Walking mayday!!! Changing from running to walking the goofy...UPDATE Post 9!

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Okay, the knee is acting funny. The ITB is acting funny. Before facing a critical decision later on, we are nipping it in the bud and switching to walking. (If I damage the knee once again, my ability to walk in pace will be compromised)

Please tell me some positive completion stories of training....especially for the Goofy!

(Just had my hubby work on my ITB on the left leg--the leg with the previously fixed knee.... The last time I screamed that loudly...I gave birth to a 10 pound 14 ounce baby boy. )

 

[windwalker]

Okay, the knee is acting funny. The ITB is acting funny. Before facing a critical decision later on, we are nipping it in the bud and switching to walking. (If I damage the knee once again, my ability to walk in pace will be compromised)

Please tell me some positive completion stories of training....especially for the Goofy!

Lisa, welcome to my world. I had been a runner for 35 years when an achillies tear, ended my running career. I hit a major low. I loved running and being part of the races. I noticed that I could walk fast and not hurt.

I train now just like I did as a runner. I do my LSD, my tempo, my farklet and my speed intervals. The big difference is I don't get injured. I still get a good workout and get tired but not injured.

I started walking at the end of may last year and have trained regularly at a high intensity and haven't had any injuries at all. A little soreness and an occassional stiffness that's all.

A good "power walker" or fitness walker can work up to about 12 to 13 min per mile, for short distance. An average racewalker can cruise easily at 12 to 13 min per mile for long distance. An average racewalker does a 5K in the mid 30 min range, a half in 3 hours and a full in the 6 hour range. All well ahead of the sweepers.

Take a look at the "Walker's compare notes" thread for lots of discussion on the sport of walking.

Sounds like you have a choice of being a often hurt runner or a competitive walker. I made that choice and now when I do the walk races I'm one of the local elite racers instead of a mid packer.

Don't think for one second that long distance walking is easy though, you have to work at it just like you do to run a long event. But the rewards are just as good and the accomplishment is just as sweet.

DAve

 

[getnthinr]

Lisa, you can definitely do this.

I'm not a particularly fast walker, but I do love it. God willing, this year will be my third Goofy. I've tried running and Gallo-walking (run/walking) and really find I have fewer injuries when I walk. My "normal" pace is 14-15 minute miles, but as I train each year, my pace tends to improve and I can do cool-weather races sometimes averaging 13:30 minute miles. That won't win me any awards, but it gets me through training -- and lots of races -- fit and happy. That sounds like bragging, but all I'm really trying to say is: You can sooooooo do this! and here are the medals to prove it:

 

[ironz]

Lisa, have you tried taking regular walk breaks (a la Jeff Galloway)?? I couldn't do any type of distance (over 10K) without it.

When I first got into running and was training for my first marathon, I had bad ITB issues that forced me to walk about 8 miles of the race. I started using the Galloway method after that, and can keep the ITB stuff at bay to complete much longer distances. The theory is that you keep your body at or below a certain "threshold" for pain/injury much longer by walking one minute at regular intervals. It basically helps "reset" everything, then you run until you are just under that threshold again. Many people find this works with an interval of running 8 min/walking 1 min (or 2 min)....for me, I have to be more conservative and run 5 or 6 min./walk 1 min. Have done this for 7 marathons now and have not had ITB issues ever as bad as that first one.

For it to work well, you have to do this FROM THE START of your long run (or marathon)...get that recovery time in the bank. If you run for a long time and then start the walk breaks, your body may already be over that threshold.

Hope this helps! And, try massage, foam rollers, or ART.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa, have you tried taking regular walk breaks (a la Jeff Galloway)?? I couldn't do any type of distance (over 10K) without it.

I am a 100% interval runner. I NEVER run straight through.

The last time I insisted on running through something funny (and by running through, I mean intervals)--I had knee surgery to fix it.


I had been doing intervals from the start. This weekend I ran up to the causeway bridge (again intervals)--I slowed down and took shorter steps up and walked down the bridge. It may have been just enough for my leg to go....hold on there missy!

