For the Walkers and Runners

Q

QuickSilver

SF VIP
Location
Midwest
My exercise consists primarily (ok totally) of walking. I try to walk at least 5-6 days a week. In the winter I use a treadmill.. the rest of the year I walk outside usually with my dogs. So.. I measure my workout in "time" on the treadmill... and in "distance" when I'm outside. Right now I am in my outdoor mode and average 2-3 miles a day... this weekend I did a total of 8 miles. I also have a pedometer which I have never used.. perhaps I should be measuring steps.. any other walkers out there? How do you set up your workout?
 

I'm a walker, too. But not in the winter.
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And not when it's raining.

My routine is 3/4 mile to an athletic track here open to the public in the evening. Then I do at least 3-4 laps around the track in lane 8, then 3/4 miles back. It's about 2.5 miles.

I used a pedometer and liked it, but it broke and the new one didn't register correctly, so I gave up on it. I was in a challenge---to do 10,000 steps per day. It's surprising how many steps you take just walking around the house. I take about 2500 steps for a mile, so it was pretty easy to get the steps in (unless it was raining).
 
I like walking in my neighborhood and have done it for 35 years. I have so many routes and combinations that I can do a 1 mile, a 1.1 mile, a 2 mile.. 3.1 (5k) in a multitude of ways and try to mix it up for variation because walking can get boring without company. My hubby used to walk with me, but his is dealing with a pretty bad flare up of osteoarthritis at present... so it's me and the dog.
 

Most of my walking is done at all hours of the night; from the bedroom to the bathroom and back again.

Haven't measured the distance and don't intend to.
 
Being somewhat restricted in how far I can walk, I usually try to walk at least a half mile six days a week. I have a Vivofit bracelet that tells me distance and steps taken.
And Falcon, four times for me last night. Short distance to bathroom though.
 
Three days a week, I walk to/from my yoga class which is about 3 miles. On the other 2 weekdays I usually walk around the perimeter of my neighborhood which is exactly one mile so I aim for at least twice around. On weekends I walk/hike with S.O. and that can vary - I guess 3-8 miles total for the weekend.
 
My very favorite summertime walk is on a weekend morning. It's a total of 4 miles. 2 miles to a restaurant for breakfast, and then 2 miles back home. but it's a big rectangular walk, not the same two miles there and back.
 
I take a 2 mile walk in the mornings 5 days a week with my dog. A couple of times a month I take an additional 3 1/2 mile walk on a bike trail near my house. I don't use the treadmill much at the gym, mostly bike or elliptical. I have an Omron pedometer that I started using when I was working, was doing the 10,000 steps most days, I think it was around 5 miles. It broke though, so it's been a long time since I used it. When I'm on camping trips, I usually do a 3 1/2 mile walk most days on a dirt road.
 
I used to have a pedometer, but it broke and I haven’t replaced it. I either know or can look up distances and use landmarks. Home to end of street and back is 1 mile. Home to CVS and back is 2 miles. When it was brutally cold or sidewalks were icy I didn’t do much walking, but I’m getting back into it now that the weather is nice.
 
I'm not sure about other cities, but Chicago and near suburban streets are laid out in a grid pattern. Eight city blocks are exactly one mile.. in any direction. So it is very easy to map out a route or a combination of routes to cover the exact distance you desire. Usually the major streets are exactly one mile apart.
 
Before retiring 25 years ago I was running 60 miles a week and playing Raquet Ball four times a week. I have a good strong heart but the knees are shot. I shoulda walked and played table tennis instead.
 
I still run two miles per day. My wife is a walker and I walk with her the two miles, so I end up doing 4 miles of walking per day, five days per week, or sometimes six. I really don't lose any weight from doing this, but it does help to maintain my present weight. I am 6'4" and weigh 195 lbs. Fairly slim, really. I also carry 3 lb. dumbbells, one in each hand, but only when I walk (sometimes), not when I run. I also carry water and pepper spray. The water is for me and the pepper spray is for protection.

