easier to knowing as soon as you stop you have to go out in the cold. What I normally do is to do my treadmill miles and then do my weight workout and finish up with stretching and calistetics or pool running.

One day a week I meet some other walkers for an outside group walk. Having the commitment of meeting the others helps to get me out there. If you don't have a walking/running buddy yet you can put a notice on your health club bulletin board or an ad in your local running club news letter or web site.

The important thing is to stay with it through the winter. Even if you have to do it all on the treadmill and have to do lower miles per week, keep it up. Take a class or to each week. A yoga or Pilate's class will go a long way toward making your lower mileage weeks productive.

Thanks for reading.

Chilly Panda:hippie:

[windwalker]

I have a group walk planned for this morning. It will be the first one since I returned from DisneyWorld. I hope the other walkers remember.

Walking Panda

[SamSam]

Good morning Walkers.

Most of us are experiencing unseasonably warm weather. It's wonderful and great for training but unfortunately it won't last. Once the cold hits, getting out there to walk or run gets harder to do. It's soooo much more pleasant to stay inside in the warm house. Morning exercisers like me have to get out of a warm bed to get there steps in.

Of course the treadmills are a good option, either having your own or using one at a health club. But treadmills can be boring for long distance days. It helps to use your iPods or watch television but the long days are still trying. Exercise needs to be fun and fulfill a need, long treadmill days don't do that for me. About 4 to 5 miles is my limit for inside walking.

Another option is to warm up good on the treadmill with a few easy miles and then go outside for a few more. That breaks up the boredom and gives you advantages of acclimating to the harder road surface. It may make the treadmill part easier to knowing as soon as you stop you have to go out in the cold. What I normally do is to do my treadmill miles and then do my weight workout and finish up with stretching and calistetics or pool running.

One day a week I meet some other walkers for an outside group walk. Having the commitment of meeting the others helps to get me out there. If you don't have a walking/running buddy yet you can put a notice on your health club bulletin board or an ad in your local running club news letter or web site.

The important thing is to stay with it through the winter. Even if you have to do it all on the treadmill and have to do lower miles per week, keep it up. Take a class or to each week. A yoga or Pilate's class will go a long way toward making your lower mileage weeks productive.

Thanks for reading.

Chilly Panda:hippie:

Great advice Panda. Sometimes it is SO difficult to keep walking when the weather turns cold. I do continue to walk, using the tm at my local gym but like you find it difficult to get in as many miles. I usually aim for anywhere between 2-4 miles, with an occasional longer walk when I'm on the TM. In addition I take a variety of classes, so I never get totally out of shape. :rotfl: Of course, when we get an unseasonally warm day, it's out the door I go for a nice long walk. :goodvibes

For myself, I've been working out for so many years that if I can't work out (for whatever reason) for more than a couple of days, I get very grumpy! The good part of that is that I can use that to motivate myself. Those days (that we all have), when I'm dragging and I don't want to go to the gym, I remind myself of how much better I'll feel once I finish a workout.:goodvibes

[windwalker]

Great advice Panda. Sometimes it is SO difficult to keep walking when the weather turns cold. I do continue to walk, using the tm at my local gym but like you find it difficult to get in as many miles. I usually aim for anywhere between 2-4 miles, with an occasional longer walk when I'm on the TM. In addition I take a variety of classes, so I never get totally out of shape. :rotfl: Of course, when we get an unseasonally warm day, it's out the door I go for a nice long walk. :goodvibes

For myself, I've been working out for so many years that if I can't work out (for whatever reason) for more than a couple of days, I get very grumpy! The good part of that is that I can use that to motivate myself. Those days (that we all have), when I'm dragging and I don't want to go to the gym, I remind myself of how much better I'll feel once I finish a workout.:goodvibes



My walker buds showed up this morning so we had a very fun group walk. It was 38 degrees but felt much warmer since there was no wind.

