What Every Exercise-hater Must Know About Marathon Walking

The word marathon is meant to inspire terror. It's a 26.2 mile run that takes even super athletes hours to complete. You can't just sign up and do a marathon. You have to train rigorously to even have a hope of finishing. So why do some people think this is fun?

Yet a growing movement is occurring around the world that allows more and more people the opportunity to participate in marathons and other races by walking and not running. Walking is a much lower stress activity than running or even jogging.

Walking marathons allows for people of all ages, particularly older people, to enjoy the health benefits of marathon training.

And mile for mile, walking burns the same calories as running. So why don't more people walk marathons?

First, not all marathons are open to walkers and some permit walkers but do not officially encourage them. Marathons that invite walkers are sometimes advertised as "walker friendly." (Not all of them are!)

The biggest concern for marathon walkers who participate in official races is how long the track is open. A top runner completes a marathon in slightly over two hours. Most reasonably good athletes can do a marathon in four hours. Even slower runners can complete a marathon in five or six hours. (A six-hour marathon time means the runner ran 13 minute miles … not exactly a super-fast time!) However, walkers need six to eight hours to complete a marathon. Walking consistent 15-minute miles, it would take a little over six-and-a-half hours to walk a marathon. Factor in some bathroom breaks, inconsistent performance, or slower walking times and you end up with marathon walkers who turn in times of seven or eight hours.

Most marathons keep the track open six hours. After that, they begin to "sweep" or start at the beginning of the track and pick up stragglers, the injured, and the clean up the mess at water stations.

While walkers can dodge the sweepers for a while, eventually the walkers will be compelled to leave the track and the marathon unfinished.

The Los Angeles Marathon is known for being super-friendly to walkers because the track is open long enough for even slow walkers to complete the race before getting "swept up."

In some ways, walkers face the same training challenges as runners. It takes consistent training over a period of many months to build up the stamina and technique required to go 26.2 miles at once.

Training programs for walkers tend to be sporadic and are not always offered in groups training to enter a marathon. When walking programs are available, there may be only a few participants and no real experts at walking technique.

Marathon walkers also face their own unique challenges. Although a very fast elite walker can actually out-pace a slow runner, most walkers are on the track and exercising longer than the runners. That means they need to allow extra time, extra hydration and even some food. It is not unusual for marathon walkers to bring along packets of bars, gels, or liquids to take in along the way. Bathroom breaks are also more necessary during a six or seven hour period of exercise than for those who can do the course in much shorter times.

The best training program for walkers involves consistent training over a period of about six months or more before the race.

Every week, the walker should go out four times in "maintenance walks" that start out at 30 minutes and gradually extend to full hours. Once a week, there should be a "long walk." This can start out at 15 or 30 minutes; the walker should add 15 minutes more each week until the walk is about 1 hour and 45 minutes long.

During these initial weeks, walkers should learn good form and technique and only concentrate on time, not speed or distance. Obviously, it's a good idea to gradually try to improve speed, but the main focus is doing the time.

After 1 hour and 45 minutes, it's time to switch over to distance. At this point, long walks are measured in miles, starting with 6 miles and adding a mile a week until the walks get up to 10 or 11 miles.

At this point, marathon walkers should defer to training manuals for marathon runners. A very crucial skill that marathoners must learn is how to add six more miles to the distance. This means one week the long walk is 10 miles, the next week it's 16. The following week it's back to 10, then the next week to 11, and then it's 17 miles.

This pattern is important, because it drills into the marathoner a very important confidence and ability: the ability to go six more miles, no matter what.

Once the long walk hits 20 miles, that's an important marker in training. No long walk during training should ever exceed 20 miles. However, before taking on a race, a marathon walker should have done at least three long walks of 20 miles.

A few weeks before the actual race, training ramps down. Walks get shorter. While the walker maintains a consistent schedule of four hour-long, fairly fast maintenance walks a week, the "long walks" dwindle down to a mere 10 or 12 miles.

On race day, the newbie marathon walker faces his or her first 26.2 mile walk. But he or she has learned two vital skills: the ability to go 20 miles with confidence and the ability to be able to go six more miles no matter what. The last 0.2 miles that makes up the marathon is run on adrenalin and crowd noise. To be able to participate in a marathon, a training schedule should be set up to map onto race day. Once a marathon walker is fully in training, he or she can easily modify the schedule to accommodate other races during the year. In fact, many people get so addicted to marathon walking that they do four, five or more races a year.

