Walking Place, for Wishers walking their races

[Bibbidi]

Dave, thanks for the advice on walking shoes. My DH is a runner, so I know he can point me in the direction of a good running store around here. I have super running shoes, but they're a little too bulky in the heel for walking--I'll have to check out those Mizunos you mentioned.

 

[Hockeychic]

Hi Lynn!!!!!

 

[windwalker]

I will have a class on here about getting over PF as soon as I do. I'm stretching, icing and taking a joint health drink called Elation.

Hi Kimmer.

Dave

 

[Hockeychic]

Hi Dave

Yes please do put a post in here about beating PF, you advise worked great for Mike last year and it was enough for me to at least finish my races, still in pain but was able to finish so for many more out there working through PF your advise will be priceless.

 

[Lynn G]

I have delay with PF and the doc I went to also had me taking Ibruprophen As an anti-inflammatory and sleeping with a night splint on my foot.

 

[MaMa3Princess]

I can't wait for the post on PF. I am new to speed walking and I did a 10k this 4th of July and I made all the classic mistakes. Starting out too fast, not having proper form and keeping an uneven pace. My feet feel like flames of fire underneath. Now that I understand better and am really researching how to properly walk for racing, I definetely want to avoid PF.

 

[windwalker]

I can't wait for the post on PF. I am new to speed walking and I did a 10k this 4th of July and I made all the classic mistakes. Starting out too fast, not having proper form and keeping an uneven pace. My feet feel like flames of fire underneath. Now that I understand better and am really researching how to properly walk for racing, I definitely want to avoid PF.

Well this PF issue of mine popped up after I tried to go from walk training every other day to 5 days a week. So far my battle plan is take a week off from training, which is over tomorrow, and go back to every other day walking and pool work on the other days.

I'm using a joint health drink, called Elation, to take my vitamin every morning and stretching everyday. I'm icing when I remember.

Dave

 

[Cotillard]

Dave and Robert have answered alot of your questions, I just wanted to add that I have walked WDW half and full marathons and DL half marathons. They even let me finish the last WDW half I did which was just a few months after knee surgery - so I was really slow - about a 17 m/m overall pace. As long as you can maintain a 16 m/m pace for the 13 miles, you will do fine, there are quite a few of us at the back of the pack!

Hi Kim!

Thank you. So great to hear from someone who has walked so many marathons. I've never walked 13 miles quickly before, much less 26. I'm so excited at the thought of reaching that though!

I can't wait for the post on PF. I am new to speed walking and I did a 10k this 4th of July and I made all the classic mistakes. Starting out too fast, not having proper form and keeping an uneven pace. My feet feel like flames of fire underneath. Now that I understand better and am really researching how to properly walk for racing, I definetely want to avoid PF.

Can you tell me about how fast you walk, in general? I walk between 4.5 and 5mph at this point but it is just my natural exercise walk speed. I get passed by women all the time who are shorter/taller/bigger/smaller/older and younger than I! How do you do it? Any training tips? Thanks!

 

[windwalker]

Cotillard your pace is awesome, 5mph is a 12 min mile so your right there with the good walkers already. A 12:30 pace puts you finishing a half marathon around 2:45.

I'll heading out to do a training walk this morning with my race walking students, we will be averaging a 12 mpm pace on our hilly trail course. I've rested and not walk trained for a week and my PF is much better. If today goes well I'll pool train tomorrow and friday do an easy 5 miles, then race on Saturday.

Dave

 

[Cotillard]

Cotillard your pace is awesome, 5mph is a 12 min mile so your right there with the good walkers already. A 12:30 pace puts you finishing a half marathon around 2:45.

I'll heading out to do a training walk this morning with my race walking students, we will be averaging a 12 mpm pace on our hilly trail course. I've rested and not walk trained for a week and my PF is much better. If today goes well I'll pool train tomorrow and friday do an easy 5 miles, then race on Saturday.

Dave

Thanks. This gives me hope. I'm going to check out your blog now

 

[mishoe01]

In my limited experience, I would agree that average total weekly miles is more important that longest distance walked. I used the John Bingham "Marathoning for Mortals" walking plan for the basis of my first 1/2 marathon. His plan is 3 days a week of walking. I worked up to 5 miles 2 days a week and then my long walk. His plan peaks with weeks of 8, 6, 10, 8. I had started early for fear of bad weather and was able to add 2 9's with 6's inbetween as well. So, I had an average weekly milage of 18 to 20 miles for a good month or more before the half marathon.

From what I've read, the advantage of the 10mi or longer walk, in a person who's goal is just to finish, is more psycological than physical. A friend of mine finished a half marathon with a longest walk of 6 miles, but she was walking 4 to 6 miles five or six days a week for a couple of months before someone mentioned doing a half marathon about a month before competing.

I have the M4M book too....pulled it off the shelf this morning. Goal is to do the Princess 1/2 marathon in Feb.

 

[Cotillard]

The time commitment to train to walk a half marathon is probably going to be longer than the time commitment to run it. My long 10 mile training walk was over two and a half hours long at about a 16 minute mile. A runner going a 10 min/mile is going to complete the same distance is 1:40.