I to get Grumpy but I had to take 2 weeks off to recover from this cold I had, I didn't wan the cold to drag on and on.

Walking Panda:hippie:

[dsnyfan21]

Hey Sharon!!! I just have a very hard time on the dreadmill and give props to those who can use it for more than 4 miles.!!


Dave: Glad to hear you are still getting outside for your walks! Also glad to hear that your cold is getting better!!:banana:

Tracy

[SamSam]

Tracy, Yes the dreadmill can be excruciating mentally, but our winters can be so brutal that I don't have a choice. I'm going to try getting more winter workout gear for walking outside, but I'm not sure if that will do it for me. I just don't tolerate low temps very well, especially when it's windy and Kansas is almost always windy.

[SideStitchWalker]

Hi everyone,
It's funny, because today I was thinking it's finally cool enough to walk outside without worrying about the heat! It's easy to forget all those cold days now that I have moved south. The advice for the treadmill (which I appreciate) will come in handy next August when it's too hot. I tend to walk in the late morning because I work evenings and am NOT a morning person.

I need some advice. I tend to walk around a 14:30 mpm pace when I'm walking my 4 mile training walks. I'm supposed to do an 11 mile walk this weekend at a "comfortable" pace. Quite honestly, this will be the longest walk I will have attempted so far. What is a comfortable supposed to be? I'm guessing sitting on my sofa with a bag of pretzels doesn't count, though that would be comfortable!popcorn:: I'm hoping to do the 1/2 in Dec at 15mpm and am wondering if that is reasonable. At this point, I'm just confusing myself trying to figure out what to shoot for. Help! Please! If it helps I did the TOT 13K in 1:55:10 chip time.

Thanks!:grouphug:

[dsnyfan21]

Lynn: Comfortable to me would be a pace that isn't killing me. When I do my longer walks, I just tend to get it done but try not to go slower that a 15min mile pace. That just happens to be my barrier mark. I have been out walking and "training" for Halfs for about 2 years and I have made the 15 the absolute slowest I will allow myself to go. For everyone, comfortable is different. See how it goes as you get started. Maybe have your first mile at a 15 and use it as a warmup and then slowly progress into a nice steady comfortable pace to get your 11 miles in.

Hope that helps.
Tracy

[SideStitchWalker]

Lynn: Comfortable to me would be a pace that isn't killing me. When I do my longer walks, I just tend to get it done but try not to go slower that a 15min mile pace. That just happens to be my barrier mark. I have been out walking and "training" for Halfs for about 2 years and I have made the 15 the absolute slowest I will allow myself to go. For everyone, comfortable is different. See how it goes as you get started. Maybe have your first mile at a 15 and use it as a warmup and then slowly progress into a nice steady comfortable pace to get your 11 miles in.

Hope that helps.
Tracy

Yes, Thanks for the help. Wish me luck!

[SamSam]

Lynn: Comfortable to me would be a pace that isn't killing me. When I do my longer walks, I just tend to get it done but try not to go slower that a 15min mile pace. That just happens to be my barrier mark. I have been out walking and "training" for Halfs for about 2 years and I have made the 15 the absolute slowest I will allow myself to go. For everyone, comfortable is different. See how it goes as you get started. Maybe have your first mile at a 15 and use it as a warmup and then slowly progress into a nice steady comfortable pace to get your 11 miles in.

Hope that helps.
Tracy

:) Just like you, for whatever reason, I have made 15 my slowest walking speed. If I slow lower than that, then I make myself pick it up. I use that rate for when I just need to get some walking done but am just not up to pushing it. When I'm really working, I try for about 13.5. I'm working at bumping that up with some intervals as fast as 12. SideStitchWalker, the best advice I can give you is to listen to your own body and do what works for you. A 'comfortable' pace to me means pushing enough that it's a nice brisk walk, but not hard enough to wear yourself out.