Chi Running, Learn the basic ChiRunning posture

SoCalRunning.com and rhTV present: ChiRunning® basic posture is demonstrated in this video. Taught by ChiRunning®instructor Steve Mackel, this video will help everyone interested in ChiRunning® Thanks to RenegadeHealth.com & MarathonTraining.TV
 

 

CROSSTRAINING FOR WALKERS

Crosstraining (participating in any fitness activity other than your primary sport) is more important and beneficial than many walkers realize. Cross training is used to improve your fitness level and stay active without over using walking muscles.

Using a different activity can help strengthen muscles not used by walking. The result is better walking workouts and less injuries. One of my favorite ways to cross train is bicycling. I choose this for several reasons:

1) It's fun
2) Can be done outdoors or indoors
3) Benefits cardio system
4) Strengthens quadriceps
5) Cycling at high rates trains legs to move faster, improving walking turnover rate.

My primary fitness activity is walking and I supplement it with biking (or other aerobic activity), strength training, Pilates and Yoga. There are a variety of activities you may wish to choose from. Utilize this variety to keep your muscles moving and ward off exercise boredom.

Some popular crosstraining activities:
Cycling (outdoor or stationary)
Swimming
Hiking
Rock climbing
Inline skating
Elliptical trainer
Stair machine
Nordic Trak (ski machine)
Step videos or other aerobic videos
Snow shoeing
Cross country skiing
Sports such as football, soccer, boxing, etc.

Definition of crosstraining and more from about.com

Source

Robotic Treadmill Helps Once-Paralyzed Woman Walk again

A woman who broke her neck in a trampoline accident has issued a warning to others about the equipment.

With summer fast approaching and the number of home trampolines soaring, Jeanette Sykes urged children to play safely.

Miss Sykes, 39, thought she would be in a wheelchair for life after the accident during a barbecue at a friend's house.

She had been jumping with another person, who stopped moving to talk to someone. Miss Sykes twisted awkwardly and fell.

Doctors told her she would be paralysed, but with the help of a revolutionary piece of equipment she learned to walk again.

She said: "I would never have dreamed something like this can happen on a trampoline. You think you're safe because you are jumping on a soft surface." Miss Sykes said that it was too easy for families to buy a trampoline and put it in the garden without being made aware of the dangers.

She said they should really only be used in gyms under supervision.

"I see they make trampolines with nets around them now but a net would not have saved me," she said. "It's providing a false sense of security.

"I don't want to be a killjoy but they really are that dangerous. I am living proof of that." Scroll down for more…

After the accident in July 2006, Miss Sykes endured a risky operation where doctors inserted screws to support the fracture in her neck.

She then had five months of rehabilitation in the Spinal Injuries Centre at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Then the hospital decided to try her on a piece of equipment it was testing, the Lokomat.

The machine is a Swiss-made robotic harness on a treadmill which allows the patient to walk without the weight of the body and improves mobility. Miss Sykes, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was one of the first in the country to use one. Just four weeks later she was able to walk short distances using crutches.

Two years on she is still unable to return to the hairdressing career she worked at for 18 years, but can walk around unaided.

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Roger Vincent, said injuries from trampoline accidents had increased 50 per cent over a five-year period.

He said: "There has been a boom in the number of garden trampolines in the UK and you can buy them everywhere.

"They can be a lot of fun and I don't want to be all doom and gloom but they can be very dangerous if the safety guidelines they are sold with are not followed and respected.

"We recommend that only one person should ever use the trampoline at a time, that it comes with proper safety pads and that it is placed on a soft surface in a clear area."

Want to track your fitness and sleep??

In this fast life, we lack sleep for days, forget about doing exercise. We are least bothered about these personal things till we get ill.  Only if the condition gets worse, we will think about going for walk, doing exercise , consulting dietitian and so on. There is a saying “Prevention is better than cure”. If we track down the activities of our daily life, we will get an idea on how much fit we are. Suddenly I saw  a product which is available in the market for $99 which is “FitBit”. Its a high-tech pedometer with a neat trick–it tracks your daily and nightly activities, then sends that information to the cloud wirelessly.

