Something that’s always stuck in my mind over the years as I’ve written to you each week are the words of George Sheehan, a cardiologist who catapulted to fame with the publication of 1978’s Running & Being, which became a bestseller and established him as a kind of philosopher of the running movement that was just gaining steam at the time:
Thank you for this at this point in time.......I am in NW WI.....January and February have been mostly snow shoeing (Snow shoes made for running) and walks.......some slow runs when there is more "sticky" snow than ice......But even with temps well below zero, I would rather brave the elements for walks, than run on the eliptical.......I was just starting to feel more guilty (I also have been training my Poodle, Samson......so he is learning that as much as I love to run with him.......I set the pace). Walking is a big part of his training. To make a long story short.....yes I will get back to running but thank you for your encouragement to get it right. Enjoy your "walk' or Enjoy your "run"...just enjoy!!!!
Ten years ago I was fortunate enough to hike to Machu Picchu as part of a group with an adventure company. It was about 40 miles spread over 6 days. Our highest elevation was 15,500. In short, it was quite challenging. The fastest, most fit individual in our group, was also the oldest. I believe he was 65. And when I say the fastest, I mean that he typically arrived to the destination a good 30 minutes to an hour before the rest of us. When we asked what type of exercise he did to stay fit, he said he did nothing. His girlfriend, though, clarified. She said that he seldom ever drove. He didn't own a car. He walked everywhere he went and had so for years. He never used elevators/escalators even in his office building where he would climb the flights of stairs daily and often more than once a day. Grocery store shopping, visiting friends, going out for entertainment. You name it, he walked there. That was it. By the way, he was a cardiologist.
Several months back, I came across an article about an 83-yr-old guy who has run >100 half marathons (see: https://www.wsj.com/articles/all-hail-geezer-jock-hes-83-and-has-finished-over-100-half-marathons-11605956402?mod=searchresults_pos16&page=1). He leads groups of runners aged 70+ and shares his love of distance running. One of the keys to his longevity has been following the run-walk-run model championed by Jeff Galloway and others. Skeptical at first, I have embraced it after finding that using it on my longer training runs (>10 miles) is particularly helpful. Walk/rest before you have to is akin to the old saw of hydrate before you have to. A friend who is an experienced ultra and trail runner surprised me by admitting that they've been using this for years, especially during longer (50K+) races with fewer support stations and big changes in altitude. I recently used it in a trail race, partially because I'd had a recent spate of less than great training, and found that I felt better at the end of the race and did waaay better than I had anticipated doing. I also felt better than expected the next day. Passed by a lot of younger folks who had started before me and were struggling with hills on back half of course. Steady intervals of running 4-5 minutes broken up by one-minute walking intervals is surprisingly effective. Running intervals can be adjusted based on your needs/fitness. Now that I'm closer to 60 than 50, this has become a key element of my training and something I'm going to use during longer races. That 83-yr-old guy is my new running role model and hopefully I will be able to do what he's doing when I'm that age.
Thanks for this Terrell - sometimes your posts hit the center of the target. I'm visiting my 86 yo mother in Palm Springs and haven't run in weeks (partly my fault, partly time constraints with family). But after reading this instead of the regular 4 block dog walk, Amelia and I walked for miles - it was refreshing and might be the spark I need to get running again.
One of your best posts in many levels. I am struggling hard with inertia having fallen out of any semblance of training d/t unforeseen circumstances back in mid December. Nothing prevents me from short runs or walks except mindset, except some silly notions of what I expect to gain by going out for a long run or hard run... all the while losing fitness and tone and slipping farther “behind” and away from the very thing I profess to want to do. This is crazy talk when I see my own words. I am well and truly stuck... with unused ladders and helping hands all around me. Perhaps the odd imperative of calendar dates - March 1 - will get me out the door and moving. Strange times. Thank you for your post today
Terrell, I am right there with you on walking during a race. I have never run a full marathon but the half is my preference-mostly its the amount of time to train those long runs that keeps me from stepping up but also, I walk. I think the only race that I ever ran the entire way was my first half. I believe its because I didn’t know any better. Since then, every time I slow to walk a bit it tears me down on my confidence. I always beat myself up since I believe that slowing to walk is also killing me on my time to finish. I know that I can give myself permission to walk but all these years later, I still feel weak when I walk during a race. My competitive edge just keeps poking at me....my husband has worked hard to get me to realize that I’m not going to win the race so who cares! Easier said then done.....I’m truly a work in progress!