[windwalker]

:) Just like you, for whatever reason, I have made 15 my slowest walking speed. If I slow lower than that, then I make myself pick it up. I use that rate for when I just need to get some walking done but am just not up to pushing it. When I'm really working, I try for about 13.5. I'm working at bumping that up with some intervals as fast as 12. SideStitchWalker, the best advice I can give you is to listen to your own body and do what works for you. A 'comfortable' pace to me means pushing enough that it's a nice brisk walk, but not hard enough to wear yourself out.



A 14 min walk pace will put you finishing a full marathon in about 6 hours, Disney has a 16 min per mile time limit which puts you in at 7 hours, so 15 min is a good goal to shoot for. When I do the marathon with Erica I try to keep us on a 15 min per mile average pace even with all her stops for potty, petting animals and character pictures.

I had a patient yesterday who was a long time runner that had been forced to quit running because of knee problems. He had switched to swimming for exercise but wasn't able to do it often enough or long enough to keep his weight down like he could with running. We talked about walking as an alternative. He asked how one gets started race walking. I had been doing the class at the health club to teach basic technique but had gone to the group Thursday morning walks instead.

Just how does a person learn fast walking? To start with as with running you have to build a base of strength and endurance with walking. Daily walking is best and at least 30 minutes of motion. While walking you start incorporating race walking techniques. If you just try to start off race walking is feels awkward and very quickly your shins will begin to burn.

First off get your arm swing more to the back, like you are elbowing something behind you, not an exaggerated motion but smooth and flowing. Then walk with your feet in a straight line, walk on a line in the road or imagine you are walking one and keep your feet on the line when you bring your foot down. You have some hip motion as you swing your foot around to get it into the front. This is way more efficient than the duck walk foot plant that most people do when they walk.

Walking actually puts more muscles in motion than running does. Walking is a whole body workout using your entire leg, hips, glutes (Walkers have the best butts) lower back and abs. The arm swing tones the upper body. Running is about raising your knees in a piston action, walking is moving the leg as a lever. Because of that a walker doesn't work the quads as much as a runner does. You can do leg raises on a machine, pool sprints or just sitting in a chair and raising your legs up and down for three sets of 25 to work the quads. That will keep you from getting an imbalance. Runners on the other hand need to do more ham string and shin strengthening than walkers since running doesn't work those areas as much as the quads.

As always, any exercise is better than no exercise. Get up and get moving, winter is coming on and that is absolutely the worst time to get out of the habit of regular exercise.

Thanks for reading.

Walking Panda

[dsnyfan21]

Hey Walkers!!

I just got back from a judged racewalk.
The South Florida Racwalkers were doing the National and Florida State 20K Championships today. Along with that there was an open 6K and 10K races. I participated in the 6K race (3.75miles)
I completed the race in 46min and 50sec. That is a 12:29pace!!! My last best avg pace in a racewalk was 12:53. SO I PR'd today.
I also was able to do negative splits, so that was good. I came in first for females in the 6K. There were two other ladies in front of me but they were doing the other races, so really I was third, but I'll take what I can get.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting out there for some steps!!

Racey Tracy

[Whiste Pig]

I participated in the 6K race (3.75miles)
I completed the race in 46min and 50sec. That is a 12:29pace!!! My last best avg pace in a racewalk was 12:53. SO I PR'd today.
I also was able to do negative splits, so that was good. I came in first for females in the 6K.
Racey Tracy

Way to go!!! :banana:

Congrats!

[SideStitchWalker]

Tracy - Way to go!!!
Thanks everyone for taking the time to give me some great advice!
Lynn

[SamSam]

Tracy, that's fantastic! Way to go!


Windwalker, Your racing walking descriptions are extremely helpful. I think I'm actually starting to incorporate what you are describing into my speed walking. :) A question; when you say "Then walk with your feet in a straight line, walk on a line in the road or imagine you are walking one and keep your feet on the line when you bring your foot down. You have some hip motion as you swing your foot around to get it into the front. This is way more efficient than the duck walk foot plant that most people do when they walk."
Do you mean walking on a line as if you are actually walking on a string laid in the road, or just making sure each foot is going straight forward? (hope that makes sense).