This device was unveiled last year but the shipping started in last week.  The Fitbit itself is a clip, and almost symmetrical except for a button on one of the sides. This is the only button on the entire device that controls what you see on its small, but very readable OLED display. Each time you click it, it cycles through how many steps you’ve taken, how far you’ve gone in miles, how many calories you’ve burned, as well as your current activity level which is displayed as a flower; the taller it is, the more active you’ve been.

The Fitbit can be stashed in your pocket, on your belt, or anything else you can clip it on.Besides tracking steps, caloric burn, and distance, the Fitbit can be used to monitor sleep duration and habits. This requires users sliding the Fitbit into the included cloth wrist wrap, then holding the Fibit’s one button for a few seconds before going to bed, and then again when they wake up.It also keeps track of any movements during the night, like if you sleepwalk, start waving your arms around, or get up to go to the bathroom.

Isn’t it interesting? We need to first get one for tracking our lives especially for those who are trying to lose weight, and get a little motivation..

The Boy With 5 Pairs of Legs

With five pairs of legs, I feel 10 feet tall! The boy, 7, who doesn't let a double amputation hold him back

By Daily Mail Reporter

 

He has short ones for sitting and climbing and long fancy ones for when he wants to run really, really fast.

Cody McCasland was born without a working set of legs – but now has pairs for just about any occasion.

The seven-year-old has a rare condition called Sacral Agenesis which caused deformities to his spine in the womb.

He arrived without any tibia or knee bones and had to have his legs amputated below the knee at 15 months.

Two months later he was fitted with his first pair of prosthetic legs, and hasn't stopped moving since.

His mother Tina, 36, said: 'Hardly anyone takes to prosthetics so well. It was amazing – it was as if Cody had just been waiting for the chance to have new legs so he could walk.'

Cody now manages to run, swim, play soccer, golf, karate and ice hockey as well as being a boy scout and going rock climbing in his home state of Texas, in the U.S.

Mrs McCasland said: 'We've always said whatever Cody wants to do, we will do our best to let him have that opportunity. He won't let his disability hold him back.'

Cody McCasland is already racing against able-bodied children, and hopes to compete in the Paralympics when he is older

As a result of his condition, Cody also needed surgery for a dislocated hip, stomach, gall bladder and intestinal problems and a hernia, as well as treatment for breathing difficulties and asthma.

His legs are provided for him by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, a specialist limb centre.

These include the blades for running and 'stubbies' for sitting and playing.

Cody said: 'In my walking legs I can take big steps. In my running legs I can run very fast and jump on one leg.'

His mother added: 'They are very expensive and Cody seems to outgrow them all the time. We're very lucky that we have this specialist centre which provides the running legs.'

In return, Cody's family, friends and supporters compete in marathons to raise money for the hospital. They have so far raised £62,000 ($95,000).

Mrs McCasland and her husband Mike, 37, an internet manager, hope to bring Cody to London in 2012 so he can watch the Paralympics.

The determined seven-year-old, who is already gaining good times for his age range, said: 'I'd love to compete in three year's time at swimming.

'I definitely will take part one day and win a gold medal.'

When Cody, was diagnosed Sacral Agenesis, after being born six weeks prematurely, doctors had warned his parents that he might not live.

Children with the condition usually suffer from a number of difficulties including kidney problems and Cody had to undergo the first of his 15 operations at just three days old.

Over the next two years he faced operations for a dislocated hip, stomach, gall bladder and intestinal problems, a hernia, as well as treatment for breathing difficulties and asthma.

Mr and Mrs McCasland, who also have a daughter Callie, two, were warned by a specialist in Texas that Cody might need both lower legs amputated to give him the chance of walking with prosthetic legs.

Social worker Mrs McCasland said: 'He said the right leg was missing a tibia and knee cap.

'The fibula was not enough to support Cody's leg and without a knee, he could not bend it.

'His legs just curved round to the side when he was sitting and it just kind of got in his way.

'His left leg, looked more normal, but the knee did not bend. We were told there may be a chance of surgery to fix that leg but there was no guarantee of success.'