I forgot to say "thank you" for this bit of wisdom. Yes, I can see that it's going to take time to walk 13.1 miles. I've never done it. I need to add on bit by bit, I guess. It seems intimidating but hopefully it won't be.

Cotillard your pace is awesome, 5mph is a 12 min mile so your right there with the good walkers already. A 12:30 pace puts you finishing a half marathon around 2:45.

I'll heading out to do a training walk this morning with my race walking students, we will be averaging a 12 mpm pace on our hilly trail course. I've rested and not walk trained for a week and my PF is much better. If today goes well I'll pool train tomorrow and friday do an easy 5 miles, then race on Saturday.

Dave

OK - I messed up somewhere. I blame my phone's pedometer app! I am not walking a 12-min. mile. I just found a runner's calculator online and my pace works out to 14:36 based on the distance (5.2mi.) and my walking time (76 min.)
Turns out I'm only walking about 4.1mph. But that is without really pushing - just showing up. So now I'm inspired!
Thank you so much for all this information and wisdom

 

[windwalker]

I just returned from spending the wekend in Nashville so haven't been able to post.

I walked a 2 miler with my girlfriend last night and it felt funny not being in the mix to win but a good time anyway. Hopefully this PF injury will be healed before the next race in Aug.

Dave

 

[MeredithRX]

Yay! A walking thread! This is fabulous.

I decided while watching the 2010 Princess HM that I was definitely going to participate in 2011. I've been a couch potato (with three very small potatoes with me at all times ) and got up that afternoon after the race and started walking. I'm up to 8 miles as my long distance so far, but I can only steadily hold about a 15:30 mile. I do go closer to 15 mpm on my shorter walks but obviously I don't have a lot of time cushion built in there!

I decided that I would sign up for the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon in October to give me a 'test run' for the Princess in February. It also has a 3.5 hour time limit, but I'm assuming that's gun time and since I'll be at the back of the pack starting, I'll have to find a way to step it up!

Any advice on getting faster is greatly appreciated!

 

[windwalker]

Yay! A walking thread! This is fabulous.

I decided while watching the 2010 Princess HM that I was definitely going to participate in 2011. I've been a couch potato (with three very small potatoes with me at all times ) and got up that afternoon after the race and started walking. I'm up to 8 miles as my long distance so far, but I can only steadily hold about a 15:30 mile. I do go closer to 15 mpm on my shorter walks but obviously I don't have a lot of time cushion built in there!

I decided that I would sign up for the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon in October to give me a 'test run' for the Princess in February. It also has a 3.5 hour time limit, but I'm assuming that's gun time and since I'll be at the back of the pack starting, I'll have to find a way to step it up!

Any advice on getting faster is greatly appreciated!

Sounds like you are doing great. The people I've worked with have agreed that 8 mile long walks will carry you through walking a strong half marathon. The Disney races require a 16 mpm pace but the time starts when the last person crosses the starting line.

As Sarah Palin says "Be a Momma Grizzly". Or as your resident walking panda advises, "Get your best Grrrrrr!! on".

Good luck in your training and welcome to our walking thread.

Dave

 

[MeredithRX]

Thanks Dave! That's very encouraging. I'd love to get at least one 14 mile distance in before that half in October, but I know that's just a mental thing. Once I've done it once, I know I can do it and it's like getting past that first wall!

We'll see!

 

[grammynelliebelle]

Haven't read the whole thread but am very interested in walking the princess 5K advice. I really need to train for this. It will be my first time doing anything. I am going to be 64 at the time of the race and am overweight and have arthritis. HOWEVER, I really want to do this, so I will do what I need to do. Anybody have a program in mind that would be appropriate for me? I did make a MD apt to get an ok to proceed. Currently I can walk a mile in about 20 minutes, so I really have to get on some kind of a reasonable, safe program. TIA Grammy

 

[johde]

Grammy I've used Hal Higdon's plans before. He has a 5K walking plan at http://www.halhigdon.com/5K Training/5-Kwalk.htm . It starts out just about where you are now and slowly build distance over 8 weeks.

 

[windwalker]

Hey there guys. This is great helping each other is what this thread is all about.

Walkers are indeed athletes and darn good ones to.

Dave

 

[MeredithRX]

I am so excited! I finally caved in and bought myself a nice treadmill. I can't explain how good it feels to have one coming (and KNOW that this one isn't going to be a dust-catcher like our last one was ). And, this will make things so much easier for me. I have MS and sometimes the heat and humidity here in the south just don't agree with me. The only walking I've been able to do in the last 2 weeks was my long distance last weekend. I hate not being able to get out and go!

It should be here in about a week and I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.

And Dave, I appreciated your post earlier about walking on the treadmill. I have heard so many people say that you get 'spoiled' when not walking outdoors,etc. In my opinion, getting the walking in at all is better than NOT walking - but I don't think I'll be 'spoiled' by using it. I'm excited about how this will open up opportunities for me, even when I'm having a bad day with my MS. I don't have to walk miles way from home and worry about getting back!

Can you tell I'm thrilled?