[dsnyfan21]

Tracy, that's fantastic! Way to go!


Windwalker, Your racing walking descriptions are extremely helpful. I think I'm actually starting to incorporate what you are describing into my speed walking. :) A question; when you say "Then walk with your feet in a straight line, walk on a line in the road or imagine you are walking one and keep your feet on the line when you bring your foot down. You have some hip motion as you swing your foot around to get it into the front. This is way more efficient than the duck walk foot plant that most people do when they walk."
Do you mean walking on a line as if you are actually walking on a string laid in the road, or just making sure each foot is going straight forward? (hope that makes sense).

I might be able to help you with this one.
You walk as if you are on a string or a balance beam.
Keep your feet on the yellow stripe running down the road. The more your feet land in a straight line the more "racewalking" and faster speed you can get. You can check your foot landings by wetting your feet and then do a few of your normal strides with heads up on a surface that your footprints will show up (like a sidewalk). Stop and turn around and see if your pattern of your feet are landing in a straight line. I was told not to force your feet to point forward, this may affect your stride.

Tracy

[windwalker]

I might be able to help you with this one.
You walk as if you are on a string or a balance beam.
Keep your feet on the yellow stripe running down the road. The more your feet land in a straight line the more "racewalking" and faster speed you can get. You can check your foot landings by wetting your feet and then do a few of your normal strides with heads up on a surface that your footprints will show up (like a sidewalk). Stop and turn around and see if your pattern of your feet are landing in a straight line. I was told not to force your feet to point forward, this may affect your stride.

Tracy


Thank you Tracy. Good point about not forcing your feet to point forward. I normally walk a little like a duck when not racewalking. But when I do I just let my legs swing forward smoothly and get on my straight line without trying to make my foot straight.

Walking Panda:hippie:

[SamSam]

I get it!!!:dance3: Now if this wretched weather will just clear up a lttle so I can get outside and 'walk a line'. Thanks for the great descriptors. :goodvibes

[SideStitchWalker]

Hi everybody,
11 miles, finished in 2 hours, 45 minutes. Thanks again for the advice. Trying to incorporate what you have taught me. Today was elbows back day. Thanks, Panda

[dsnyfan21]

Lynn: Good job, just try to work on one thing at a time.
The swing of the arm is important. Arm should be bent at about an 90 degree angle so as your arm goes back,your hand should be just at the area where a belt or fanny pack would be. Don't let your hands hang or droop down. Relaxed fist with thumbs up. By bringing the arm back like that and hand at the waist and alittle behind the side of your waist, you'll get a "sling-shot" effect that will help you propel forward with more power. Arms and hands with too much forward swing out in front of the body is basically wasted energy that you need to use in other places. Alot of power walkers and fitness walkers do alot of forward motion. Also you don't want your elbows to be sticking out to the side and getting like chicken wing effect. Elbows should be in almost like your are walking down a skinny hallway.
Hope that helps.

Tracy

[windwalker]

I can't workout in jackets or shorts with pockets unless they sip closed. If your hand/arm swing is right you would be catching your fingers in your pockets as you swing them.

Lynn next time out think about hips going forward one side at a time. Your leg swing starts from the hip, if you can think arm back hip forward then it will feel smooth and balanced.

Walking Panda:hippie:

[dsnyfan21]

Same for me Dave, pockets not zipped get in my way!! I get caught on them.

Also Linda as you go along working on the arm swing and you going along nicely, check your shoulders. They should not be tense, relax them, get them away from your ears. Another thing to think about is elbows kinda pointing down towards the ground - this will help keep the shoulders from rising up.

Have a good day walkers!!