But thanks to his prosthetics, Cody takes part in activities with other children in his class and already beats some of them at running.

He is a member of his school swimming team, competing against able-bodied youngsters despite using just his arms.

Mr McCasland said: 'With the help of Challenged Athletes Foundation Cody will be able to travel to other areas and compete against others like himself at a higher level.

'Each year we take him to the Endeavour Games which is an international competition for children and adults with disabilities. He won gold medals in the 60m and 100m sprints this year and gained a fast enough time to enable him to compete in the National Junior Youth Disability Championships.' 

Cody currently races against youngsters with just one artificial leg, but double amputees hope there will be a reclassification, allowing them to have their own category in the sport.

He ran 60m last year in 20.03 seconds, and 100m at 33.41 seconds, when he was just six years old. This means he was only five or six seconds behind single amputee record-holders aged nine.

Cody's times at freestyle swimming and back stroke are already impressive at around 30 seconds and 43.63 seconds. He has knocked 30 seconds off his freestyle time since starting swimming last June and is now only a short way behind the nine-year-old record holder.

He has already met his sporting hero, triathlete Rudy Garcia-Tolson, a double amputee who has competed in two Paralympics by the age of just 20.

The courageous youngster, who wants to become a doctor when he is older, said: 'I'm a non-stop runner and no-one can keep up with me.

'I'd also love to swim in a race against Michael Phelps or Rudy Garcia-Tolson one day.'

Cody's amazing achievements as a double amputee are inspiring numerous others from disabled children, to soldiers who have lost limbs in Afghanistan or Iraq.

'We receive lots of requests from people wanting to meet Cody,' revealed Mrs McCasland. 'It really is incredible to see this little boy walking up to grown men and telling them they can do all the things he does.

'Soldiers are just like big heroes to Cody, so he is so excited to meet them. And in a way he's a little hero to them too.'

The young athlete has even inspired the creation of Team Cody, a group of fundraisers who compete in marathons, already raising $95,000 for the Texas Scottish Rite Children's Hospital.

Team Cody has also raised $4,000 for the Challenge Athletes Foundation, which helps disabled sports people.

'As long as Cody enjoys his sports, we'll go on supporting him,' said Mrs McCasland. 'We hope his story helps other kids and adults, and spreads the message that disabled people can do all these things.'

 

Why Anyone (Yes, Anyone) Can Do a Triathlon

By: Brie Cadman

 

Add Jogging to Your Walk

Increase your walking intensity in small, increments to add power, speed, and variety.

If you're a regular walker, your legs are already conditioned to begin jogging. However, taking on too much too soon can derail any fitness program. To begin safely, incorporate mini jogs into your walks two or three days a week, allowing at least a day off in between so your body can recover from the increased rigor. Jogging is more stressful on your muscles, joints, and bones, so it's important to start slowly, wear running shoes that fit snugly, and avoid jogging on concrete surfaces (asphalt or dirt is better because it provides more cushioning under the foot). Instead of trying to increase your speed, focus your time and distance using our workout plan (below) as a guideline.

 

The Benefit

Regular exercise may help relieve symptoms of menopause, according to a small study from the University of Granada in Spain. When researchers divided 48 menopausal women into two groups―one joined fitness classes for three hours per week, the other didn't exercise at all―they discovered the exercisers were 25 percent less likely to report severe symptoms of menopause after a year on the plan. (Among the nonexercisers, that figure rose by nearly 20 percent.) Lead researcher Carmen Villaverde-Gutierrez, PhD, credits part of the improvement to the camaraderie afforded by group exercise. Physical fitness improves mental outlook, which could affect how menopausal women perceive their symptoms.

Tips on Technique
• Breathe through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. This helps supply more oxygen to muscles.
• Keep head level and eyes forward.
• Keep shoulders down and relaxed.
• Strike the ground heel first, then roll to the ball of the foot before pushing off with toes.

Workout Plan: Start with Intervals

Begin each workout with a brisk five- to six-minute warm-up walk. When you're ready, jog/walk for approximately 30 minutes using the suggested intervals below. End with a cooldown walk and stretch.

Week 1: Jog 60 seconds, walk 4 minutes. Repeat six intervals.