I got on the TM this morning, did my 5 minute walking warmup and got 2 minutes into my first interval when my knee started behaving funny.

When I had the meniscus tear last time (actually had it for years and years and years)--it wasn't until after surgery that I realized how much that tear inhibited my walking. No matter what I did or advice I took from coaches, I could not for the life of me get below an AVERAGE 18 minute mile pace...it hurt too much in the knee. Oddly, I could run on it, but I couldn't get the form to get me consistent below 18. I can walk within time limit this time and if I sustain an injury, I am afraid that won't happen.

Ho hum. Stupid bridge.


Getnthinr!!! I love how you hung your medals on a curtain rod. That is soooo cool!

 

[ironz]

yipes! so your knees are just anti-running! so sorry to hear that!


Well, then, you just get on your speed-walking program so we can be marathoners!! Sending good vibes your way!

Wondering if doing any strength work would help? I would imagine your PT after the surgery had you doing something along those lines, though.

Good luck!!

 

[jeanneg]

Lisa: I have never done the Goofy, but I will be completely walking the Mickey in January. It will be my very first full marathon. The only downside about walking is that the training eats up so much time. Other than that, there is much less chance of injury and a much greater capacity to actually enjoy the experience. Alot of races may discourage walkers, but from what I gather here, there will be tons of us at WDW this year, so please join the crowd.

 

[windwalker]

When I had the meniscus tear last time (actually had it for years and years and years)--it wasn't until after surgery that I realized how much that tear inhibited my walking. No matter what I did or advice I took from coaches, I could not for the life of me get below an AVERAGE 18 minute mile pace...it hurt too much in the knee. Oddly, I could run on it, but I couldn't get the form to get me consistent below 18. I can walk within time limit this time and if I sustain an injury, I am afraid that won't happen.

Lisa, you use different muscles walking than running. As your walking muscles: Butt, shins, calves, hams, abs and hips, get stronger you will get faster and have more endurance. Warming up is as important for a walker, just as it is for a runner. You have to walk till you get a good sweat going then increase your speed a tad till you are at your cruising speed.

As a runner you use your quads as your primary muscles, a walker's quads are used less in walking but still important for hills. I try to do some hill work with every walk.

My biggest improvement started when I finally made the decision that I wasn't a hurt runner walking till I could run again but a walker. Then I improved by leaps and bounds.

Dave

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've got great news!!!!

There is NOTHING wrong with the knee at this time!!!


Today the PT called to schedule an appt I had been meaning to get to since the baby was born for my sacrum/psoas issue! While there I told him about the ITB and the knee--and he checked the knee and the "checking" he did yielded no popping, so the knee is healthy.

As par for the course, the psoas/sacrum was causing pulling on the spine making me a crooked little lady--so I am fixable!!! (Hard to explain--but basically I am misaligned and it takes more than chiropractic care to get me realigned. In fact, the PT adjusted a part of my spine that even the chiropractor wasn't able to quite get to. )

And now post PT today, the ITB only hurts where the bruises from hubby's massage this morning are forming.

Hubby and I are strongly considering backing down on the effort though--more of a mix of walking and running if not all out walking, or wogging as others have called it.

I do like my body in one piece after all. I was already on tap to walk the half with my sister. Why not take John Bingham's advice and ENJOY the weekend...not rush through it with that silly running.

(Windwalker--thanks for the tips--but seriously, pre-surgery, I followed ALL tips and yielded no results until the little buggar was out of my knee. The difference pre and post surgery with my walking was night and day. I could try to go faster, but the knee pain characteristic of a meniscus tear was slowing me down. Without the pain--just call me speedy! Example: Prior, 3.5ish was about as high as I could go for a walk, then I would switch to run b/c I couldn't go any faster b/c it hurt---afterwards....3.5 is my "warmup". Imagine someone putting a knife in your knee everytime you sped up...kind of what it felt like for me in one very localized spot.)