Tracy

[SideStitchWalker]

OK, I understand how far back and where your arms should be, but how far forward should the arms swing?
I also have trouble figuring out what my hips are doing. It seems I get too "swishy" side to side movement sometimes. The walking on a line seemed to get my hips moving in the right direction, or it could have been wishful thinking.
Thanks for the Walking 101 - Your descriptions are extemely helpful to a newbie. So much to think about. Who said walking was easy?

[windwalker]

This series of pics should help.


http://www.racewalk.com/HowTo/BasicTechnique.asp


Walking Panda:hippie:

[SamSam]

Good news was the weather was beautiful today,so I could walk outside and try racewalking technique's. Bad news, I stink at it! :lmao:
I know it will take time to build up the right muscle's, but I couldn't sustain the correct, walking on a plank, for more than a few minutes at a time without feeling definite stress in my shins.
The good news is that for the short spurts that I could maintain form, my speed went from 13:30 to 12:30.
So I know it's just practise, practise, practise, to develop the muscles needed for correct form.
:goodvibes I walk, I jog, I racewalk (kinda); as long as I keep moving I figure I'm okay. :goodvibes

[SideStitchWalker]

SamSam,
I know what you mean, I have a new set of sore muscles. Though my times aren't nearly as fast as you I can see a definite improvement when I can hold together the correct form. Just the correct arm form has has given me improvements.


Tracy & Panda,
Thanks for the tip about your pockets, that really made sense to me and helped me focus during my last walk. Also, thanks for the link, I'll go check it out now.

[SamSam]

SamSam,
I know what you mean, I have a new set of sore muscles. Though my times aren't nearly as fast as you I can see a definite improvement when I can hold together the correct form. Just the correct arm form has has given me improvements.


It's fun to see improvement, isn't it! Believe me, I can't keep that speed up for any distance yet, but it's fun to see that I can do it for short (very short) spurts. :goodvibes

[monte]

Just checking in to say "Hi" and that all is well in snowy Colorado. Still preparing for my White Rock half, in Dallas Texas, on Dec. 14th. Found out from one of the gals sharing my room, that we're all going to Billy Bob's, which is the largest honkytonk, on Friday night (12/12). Should be interesting as I have never been to a real honkytonk before, not even sure what a honkytonk is. lol:lmao: Hee-Haw everybody.:laughing: :dance3:

[SideStitchWalker]

Monte,
I don't know but it sounds like some cowboy boots might come in handy!!

Had a 8 mile walk yesterday in "cool" Florida weather. It was Fantastic!

Is there a racewalking book anyone would recommend?

[SideStitchWalker]

Hi everyone,
Went for my longest walk on my training schedule yesterday. Was supposed to do 13 miles and then start tapering before my first 1/2 on Dec 14th. Struggled the whole time to maintain pace but then ended up stopping at my turn around. 6 1/2 miles was all I got in before I ended up with a rather large blister on my heel. Needless to say I'm bummed. Do you think I should do that long walk next week or taper like my schedule says to? :confused3

Anyway, hope everyone is having a great week, though I see on the weekly thread that it's a little colder than some of you want it!

[SideStitchWalker]

Different shoes, better blister protection, great 4 mile walk. Yeah!

[dsnyfan21]

Lynn: Sounds like you got it under control. It takes different sock/shoe combos sometime to get blisters under control. Try using Glide or Runner's Lube on you feet, especially heels and other areas that you think might get blisters. As you start going further new hot spots will start to pop up. You could try to do your LD walk, but at least give youself about two weeks between your last LD and your Half Marathon.

Tracy

[SideStitchWalker]

Tracy,
Thanks. It sure was a relief to have a good walk after the disaster the other day. Depending on how the heel feels this weekend I may try to bump it up a notch. Just didn't know how close to the race I should try it. So, thanks again.

How is your uncle doing? MRSA is a tough one. I'll keep the prayers coming.

I see you are from Florida as well. Any non-Disney race plans?