Week 2: Jog 60 seconds, walk 3 minutes. Repeat 8 intervals.

Week 3: Jog 60 seconds, walk 2 minutes. Repeat 10 intervals.

Week 4: Jog 60 seconds, walk 60 seconds. Repeat 15 intervals.

Week 5: Jog 60 seconds, walk 30 seconds. Repeat 20 intervals.

Week 6: Jog continuously for 30 minutes.

 

Running 101: Take the First Step Today

By Amby Burfoot
Runner’s World

So you want to start running? You’ve heard it’s inexpensive, great for your health, the best way to lose weight (and keep it off). You’ve got friends and coworkers who run, and they’re trim, happy, centered, and productive. Running also looks like a straightforward enough sport. There’s only one thing that’s bothering you: If running’s so simple, why do you have so many questions?

You’re not alone. Every beginner worries about how to get started and has a lot to ask—about how to get motivated, what to eat, how to avoid injuries, and exactly when and where and how much to run. No problem. We’ve got the answers—from experts who have been teaching beginning running classes for up to 35 years, and from others who’ve certainly been around the block. Every runner began with a first step. You can, too.

INSPIRATION
Help, I need motivation!

Make All the Excuses You Want. Then Get on With It

You don’t have time" you don’t have the energy; it’s too cold/hot/rainy; the dog ate your shoelaces; Uh-huh. Now go out and run. Online running coach and former educator Dean Hebert has heard so many excuses from his runners that he assembled them into a book, Coach I Didn’t Run Beacause… Excuses Not to Run and How to Overcome Them. "These excuses are real to peoples and I don’t diminish in Tempe, Arizona, and can be found at rxrunning.com. "I tell my beginning runners to concentrate on the one reason that brought them to running. A clear focus can work magic on your motivation."

Keep Track

Keeping a written diary is a highly successful way to stick with an exercise or diet program. It doesn’t have to be fancy or sophisticated. Indeed, where you place the diary might be more important than what you write in it. Put a calendar on your fridge or in front of your computer, write down every time you complete a run, and take pride in watching those numbers build up. (Or feel guilty when they don’t! That’ll get you out.)

Keep at It

Some runners win gold medals and set world records, but no runner has ever done every workout he or she planned. You won’t either. Stuff happens, but you can deal as long as you stay focused on the big picture. Shrug off the bad days, get back on the program, and you’ll still achieve your goals — losing weight, gaining energy, improving your health, adding distance to your runs, and so on. Remaining persistent is crucial to improved running. "When beginners get discouraged or hit a plateau, I tell them to remember the time and effort invested and the progress they’ve made," says beginners coach Jane Serues. "You don’t want to slide backward, you want to keep working toward the progress ahead."

Find a Fitness Friend

Beginning running coaches agree that one of the best ways to stick with your exercise program is to get a training partner. When someone is counting on you as much as you’re counting on him/her, it’s much tougher to blow off a workout. But it has to be someone of similar ability who is supportive, not competitive with you. "We emphasize the emotional power of training partners," says Serues, who’s introduced 6,000 women to running in the Lehigh Valley of eastern Pennsylvania. "One or two is good. Three or four are even better."

NUTRITION
"I Don’t Know What To Eat!"

Pass on the Extra Carbs

Bread, bagels, pasta, potatoes, and pancakes—you just can’t get enough, right? Wrong, says Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, R. D., author of the new book Nancy Clark’s Food Guide for New Runners. Running two or three miles at an easy pace will burn 200 to 300 calories, an amount so modest that it doesn’t demand lumberjack portions of carbs (or anything else) before or after. Clark advocates eating healthy foods throughout the day, and having a small snack an hour or two before you run. "Exercisers shouldn’t skip meals early in the day or try to run on fumes," she says. "But you don’t require special foods after a workout—just a snack that offers a few carbs and a little protein."

Drink Water. But Only When You’re Thirsty

Yes, runners sweat a lot. Yes, they need water, sugar, and electrolytes when they run for 90 minutes or more, particularly in warm weather. But unless you’re training for a marathon this summer (which you won’t be), you don’t need sports drinks and an advanced hydration strategy. Sip a little water before your workout and a little more after. And skip the extra calories in sweetened drinks. "Beginning runners don’t need a sports drink, because they’re not running far enough," notes Clark.

