khyricat

Go Machka! I got in over 5 miles at work Monday and tuesday and was at 3.5 when I headed home due to snow today... if I didn't have an MD appt due to a hurt back tomorrow I'd be out shovelling even though it's still falling- a couple more inches predicted by AM... and it's about 4 or 5 inches deep out there already

Machka 

So I've done a few 4-6 km runs now, and today I did a 7 km run. I've even got new shoes to help me do this!!

PdalPowr

I have bad feet including a bunion so walking is a chore.
That being said in my younger years walking/hiking/running was fun.
If I had a second language it would be cross country skiing.
It is a lot of fun and relatively low impact on the feet.

Mark Stone

Excellent!! What new shoes if you don't mind me asking? I'm leaning to New Balance running shoes for my walking . . .

Machka 

I went to a reputable running shop where they checked how I walked (over and over!) and how I ran (they've got a treadmill right there), and even video-d how I ran. Then they got me into about 3 different pair of shoes and checked how I walked again and again. When we were pretty sure about the ones I got, they even sent me outside for a run in them ... I test drove the shoes!!

They are Hoka's Clifton 4

Womens Clifton 4 - Blue Coral / Ceramic - Hoka One One

They are designed to keep the weight off my arthritic joints ... where the big toe attaches to the foot. I've got quite bad arthritis in the right one and newly developing arthritis in the left. When I walk, I roll on the outside of my foot in an act that protects those joints, and then my foot rolls right over onto those joints in an act that causes all sorts of pain.

I burnt the left foot (big toe, top of the foot, underneath the foot, etc. all in that joint area) to the bone in 2001, and that messed up my walking and running. My right foot took all the weight for about 3 months, then I had to relearn how to walk, and I think an odd psychological thing has happened where I naturally want to protect my foot (so I walk on the outsides) but I've been told over and over not to do that so mid step I try to flatten my foot.

Anyway, these shoes prevent me from doing that and force me to walk with a much more natural step. I did that 7 km run and had the odd niggle in the joint of the right foot, but nowhere near as bad as usual ... but the real telling thing is that every day after a run I've woken up with really sore feet. My arthritis is flaring! Today, the day after my 7 km run, my feet actually feel pretty good.

I am almost tempted to get a pair for everyday walking too!

But they did suggest that I might want to look at getting orthotic inserts for some of my other shoes. A podiatrist suggested that to me years ago but I never followed up on it ... maybe I should now.

Mark Stone

This is excellent. Walkers and runners need to go through this process instead of what most of us do - which is to just buy the shoes off of the shelf that look the coolest. In my city there are no shoe stores that have the services you describe at the running shop. However, through the years I've learned and learned by trial and error what shoes work for me for distance and aerobic walking, and I use New Balance neutral cushioning running shoes. I can wear almost anything "socially", but if I try to exercise walk in my normal shoes it wrecks my feet and knees. But with the NB I feel like I can stride forever painlessly. Right now my NBs are the 880v7, link here.

Machka 

I was actually really impressed with this place. You know how you go into a bicycle shop and no one seems to know what stock they've got, or what would actually work for you, and can't seem to comprehend anything you're asking ... this place wasn't like that at all!!

As soon as I described my situation, they had already narrowed my choices down because they actually knew their stock. These shoes do this, those shoes do that, etc. I was momentarily stunned because I've never encountered that level of stock knowledge in a bicycle shop and have come not to expect it anywhere.

I've gotten so that just about all my shoes hurt, so I am thinking about going back and looking into orthotics.


Anyway, my chiro did suggest walking on paper with wet feet. He said that was one way to see what your feet are doing. So that might be an option ... if you're curious and don't have a place that checks everything.

OldTryGuy

Machka & Mark, informative and inspiring stories resulting in successes in your endeavors. IMO, walking longer distances requires as much if not more endurance compared to running due to the extended time required for completion. Continued success to you-all and stay injury free.

I will be walking the Walt Disney World Mickey Marathon next Sunday and am hoping to just be able to complete by staying in front of the field sweeping Balloon Ladies.

Machka 

Thanks! And all the best on your Marathon. I've often thought about walking a Marathon ...

