The Walking Thread

Up until about 18 months ago I was a walker. Easily doing a 3 mile morning walk and then a 2 mile evening walk with my husband, along with whatever else I was doing during the day. I've been hit with something, still trying to get diagnosed but my stamina is gone and I have really bad neuropathy in my limbs plus I now have balance issues. So now I just try to get in short walks on the treadmill throughout the day. I miss my outside walks but my husband worries about me falling outside and him not being there. So the treadmill it is.
 
Out the door at 6:02am for 6.32 miles. I debated about the gym since I could hear that it was pretty gusty outside but we're not under a wind advisory (YET) and the high school was out running. So, it was a breezy one today...which I didn't hate since it's about 72 out there and it kept things feeling a little cooler. Then again, it's nice to be in summer gear for my walks, so I can't complain either way. As of right now, the forecast also looks good for walking outside tomorrow morning.
 
Some physical issues makes long distance walking an issue for me, so I had to find another way to keep active. I went with cycling. I cycle outdoors almost every day when the weather around me permits, or if I'm out camping. During the winter I have a stationary bike that I use in the garage. It keeps me active and moving and is low impact, which helps me a great deal.

I know the distance is much different than walking, but I do about 20 to 30 miles roughly 5 to 7 days a week.
 
Some physical issues makes long distance walking an issue for me, so I had to find another way to keep active. I went with cycling. I cycle outdoors almost every day when the weather around me permits, or if I'm out camping. During the winter I have a stationary bike that I use in the garage. It keeps me active and moving and is low impact, which helps me a great deal.

I know the distance is much different than walking, but I do about 20 to 30 miles roughly 5 to 7 days a week.

Cycling is great! In fact, I have a stationary recumbent bike in my home office. Nowadays, I strictly use it to "unwind" my legs after a long walk but it was my primary tool I used to start up this health and fitness journey back in Dec 2024. Sounds like you're getting in some really good mileage!
 

@TiggerTrigger how long does it take to do the 6 miles? At the rate I walk it would take me about 2+ hours.

My current pace is pretty speedy. The driveway camera shows me going out the back door at 6:02 am and the cameras show me coming back at 7:31 am. I was debating about breaking out my Garmin to double check my speed, but I did a little over a 10k on treadmill last Monday where my pace stayed in the 4.1-4.5 mph range, so it sounds about right for the time and distance. The half marathon distance I walked last weekend clocked in at a 4.005 mph overall pace, so it's all in line. It's got me seriously thinking about walking some runDisney events after DD17 graduates HS.
 
My current pace is pretty speedy. The driveway camera shows me going out the back door at 6:02 am and the cameras show me coming back at 7:31 am. I was debating about breaking out my Garmin to double check my speed, but I did a little over a 10k on treadmill last Monday where my pace stayed in the 4.1-4.5 mph range, so it sounds about right for the time and distance. The half marathon distance I walked last weekend clocked in at a 4.005 mph overall pace, so it's all in line. It's got me seriously thinking about walking some runDisney events after DD17 graduates HS.

15 or so years ago my goal was to do a runDisney event. But injury sidelined that unfortunately. I would still love to do one. It seems so cool to be able to walk through the parks. Though Disneyland (where I would do the event, since I am in California) has cancelled all future events for the foreseeable future.

I have got my lunch time walks in. Only about 30 minutes and broken up into 2 15 minute sessions, as I have been walking to/from getting lunch. But it is a good start. I am so looking forward to the sun being up later in the evenings. Only another month or so and I will be able to do walks in the evenings.
 
15 or so years ago my goal was to do a runDisney event. But injury sidelined that unfortunately. I would still love to do one. It seems so cool to be able to walk through the parks. Though Disneyland (where I would do the event, since I am in California) has cancelled all future events for the foreseeable future.

I have got my lunch time walks in. Only about 30 minutes and broken up into 2 15 minute sessions, as I have been walking to/from getting lunch. But it is a good start. I am so looking forward to the sun being up later in the evenings. Only another month or so and I will be able to do walks in the evenings.
Have they really cancelled? My cousin was set to run later this month (Disneyland).
 
15 or so years ago my goal was to do a runDisney event. But injury sidelined that unfortunately. I would still love to do one. It seems so cool to be able to walk through the parks. Though Disneyland (where I would do the event, since I am in California) has cancelled all future events for the foreseeable future.

