Walking Smarter and Faster

One of the things I love about walking for fitness is that it's accessible: almost anyone can do it, and it doesn't cost a lot. I was a little concerned, then, when I heard about this study, which suggests that the best way to lose belly fat is through high-intensity exercise. To me, that sounds like other forms of exercise I don't enjoy: hitting the gym to lift weights, running, swimming, etc. And boy, I really do not like running. In reading the article, though, there's some good news: vigorous exercise doesn't necessarily mean doing those things I dread. Instead, the way to lose belly fat is to increase the intensity of the exercise, in the words of the article by "walking or jogging more vigorously on some days of the week."

As part of the training I do for half-marathons, I've discovered the benefits of intervals, which are basically the kind of higher intensity activity they're talking about here. Essentially, I walk faster for periods of time during my walk. For example, I'll start with fartleks: walking faster until I get to some point in the distance like a street light or a driveway, resuming my previous speed until my heart rate returns to normal, then repeating the process. After a few weeks of that, I'll do intervals, where I walk fast for a minute, then slower, then repeat. Over time, I can work up to longer periods of walking fast (2 minutes, say) and shorter periods of walking normally.

It's amazing how much of a difference intervals can make, both in terms of being a better workout and increasing my level of fitness (I really believed it's helped to improve my race times). So this study is actually good news for us walkers. It means that we can continue to do the form of exercise we love, and we can become more fit by adding some intervals into our walking routine. So let's keep walking, and do it a little faster from time to time. Before long, it sounds like we'll be seeing the benefits in a tangible way.

Why I Walk in Races

When I tell people (usually non-walkers) that I'm training for a race, I usually get a puzzled look, or sometimes a double-take. "What?" they'll ask. "Why are you doing that? Is it a walk-a-thon? You don't think you're going to win, do you?"

It's a little hard to explain in a short 2 minute conversation. But here are the reasons I do races:

1. The challenge. I did my first race a few years ago to prove to myself that I could walk 13.1 miles all by myself. I'd never done anything that physically demanding before, and even a few years before that, I could only walk a couple of miles at a time. I walk long distances to show myself that I’ve come a long way and that my body is capable of doing amazing things if I push myself.

2. The travel. Participating in races allows me to go to fun places and see cities in a whole new way. I’ve walked through Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World and along the Ohio River in Cincinnati. I’ve even explored parts of the city where I work up close, in a way I’ve never seen before. Choosing a destination for a race is only half the fun; the rest comes with being able to see a place literally at eye level. To experience a city on foot is to have a better understanding of what it’s about.

3. The competition. When I walk in a race, I don’t compete with the other racers. Instead, I compete with myself, trying to go faster than my previous best time. Each race is an opportunity to test myself and improve my fitness and my speed.

4. The discipline. The experience of training for a distance race is an exercise in motivation and determination. Every time I want to roll over and go back to bed instead of going for a training walk, I have to ask myself how much I want it. How badly do I want to finish the race - and finish it well? Sometimes I have to make choices about how I spend my time, and do things like choosing to go home and go to bed early instead of staying out late. Those are the gut-check moments, the times when I choose health and fitness instead of short-term fun. The discipline required by the training schedule is good for me, because it helps to provide a structure for how I spend my time and for my exercise regimen.

So there you have it: the reasons why I walk in races. What are yours?

Another Race

After lots of pondering, I've decided to take the plunge and register for another half-marathon. This will be my 4th half altogether. It's the City of Oaks Half-Marathon in Raleigh, NC, and takes place in early November.

The main reason I've hesitated to do another race is because I've been trying harder to lose weight. In my experience, it's tough to train and concentrate on weight loss. For me, one of the biggest issues is my eating after the long training walks on weekends. I'm absolutely ravenous for the rest of the day after most of them, and I find that I can easily justify eating anything in sight: "Gee, I just walked 10 miles, so I can eat those 5 brownies." Obviously, the math doesn't add up, and calories consumed aren't outweighed by the calories burned. So I have to really watch myself on the weekends, even more than usual.

I decided to go ahead with the race, though, mainly because the discipline that training requires is a good thing for me. It provides structure to my workouts, and provides a goal I can work toward. So I'm going to give it the old college try, and hope for the best. We'll see how it goes.