Machka 

Final Walking Totals

2017 - 1302.5 km

2016 - 1133 km

2015 - 1131.7 km


And I'm off and walking (and running) in 2018!

Mark Stone

Thanks!!

khyricat

COngrats! and another who walks races and says its hard work! I do half marathons not marathons though. I did 1116 miles this year but a) no biking really and b) I count work miles since I wear my fitbit at all times and it does the math for me

MidSouthBiker

Nothing scientific here, but after 30 years of working 10-12 hour days on concrete floors, I can attest to the New Balance walking shoes. Through trial and error I found the basic black walking models lasted just as long if not longer than the flashier, higher priced brands. I was lucky to get a couple years use before they became ineffective on concrete floors. I picked up a pair of Sketchers walking shoes a year or so ago, and they are really comfy and lightweight, but more pricey. However, I can't attest to their longevity because I have worn them only intermittently.

MidSouthBiker

At my place of work we used the Virgin Pulse step tracker. I looked back at my monthly average for last year, which is about 541,000 steps per month.(Our goal was 7,000 steps per day.) I have no idea how that translates to mileage.

khyricat

for me it says I did 2.86 million steps

MidSouthBiker

Congrats! No couch potatoes here.

Mark Stone

I use Skechers and New Balance exclusively. Skechers are great for "social" shoes, very lightweight and comfortable. But New Balance are outstanding as exercise walking kicks - their neutral cushioning long-distance running shoes feel like they were made just for me. NB shoes last me about 250 miles per pair.

Mark Stone

Total walking mileage for 2017 = 1,713 miles

This is all walking, not just exercise walking, and was tracked with my Fitbit tracker. It helps that I have a very active on-my-feet job!

MidSouthBiker

All this reading and talking about walking motivated me to get out of the house this morning. Despite the 12 F temperature and 0 F wind chill I put on multiple layers of winter clothing, went to the park, and walked the 1/4 mile track. After walking 4 laps I went to the nearby grocery store to warm up and buy a few vittles.

On the way home I stopped at the park again, and walked another 4 laps. I then decided to walk the MUP around the park. I don't know the exact distance of the MUP, but I figure I must have walked 4-5 miles total. I did not see any cyclists, but there were about a dozen other walkers and joggers braving the Arctic Blast.

OldTryGuy

TODAY was the day for the Walt Disney World 25th Mickey Marathon. The race goes off at 5:30AM so most participants are there and ready to go at about 4:30AM. Since I'm a walker and not a fast one my coral was deep into the field so I got there just minutes before my group went off at 6:09AM. At least I didn't have to stand around in the low 40'sF temps.

Hadn't trained at all for the event and my knees are letting me know about it right now. Turns out I wound up walking an additional 1 mile and managed a slow 14:18mpm moving pace. Now to nurse the knees back into bicycling shape for my Hamster Wheel 200 miles in 12 Hours next Sunday.

Machka 

Congrats!!

Mark Stone

Cool! I hope your knees will be OK. You call 14:18 "slow" but I think that's pretty fast - My walking is at about 19:00↑↓ and it would be difficult for me to go faster, but then again I'm in my mid sixties.

OldTryGuy

Thank you

"Cool! was the operative word yesterday that allowed me to complete the marathon. Had the weather not been that cold for a Florida winter morning, I likely would have overheated and not done as well.

I called my knee/shoulder orthopedic surgeon today and made an appointment for this Wednesday to see him about setting a date for my right leg tibial osteotomy/knee replacement surgery. Interestingly enough...December 10, 2015 was my final prostate cancer surgery, October 10, 2016 was my right shoulder replacement and now January 10 is the day to see when I can have another surgery. Also happens to be 6 months to the date since my 67th birthday.

I have the Hamster Wheel 200 mile/12 hour bike ride this coming Sunday morning and will check with the doctor if he feels I should "go the distance."

Machka 

Walks and Runs to January 10th

January 10, 2018 -- 70.9 km

January 10, 2017 -- 42.6 km

January 10, 2016 -- 20.5 km

Mark Stone

New Year Resolution?