RunningAHEAD - Topic: What About Walking Miles?

DickyG

posted: 6/16/2008 at 12:38 PM

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, ruptured groin muscle playing softball...oh, the pain of over-65 softball! Doctor says I'm out of commission for 6-8 weeks but I can now walk 4-5 miles and even jog a little on the downhills. I'm still hopefull that I'll be able to at least run part of Peachtree...been running this race for 31 years now. Question: Is it considered acceptable to log in my walking miles (I'm doing the miles at a 14:05 pace) into my running log? DickyG

Spareribs

King of PhotoShop

posted: 6/16/2008 at 1:25 PM

I logged them when I was injured, but I created a category in my log for walking, just so I would know the difference. Don't short sell the value of walking. You will build strength in the hip flexor muscles and other muscles not used in running. And if you really concentrate on form, a shorter, quicker turnover in your stride, I bet you can bring down your times too, which will soon give you more aerobic benefit than you first thought it did. I bet you come to enjoy walking after a while. I hope your injury heals soon, but while you are healing, you will gain a great benefit from walking. Good luck. Spareribs

coastwalker

posted: 6/17/2008 at 8:27 AM

Hi DickyG, I was going to say that I feel your pain, but I don't and, frankly, I don't want to! Shocked

I sure hope it is OK to log walking miles; if not, I'm in serious trouble! Smile

You should be fine with logging walking miles, as long as you clearly mark them as such so you'll know what was going on when you look back later on. Also, as Dr. Ribs said, you can accomplish a lot while walking, depending on how hard you can and want to work at it. If you want to go faster, keep your arms bent at 90 degrees, and try shorter and quicker strides rather than long strides. The short ones will make you faster, and will give you much more of a workout. I'll bet you can get your walking pace down around 13, and at that rate, you can walk Peachtree and be far, far ahead of the final finisher. Above all, follow your doctor's recommendations, stay within your limits, be patient, and those 6-8 weeks will go by quickly. Good luck! Jay

Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

Spareribs

King of PhotoShop

posted: 6/17/2008 at 12:21 PM

Dickyg, in case you don't know who Coastwalker is, you just heard it from the man at the top. Good luck to you, and let us know how it's working out. Spareribs

DickyG

posted: 6/18/2008 at 12:24 PM

Thanks so much for the encouragement & advice. Yesterday did 4.1 miles on the road..concentrated on keeping arms at 90 deg. & taking shorter, quicker strides. Ran a little on the flat areas and gentle downhills. Overall pace went from 14:05 to 12:35. Today went to high school track...with no hills, was able to run longer intervals...actually, after running about half a lap, groin seems to loosen up a bit. Did 4 miles in 43:30 (10:52 pace)...heat & fatigue got to me almost as much as the pulled groin. Taking tomorrow off... Thanks again!

tetsujin209

MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

posted: 6/19/2008 at 1:19 AM

Quote from DickyG on 6/16/2008 at 12:38 PM:

been running this race for 31 years now. Question: Is it considered acceptable to log in my walking miles (I'm doing the miles at a 14:05 pace) into my running log?

I don't walk that much in training but since it took 7:09:54 to run all the way with abbreviated hamstring-hampered steps in the 2006 Yakima River Canyon and 6:52:45 walking all the way as a marathon experiment in 2008, and since I've discovered lots of walking is necessary for me to finish many of the ultra events I'm getting to love so much, i count walking as running if in events even though i would log them separately in training outings. Incidentally, that's a huge Peachtree streak, 31 years doing the same event but if Mr. Groin groans too much don't let even walking the whole thing diminish the joy of joining 10's of thousands of others all aound no matter what the pace. If fact, just like my Yakima's, it might be a good excuse to see how it is to walk the whole way. ps - I've read some of the elite's accounts of the Peachtree over the years but never from the regular runner's perspective so look forward to your rr.

^{"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again."}^{100yo T. Igarashi}^{to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji}^(8/2/87)

tetsujin209

MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

posted: 6/19/2008 at 1:19 AM

Quote from DickyG on 6/16/2008 at 12:38 PM:

been running this race for 31 years now. Question: Is it considered acceptable to log in my walking miles (I'm doing the miles at a 14:05 pace) into my running log?

I don't walk that much in training but since it took 7:09:54 to run all the way with abbreviated hamstring-hampered steps in the 2006 Yakima River Canyon and 6:52:45 walking all the way as a marathon experiment in 2008, and since I've discovered lots of walking is necessary for me to finish many of the ultra events I'm getting to love so much, i count walking as running if in events even though i would log them separately in training outings. Incidentally, that's a huge Peachtree streak, 31 years doing the same event but if Mr. Groin groans too much don't let even walking the whole thing diminish the joy of joining 10's of thousands of others all aound no matter what the pace. If fact, just like my Yakima's, it might be a good excuse to see how it is to walk the whole way. ps - I've read some of the elite's accounts of the Peachtree over the years but never from the regular runner's perspective so look forward to your rr.

^{"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again."}^{100yo T. Igarashi}^{to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji}^(8/2/87)

Masters Running

What About Walking Miles? (Read 287 times)