Eat Real Food

Runners, even beginners, tend to be driven, results-oriented people. When promised shortcuts, miracle cures, and unbelievable benefits from supplement and "superfood" manufacturers, they’re easily swayed. However, eating standard, simple, unprocessed natural foods will give you the same end results. "Every time one of those vitamin or supplement studies produces a negative result, I am reassured that focusing on quality calories is the best advice," says Clark. "I’ve always believed that the healthiest foods are the real foods—the quality vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins packed with everything runners need."

If You Want to Lose Weight…

Sorry, but you won’t automatically drop five pounds just because you run, says Clark. You also have to reduce your daily food intake. Each mile you run burns roughly 100 calories. Cut out a cookie or two every day, and you can add another 100 calories to your weight-loss effort. "Reducing calorie consumption by just 100 calories a day will theoretically give you a 10-pound weight loss by the end of the year," Clark says. "Hit 200 calories a day, and you’ll lose 20 pounds." Clark suggests cutting calories by eating smaller portions and fewer fried foods.

INJURY-PREVENTION
"How Can I Avoid Injury, Or Worse?"

Stretch After You Run, Not Before

Runners have long believed that stretching will give them a longer, smoother stride and reduce their risk of injuries. However, in recent years research has failed to prove either point. Budd Coates and Jeff Galloway say they’ve never advocated stretching for their beginning runners, and the runners haven’t developed injuries. Adds Dr. Lewis Maharam: "A preworkout stretching routine doesn’t prevent injuries or improve performance, so there’s no reason to do it. The time to do your stretching is after your run, or even later in the evening." Stretch (without straining) your calves, quads, and hamstrings for 10 to 15 minutes.

Expect a Little Tenderness

Sure, runners have to deal with occasional aches and pains. Especially beginners. However, these are temporary complaints, and don’t lead to long-term damage. Last summer, the Archives of Internal Medicine published a study on a group of runners who were first investigated in the mid-1980s when they were 50 years old or older. Twenty-one years later, these runners, now in their mid-70s, were found to have better function and overall health, and less disabilities than similar individuals who had not been running for two decades. When you experience mild aches and pains, follow the tried-and-true RICE prescription: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Don’t overuse pain meds and anti-inflammatories. "The over-the-counter meds are not perfectly safe and aren’t meant to mask pain," says Dr. Maharam. "Overuse can lead to liver, stomach, and kidney problems."

You’re (Almost Certainly) Not Going to Die

Yes, heart attacks happen, and they make headlines. But these events are extremely rare, averaging about one for every 800,000 half-hour workouts. Meanwhile, it’s a well-established medical fact that runners and other highly fit individuals have a 50 percent lower risk of heart attack than nonexercisers. It’s more dangerous to sit in front of your TV. The heart is a muscle. If you don’t exercise it, it becomes weak and flabby. Still, every runner should know the signs of a heart attack: unusual shortness of breath; chest, arm or neck tightness (especially on the left side); nausea; and a cold sweat. If you experience these, stop immediately, and call your doctor.

GEAR
"Do I need fancy stuff?"

Buy the Right Shoes

You don’t absolutely, positively need a new pair of running shoes when you begin running. You can run in your comfortable crosstrainers, sneakers, or walking shoes. But when you’re ready, the right pair will make your runs more comfortable while adding extra injury-prevention features. Selecting these shoes, sad to say, can be a complex process. That’s why it’s smart to go to a specialty running store. The experienced staff will make sure you get shoes that fit right and provide the biomechanical support you need. Expect to pay $85 to $120. "We know how to look at your foot when it hits the road, and that makes a huge difference," says J. D. Denton, senior writer at Running Times and owner of a Fleet Feet running store in Davis, California.


Wear Polyester

You don’t need a lot of expensive gear to run, which is good news in a recession. That said, you’ll never regret the dollars you spend on breathable socks, and even shirts and shorts. These garments, made from polyester fabrics, are a world apart from the scratchy material your father ran track in. The best are lightweight, soft, and nonchafing. "They’ll prevent blisters and rashes," says Denton, "and they’ll actually help keep you cooler in summer and warmer in winter."