In the winter, we use the treadmill. We bought a new ProForm treadmill a few years back. When I move up the incline above 5% , it damn near kills me, if I go beyond 20 minutes.
 
I walk thirty minutes every morning with my Beagle, Pikey. We both need more exercise, so I plan to add a thirty minute walk for each afternoon. It doesn't rain much here, but when it does, we always try to get in our walk between showers.
 
I enjoy walking as part of my routines, but haven't been able to do it with my plantar fasciitis for many months.

When I did do it at the gym on the treadmill I would do it for a length of time not distance. I would do intervals, changing the speed of the walk, and also intervals with the incline, increasing the steepness every 30 seconds.

When I power walk outside I measure in distance. I know exactly where on my road is the 2 and 2.5 mile mark so I can do 4 or 5 miles. Occasionally I've added in a job with it.
 
Ameriscot said:
I enjoy walking as part of my routines, but haven't been able to do it with my plantar fasciitis for many months.

When I did do it at the gym on the treadmill I would do it for a length of time not distance. I would do intervals, changing the speed of the walk, and also intervals with the incline, increasing the steepness every 30 seconds.

When I power walk outside I measure in distance. I know exactly where on my road is the 2 and 2.5 mile mark so I can do 4 or 5 miles. Occasionally I've added in a job with it.
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I had the surgery to relieve the plantar fasciitis. Took about 6 weeks to heal properly and then all was OK. I started out walking and then within 12 weeks, I was running again.
 
jujube said:
I do three miles, five times a week. I march along to Creedence Clearwater Revival (most of their songs are great for walking at a brisk pace). I'm planning on upping my distance this summer the four months we'll be in North Carolina, unless the altitude slows me down.
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I have 350 songs on my Ipod... ranging all the way from the 1940's to the present.. I think I have a pretty good mix and you are right.. some songs put a quicker pace to my steps.. Sometimes I even find myself dancing along..... I'm sure I've given some folks a good chuckle... but I really don't care... I'm enjoying myself.
 
Here is a great song to play using an Ipod and while running, even on the treadmill: Helps to run with the beat.

 
oldman said:
I had the surgery to relieve the plantar fasciitis. Took about 6 weeks to heal properly and then all was OK. I started out walking and then within 12 weeks, I was running again.
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Mine isn't bad enough to require surgery, but waiting only 12 weeks from walk to run sounds amazing. I've had PF in both feet twice, but have had it only in one foot since about October. It is getting better though but not enough to walk long distances. I abused it badly while we were in Thailand as you have to remove your shoes often and walk on hard floors, but then I also walked barefoot on the hard floors in our bungalow. I've got solutions for when we go next winter, using a support sock for when I know I'll need to take off my (PF) sandals. Got great PF slippers that I wear all the time at home and they've helped a lot. Never go barefoot.
 
QuickSilver said:
I have 350 songs on my Ipod... ranging all the way from the 1940's to the present.. I think I have a pretty good mix and you are right.. some songs put a quicker pace to my steps.. Sometimes I even find myself dancing along..... I'm sure I've given some folks a good chuckle... but I really don't care... I'm enjoying myself.
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I've got lots of great songs from 60's to current onces that I use to workout. Walking/jogging songs must have just the right beat, not so much on spin bike, etc.
 
jujube said:
I do three miles, five times a week. I march along to Creedence Clearwater Revival (most of their songs are great for walking at a brisk pace). I'm planning on upping my distance this summer the four months we'll be in North Carolina, unless the altitude slows me down.
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I use this album too for walking, never tire from hearing it over and over.
 
I run 2-3 miles 4 days a week with the neighbor. I also have a stepper machine in my basement rec room, but it gets seldom used during nice weather. The stepper gives a good workout and my calves grow to the size of small cantaloupes, if I use it continuously. I used to run marathons, until I turned 55 and that's when I became aware that I wasn't keeping up anymore. My last marathon was a 5k.

I also play pickup basketball with a team that our township has organized in a league type format. We have 5 teams with 7-8 guys and gals on each team and there are 6 teams. Lots of fun. The females present a challenge because I don't like hand-checking them, if you know what I mean.
 

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