I have got my lunch time walks in. Only about 30 minutes and broken up into 2 15 minute sessions, as I have been walking to/from getting lunch. But it is a good start. I am so looking forward to the sun being up later in the evenings. Only another month or so and I will be able to do walks in the evenings.

I went for Marathon week at WDW in 2020. I did the 5k, the 10k, and the Half. I wasn't feeling as confident as a walker with that one, so I used Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run interval method for my training. It was effective and a bit faster than my walking pace, but I just hate the running and did not enjoy it like I hoped I would. So, I think I want to try walking one of these...assuming I don't burn out or get injured by then. I was thinking of doing Food & Wine in 2027 just to work on some of the sleep/rest issues that plagued me in 2020. Then, I'd really like to try for Dopey in 2028 and do all four.

It's sold out at this point, but assuming they do it next year, they have started offering races at Disneyland again. There's a half marathon weekend at the end of the month/beginning of February. https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyland/disneyland-half-marathon-weekend/

Injuries are a real concern. It's why I'm resisting the temptation to train up to a full for this March. Just too much chance of an overuse injury in such a short training window. Hey, you get in what you can. I have set my daily minimum based on my average pace and what I could get in if I'm only able to walk during my lunch break. Breaking it up like you're doing also has benefits. It gets you up and moving multiple times per day. And YES on more daylight!!!
 
I went for Marathon week at WDW in 2020. I did the 5k, the 10k, and the Half. I wasn't feeling as confident as a walker with that one, so I used Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run interval method for my training. It was effective and a bit faster than my walking pace, but I just hate the running and did not enjoy it like I hoped I would. So, I think I want to try walking one of these...assuming I don't burn out or get injured by then. I was thinking of doing Food & Wine in 2027 just to work on some of the sleep/rest issues that plagued me in 2020. Then, I'd really like to try for Dopey in 2028 and do all four.

It's sold out at this point, but assuming they do it next year, they have started offering races at Disneyland again. There's a half marathon weekend at the end of the month/beginning of February. https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyland/disneyland-half-marathon-weekend/

Injuries are a real concern. It's why I'm resisting the temptation to train up to a full for this March. Just too much chance of an overuse injury in such a short training window. Hey, you get in what you can. I have set my daily minimum based on my average pace and what I could get in if I'm only able to walk during my lunch break. Breaking it up like you're doing also has benefits. It gets you up and moving multiple times per day. And YES on more daylight!!!

That will be the last one at Disneyland for awhile. There is going to be too much construction going on. I assume they will restart again in 3-5 years once these construction projects are complete.
 
I firmly believe habit is the key.
I have always liked walking but it was usually only for leisure when I felt like it, which wasn't very often. However during Covid getting out and about walking was the only freedom I got, so going out walking became part of my routine. Not quite daily, but a lot more frequently. And then a few years ago I found a diet that worked for me and daily walking became a fixed part of my routine. I hated it at first, especially when I felt like I was forcing myself to go out, but now not only did I lose the weight I needed, I can't not go for a walk. I actually get irritable if I can't get this daily walk in, so this ^^ is definitely true!

Most of my walks during the week are fairly short, max of an hour (around 4 miles), due to having to fit them around work and other things. But I try to do at least 5/6 miles each day over the weekend. For the most part my walks are outside, varying from early morning to later in the evenings, even in the dark. When I go out in the dark I stick to pavements on well lit roads, so don't tend to wear any lights etc (my reasoning is if a car hits me on the pavement where it shouldn't be, lights are irrelevant 😂 )

*If you have a treadmill, ditch the music and watch a movie or TV show. Do not get off the treadmill until the movie is at the halfway point or the TV show is over. It doesn’t matter what pace you’re doing, just keep walking.

^^ this is so true and really helps me. I have a treadmill for the days when I really don't want to go out, and putting an episode of a TV show on gives me a time to aim for and stops me quitting earlier than I should.

Other than habit, one thing that has really worked for me is reminding myself not to sit down and get comfortable and to just go out walking rather than putting it off. I used to come home from work, sit down on the couch and then struggle to find the energy to go out. Whereas now, when I get home from work I'll go out virtually straight away even if means I can't sit down and relax until much later. And on days off, I try and get my walks in early, partly because I'm antisocial and it's quieter out, but also because I feel better getting it in earlier.
 

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