[dsnyfan21]

Hi Lynn, yep down here in Broward County in the city of Pembroke Pines. THis year I did the WDW Half, the Miami ING Half and the Ft. Lauderdale A1A Half. A bunch of 5ks and some Judged Racewalks. Next year I have the WDW Half and the Miami ING Half - which is two weeks after the WDW. I will not be doing the Ft. Lauderdal one. I wasn't too impressed with the route and the organization of the whole thing.
AmyKab who lives in the middle of the state is doing the SpaceCoast Half soon. I may think about that one. It has a cool medal with an astronaut on it.

We all have stinker walks sometimes. You just know your going to have them and just accept them as they come and move on.

Tracy

[windwalker]

Hi guys, I'll start keeping up again when I start getting days off again. I'm at two weeks without a day off right now and other than thanks giving I won't have one till next week.

One of the secrets of having super walks is to walk comfortablely till you are well warmed up then progressively get faster till you are at cruising speed. I usually do my first mile about 14 to 15 mpm then when I start perspiring start picking it up till I feel some effort without feeling strained. Usually the last mile I'll pick up the speed again a little to where I'm going fast but really concentrating on each part of the technique.

Have a great holiday y'all.

Working Panda:hippie:

[jeanneg]

Lynn: Have you ever tried the Injinji socks? They are like gloves for your feet. Robert and Linda recommended them to me last year and now I swear by them. I have always been very prone to blisters but haven't had any since I've been wearing the Injinjis.

Just want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. I will probably not be online much until next week. Three of the four kiddies are already home and the last one is in the air right now.....checking flights arrivals as I read my emails.

Remember.....feast on whatever you want, but take small portions and eat
s-l-o-w-l-y!

[SamSam]

Lynn: Have you ever tried the Injinji socks? They are like gloves for your feet. Robert and Linda recommended them to me last year and now I swear by them. I have always been very prone to blisters but haven't had any since I've been wearing the Injinjis.


I've never heard of Injinji socks, are they in regular sports stores?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[twoWDWfools]

A Very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Lynn - the running stores here carry them. I remember all too well toe socks in multi colors ... just can't bring myself to try these.:upsidedow

However I found after getting shoes that fit properly, good socks and using Body Glide on heels plus pads just below toes the blisters stopped. I use C9 socks for short distances and UA for long. It's what works for me.

[SideStitchWalker]

Hi everyone,
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
Time to walk off the turkey and do some holiday sock shopping!
Lynn

[dsnyfan21]

Hey walkers, hows the miles treating you??

I had a stonker 8 miles last week. It was just tough and when I would glance at my Garmi she was telling me I was going slower than I thought! UGH! At least I got that out of the way!
I did a 5K race on Saturday, the Jingle Bell Jog in Sunrise. Mostly runners of course, but I just did my thing. They handed out bells when they gave you your bib. Everyone had them tied to their shoes, boy what that a jingling experience!! I even had a lady come up to me and started asking me about racewalking.
I did 12 miles today as part of the WDW Half Training. I think I did pretty well and when I was at about mile 7, Aloha Jeff's voice came in my head telling me to count how many miles left. So I kept saying to myself 5 miles left, then 4 miles left and so on. I still can't see myself doing a full, but you never know. My right big toe has started to act up again like it did before I had surgery on it about 2 1/2 years ago. I guess after Jan I will have Podiatrist check it out. That will be the determinor as to wether I sign up for the full or not in 2010 when I'm 40!!

Take care walkers and continue with getting in your miles!

Tracy

[jeanneg]

Tracy: you can SO do the full! With all the training you have done for other shorter races, you have an excellent base. John Bingham's marathon plan for walkers is 19 weeks and that pretty much takes you from ground zero. I don't have the plan in front of me right now, but I don't think you hit 10 miles until well into the schedule, probably the second month. It's just a question of how much you want it. I walked every single step of the way this past January and I am not nearly as fast as you. All you have to do is make the committment and it's yours.