Walking Through Disney (Race Report)

On Jan. 6, I joined 15,000 of my closest friends to walk the Disney World half-marathon. I arose bright and early to catch the 3:45 bus to Epcot for the 6:30am start time. Why we had to be there so early, I still don't know. The weather was warm for January, with temps in the upper 60s and high humidity to start and around 75 when I finished. We waited in the staging area until about 4:30, then moved into the corrals. This year there was a wave start, and I was in Wave C (the last one). Around 5:30 we started gradually making our way to the start line. Wave A started just after 6am, Wave B was right behind at 6:10, and I crossed the start line just a few minutes after 6:30. I was amazed at the sheer numbers of people. This was my third race, and with about 15,000 participants, was about the same size as one previous race I've done (the Nike Women's half in San Francisco). I don't know if the road was narrower or what, but it seemed a heck of a lot more crowded than SF. Being in the back of the pack, I figured things would thin out, and they did some, but I ended up passing people through the entire race, and frequently had trouble doing so because of the crowds.

We started by Epcot and made our way toward the Magic Kingdom after about 4 miles. The crowds were sparse until we reached MK, and then the spectators were mostly Disney cast members. Around this time, one couple pulled off the course to get married before continuing on with the race as newlyweds. (Probably one of those things that sounded like a good idea at the time.) We walked through Cinderella's castle, and made our way out of the park and headed back toward Epcot. I saw a few participants dressed as their favorite characters, including Captain Jack and the Incredibles. The home stretch of the race took us through Epcot to the finish line, where we were greeted by cheering fans. My final chip time: 3:25:21. Slower than I would have liked, but given the weather conditions, I was okay with it. I was dismayed to discover, however, that at the finish line they had run out of not only water, but finisher's medals! I kept thinking to myself, "Isn't this Disney? The people who move thousands of people through their parks every day?" After standing in line for about 10 minutes to put my name on a mailing list, a box of medals mysteriously appeared, and I finally got one. Many others didn't, however, and I was amazed at the lack of organization.

Overall, it was an okay experience. I was happy with my personal performance in the race, especially considering both the weather conditions and the trouble I had early in my training schedule finding the time to get all my walks in. Would I recommend the Disney World half to another walker? Yes and no. Yes, because I hope they solve the organizational problems for future races. No, because it was way too crowded for me to feel like I could maintain my pace consistently, plus even if I give Disney the benefit of the doubt for having a bad day, I think it's highly problematic to run out of water on a warm, humid day. (I saw several runners and walkers who had to get medical attention both during and after the race.) Will I do another half-marathon? Absolutely. I loved my experience at the Flying Pig in Cincinnati last year, and hope to do that race again (although not this year). And there are several others I'd like to try, too.

What does the future hold for me as far as races? I'm hoping to pull off another half in the fall, preferably somewhere on the East Coast (any suggestions are welcome). Meanwhile, I really want to work on my pace, so it's more intervals and shorter distances for me the next few months. And I'm hoping to enter a few smaller local 5Ks and 10Ks as well, which I think after the masses at Disney will be a welcome relief. I still see walking in races as a good thing, because it's a great way to set goals and keep myself motivated, as well as meet other walkers and runners.


Until next time...

Motivation

I'm currently training to walk a half-marathon (at Walt Disney World on January 6, 2007). This will be my third half, but I'm finding that this time, I'm having a hard time staying motivated to keep up with the training. Maybe it's the weather (although where I live in North Carolina, fall is much better than the humid summers!). Or maybe it's life; too many other responsibilities getting in the way. But whatever the reason, it's often a struggle to get myself out the door and stick to the training schedule. But every time I do, I'm reminded of why I walk: I do this for my health and, ultimately, for a better life. Every step I take is a step away from my old unhealthy life and toward my new healthy one. I started walking for exercise because I was dangerously overweight (and with high cholesterol to boot). I've lost a lot of weight through exercise and diet, and mostly because I walk. Even though I sometimes struggle to get out of bed and start walking, I do it because it matters. I do it because my health matters. So I put one foot in front of the other and walk. Toward a better, healthier future.

Keep on walking!