This is great. I truly love walking for body and soul. I usually walk for an hour or two and it helps release negative energy as well as organize my thoughts. I have recently broken my ankle and will need surgery so running sadly won't be part of my exercise for a good year however walking will be my bff.
The biggest putdown to a walker is to claim the he/she is “just” a walker. I had to call out someone just this week who described themselves as such. We should be loud and proud to be a walker! And we collectively need to shift our thought process. So, Terrell, I am very delighted that you chose to post this viewpoint. I plan to check out your references. Thank you.
Oh man, my first ever marathon was the White Rock marathon, now known as the Dallas BMW Marathon in 2005. That went well, and we were so excited to run another, that we signed up for the Paris marathon in April 2006. At mile 15 of the Paris marathon, I got sabotaged by bilateral shin splints. I had to walk the last 11.2. People were urging me to allez! allez! I was so down about it. The last 2 miles I came upon another walker whose leg and foot were swollen. I asked him where he was from to which he said, Rwanda, have you heard of it? I had just seen the movie, Hotel Rwanda. We walked in talking , so it wasn’t too terrible. It prepared me for when I cramped really badly at the NY marathon several years later and had to walk some. It’s so disappointing when your dreams are shattered, but as I’ve had to learn, not the end of the world! Some of my best runs have been when I didn’t care about the time.
Several years ago Mizuno launched a campaign, Every Mile Changes You. I have embraced the motto (although sadly not the shoes) ever since. After most of my runs, I do a one mile walk. It's my time to recover and reflect. And in the Florida humidity a chance to dry off a bit before getting back in the car. 😁
You have incredible timing. I just got back from a 20-mile run during which I had to walk quite a bit the last five miles. I got pretty frustrated about it and had to remind myself that it’s okay. I’m training for my first marathon — a small, in-person race at the end of March. I expect I will be walking some of it and I need to accept it. Thanks for this post.
Good day and thank you for this forgiving read. I just finished the Shelby Forest Half and boy but what it HUMID! I only brought clothing for a cold and damp run so I was not prepared. Other people commented as well, some cussing at the weather lol! Made me feel like “good, I’m not alone.” I had to walk a few times and had to keep telling myself that it was good, to listen for the birds chirping and the toads croaking. Over and over, “we’re doing this to finish, not win.” “Enjoy the journey.” “the destination is coming to an end no matter how fast or slow you’re going.” I had to keep repeating mantras to slow down and let myself be in the moment. It is hard, Terrell. We put so much pressure on ourselves. I watched walkers talking and smiling and I wasn’t smiling. I wanted to be that walker, smiling and waving and encouraging.
I became a runner four years ago (began at age 50!) through a local run club in Spokane, WA that "taught" the interval training method. I LOVE having the walk breaks... I'm currently in training for my 1st half-marathon, June 27, 2021, in Missoula, MT. I haven't figured out my reasonable finish time goal, I do know that I will finish, even if it means WALKING some of it. I just recently signed up for the paid subscription and am thankful I did!! Thank you for your insight and guidance. It's been a great companion to my, altho limited, in-person training group. Have a great evening!
I just recently (Jan. 1) decided to make sure I walk or run every day at least 2 miles. I run 3-4 days a week, and now I make sure I get outside to walk on all of the other days. I sometimes listen to books or podcasts, or just clear my mind. Definitely great for the soul!
Love this! Thanks Terrell! We have 2 dogs—an older female beagle (Snoopy, age 14) & a 5 month old male mini dachshund, Oliver, who both love walks.
Before Oliver we had a dachshund-lab mix, Oscar, who LOVED walks. I would walk him & Snoopy 2-3 days a week & they went with our family on trips, hikes, etc. As both Oscar & Snoopy got older, I walked them less & we were all sad. I love walking too, even in the city.
Oscar was 17 when we had to put him down & it broke my heart. I continued to walk Snoopy, but even less. (She had slowed down quite a bit.)