Forget About Gadgets

Heart-rate monitors, GPS systems on a watch, accelerometers that tell you how fast you’re going, cell phones with astonishing tools—none of these glitzy products will help your first efforts. All you really need is a watch with a stopwatch function, available for around $30 at any drugstore, to help you keep track of your walking and running intervals. Don’t worry about other fancy gizmos. But if your iPod makes your workouts go better, by all means take it with you—as long as you run in a safe place.

TRAINING
"So How Do I Do This?"

Start Slow. Back Off

Most beginning runners worry that they’re not improving fast enough. Don’t compare yourself with others. Every runner gets into shape according to his own body’s schedule. Physiologists have calculated that any and all running paces are fast enough to put you into the moderate-to-vigorous aerobic zone that delivers health benefits. So take your time and focus on going farther, not faster. "We tell people that they didn’t get out of shape in five weeks, and they’re not going to get back in shape in five weeks," says Bob Glover.

And Again: Go Slow

If you feel out of breath or sick to your stomach, you’re running too fast, a mistake made by perhaps 99 percent of beginners. "A lot of people think that they have to go at least a mile at a time, and at a good clip," says Budd Coates. "I always tell my beginning runners to slow down and take more walk breaks." When you slow down and/or walk more, your breathlessness and nausea will go away. You’ll learn that running should be a relaxed activity, and that you should "train, not strain." And, yes, beginning running includes lots of walking. Get over it.

Run Tall and Relaxed

For the most part, you don’t have to worry about your technique. That said, experts agree that you should run tall (not slouched) and straight (not leaning far forward or backward). Don’t overstride; that could put extra strain on your knees. "Run with your eyes focused about nine feet ahead," says Jane Serues. "Let your arms relax, down around your waist, and take a natural, comfortable stride."

Whenever and Wherever

Is there a best time and place to run? Sure: whenever and wherever is most convenient. Finding ways to fit workouts into your schedule is more important than fretting over the when/where questions. Neighborhood roads, a high school track, a treadmill — all good. Beginners should stick to relatively flat running. Hills dramatically increase the muscular and aerobic strain of a run. Run against traffic, so drivers can see you. After all, you’re in this for the long run.

 

 

 

Have You Tried Walking To Lose Weight?

Have you tried everything to lose weight? Most people go through numerous diets, machines and false promises before they find something that really works. And some people are still searching for something, anything that truly works to help them lose that excess weight they’ve managed to pack on. The reason it takes so long to find something that works is that people want immediate results and when they don’t get those results they end up falling hard. They’ll binge on food because they’re depressed that they can’t lose the weight, and this only helps them pack on more pounds. This is how people gain all the weight back and more after they’ve lost it; usually through risky or desperate means. But losing weight doesn’t have to be so grueling or complicated. Have you ever tried just walking to lose weight?

Anyone Can Do It

If you have the use of your legs and you are able to walk a short distance, you can use walking to lose weight. If you get into the habit of walking for thirty to forty five minutes five days per week after dinner time, and then you don’t eat till the next morning, you will lose weight. No matter how much weight you’re looking to lose, as long as you keep up with it and you don’t overeat, you can use simple walking to lose weight.

Overeating

The reason most people don’t lose weight when they begin an exercise program is because they overeat. Restaurants are notorious for serving larger serving sizes than we need. It’s not uncommon to have a whole day’s calorie allotment in one meal with most chains. For optimal results while you try walking to lose weight is to eat six small meals per day and to drink plenty of water. Don’t be afraid to take food home with you when dining out so you can keep those portion sizes to a minimum.

Walking

Walking is a great exercise. It is non-impact, it’s relaxing, it allows you to experience nature first hand and it’s great for losing weight. You can either walk by yourself or with a friend, or you can invite the whole neighborhood with you; who wouldn’t like to lose weight, right? Better yet, you can get a dog so you have an excuse to walk every day. It’s just a good thing to get in the habit of. Walking to lose weight is fun, it’s cathartic and it will make you very healthy.

Before you begin walking to lose weight, it might be best to consult your doctor. It’s just a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any weight loss or fitness program, even if it’s non-impact. But once you start walking to lose weight, you’ll wonder why you never began sooner.

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