[NADLV817]

Keep to your training...it is almost pay day!!

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c327/nav679/DisneyMarathon04-8.jpg

Think about it...the quick runners can finish in less than 4 hours...that's easy....let see how they do spending 6 hours on the course!!!

[Aisleleven]

Hello all.

I have been a lurker on this board for quite some time but since we are getting closer and closer to the start line, I thought I would post and join in on the support.

I have done the Disney Half in '05, '06, and '07 and the Disney Full in '08. I have walked them all and stayed pretty much in the back the pack finishing the halves in about 3:28 and the Full in 7:01. I have been fortunate that I have always managed to stay ahead of the sweeper and have never been swept!

This year I will be doing the half with my husband (who proposed at the finish of the Full last year) and my mother-in-law who is a walker but is part Gizelle and/or part Kenyan...in other words she is FAST! And I know I will never be able to keep up with her!

Anyway, like everyone else, I am getting really anxious and excited about the race. This year has been a bit different since I had been doing more wedding planning than walking...I am still getting my miles in but I don't know if I am maintaining the intensity I have trained under in past years...

We shall see...hopefully this won't be the year I break my lucky "avoid the sweeper" streak!

See ya'll at the start!
Ila - (HM #40450)

[dsnyfan21]

Hi Ila, glad to have you on board. Hope you see you at the POP Century Meet Friday at 4:30!!!

Tracy

[dsnyfan21]

Interesting article walkers....

<<If you add just 2000 more steps a day to your regular activities, you may never gain another pound. So says research by Dr. James O. Hill of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. To lose weight, add in more steps.

Sedentary people in the USA generally move only 2000-3000 steps a day. Previous studies have shown that moving 6000 steps a day significantly reduces risk of death, and 8000-10,000 a day promotes weight loss.

How far is 2000 steps? It is about a mile. But the benefits for health and for weight management don't depend on you walking a mile all at one time, but simply adding in more steps throughout the day.

By wearing a pedometer all day, you are motivated to add in extra steps whenever you can. There are many little trips that can add up to a mile or two a day - parking further from the door of your destination, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, pace around as you talk on the telephone, take a marching-in-place minute once an hour.

"All in all, it is entertaining to ponder that such a seemingly insignificant gadget may be of practical importance in the war on obesity!" said Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., Department of Exercise and Wellness, Arizona State University in the conclusion of a report by the President's Council of Physical Fitness and Sports, June, 2002.>>

Hope everyone is doing well, keep up the walking!!

Tracy

[SamSam]

Tracy, Thanks for the article. What a simple, easy to do, way to keep healthy!

[ms.mightyduck]

Thanks, Tracy! I was just sitting here reading Consumer Reports online and looking at the treadmill ads. DH and I were talking about how much easier it would be if we had a treadmill here in the house (he wants the guest bed out of the guest bedroom, which doubles as his office). While it will be easier to afford one for my walking, I know he's going to want to run on it. Perhaps your article will help me convince him that my walking is important. :)

We have so many days here that I'm not able to work out outside, between heat, humidity, and smog in the summer, and the cold in the winter (stupid asthma).

But we'll be walking outside with you in a week! :banana:

[dsnyfan21]

BUmping up this thread. Any new or old walkers want to jump in. I had a few people from Princess weekend and such asking about walking...

Tracy

[jeanneg]

Good idea, Tracy! I was wondering what happened to this thread. BTW, congrats on your sub-3 finish! :worship: :worship: :worship:

[windwalker]

Why don't we start a new thread, "Walking to DisneyWorld", or something to that effect, a new thread for 2009.

Happy Panda:hippie:

[SamSam]

Why don't we start a new thread, "Walking to DisneyWorld", or something to that effect, a new thread for 2009.

Happy Panda:hippie:

Sounds great Happy Panda.

[dsnyfan21]

I am good with starting a NEW 2009 Walkers thread... Dave go for it!!

Tracy