In December we brought home young Oliver & I set to work walking him. It has been a process! It’s been fun though to rediscover walking & use different muscles. I started walking the dogs after my runs & I feel like it’s helped my recovery & is an excellent cool down for me. Also walking during a race has helped me so many times! (Walk up hills, run down.)
Thank you for this at this point in time.......I am in NW WI.....January and February have been mostly snow shoeing (Snow shoes made for running) and walks.......some slow runs when there is more "sticky" snow than ice......But even with temps well below zero, I would rather brave the elements for walks, than run on the eliptical.......I was just starting to feel more guilty (I also have been training my Poodle, Samson......so he is learning that as much as I love to run with him.......I set the pace). Walking is a big part of his training. To make a long story short.....yes I will get back to running but thank you for your encouragement to get it right. Enjoy your "walk' or Enjoy your "run"...just enjoy!!!!
Ten years ago I was fortunate enough to hike to Machu Picchu as part of a group with an adventure company. It was about 40 miles spread over 6 days. Our highest elevation was 15,500. In short, it was quite challenging. The fastest, most fit individual in our group, was also the oldest. I believe he was 65. And when I say the fastest, I mean that he typically arrived to the destination a good 30 minutes to an hour before the rest of us. When we asked what type of exercise he did to stay fit, he said he did nothing. His girlfriend, though, clarified. She said that he seldom ever drove. He didn't own a car. He walked everywhere he went and had so for years. He never used elevators/escalators even in his office building where he would climb the flights of stairs daily and often more than once a day. Grocery store shopping, visiting friends, going out for entertainment. You name it, he walked there. That was it. By the way, he was a cardiologist.
Several months back, I came across an article about an 83-yr-old guy who has run >100 half marathons (see: https://www.wsj.com/articles/all-hail-geezer-jock-hes-83-and-has-finished-over-100-half-marathons-11605956402?mod=searchresults_pos16&page=1). He leads groups of runners aged 70+ and shares his love of distance running. One of the keys to his longevity has been following the run-walk-run model championed by Jeff Galloway and others. Skeptical at first, I have embraced it after finding that using it on my longer training runs (>10 miles) is particularly helpful. Walk/rest before you have to is akin to the old saw of hydrate before you have to. A friend who is an experienced ultra and trail runner surprised me by admitting that they've been using this for years, especially during longer (50K+) races with fewer support stations and big changes in altitude. I recently used it in a trail race, partially because I'd had a recent spate of less than great training, and found that I felt better at the end of the race and did waaay better than I had anticipated doing. I also felt better than expected the next day. Passed by a lot of younger folks who had started before me and were struggling with hills on back half of course. Steady intervals of running 4-5 minutes broken up by one-minute walking intervals is surprisingly effective. Running intervals can be adjusted based on your needs/fitness. Now that I'm closer to 60 than 50, this has become a key element of my training and something I'm going to use during longer races. That 83-yr-old guy is my new running role model and hopefully I will be able to do what he's doing when I'm that age.
Thanks for this Terrell - sometimes your posts hit the center of the target. I'm visiting my 86 yo mother in Palm Springs and haven't run in weeks (partly my fault, partly time constraints with family). But after reading this instead of the regular 4 block dog walk, Amelia and I walked for miles - it was refreshing and might be the spark I need to get running again.
One of your best posts in many levels. I am struggling hard with inertia having fallen out of any semblance of training d/t unforeseen circumstances back in mid December. Nothing prevents me from short runs or walks except mindset, except some silly notions of what I expect to gain by going out for a long run or hard run... all the while losing fitness and tone and slipping farther “behind” and away from the very thing I profess to want to do. This is crazy talk when I see my own words. I am well and truly stuck... with unused ladders and helping hands all around me. Perhaps the odd imperative of calendar dates - March 1 - will get me out the door and moving. Strange times. Thank you for your post today
Terrell, I am right there with you on walking during a race. I have never run a full marathon but the half is my preference-mostly its the amount of time to train those long runs that keeps me from stepping up but also, I walk. I think the only race that I ever ran the entire way was my first half. I believe its because I didn’t know any better. Since then, every time I slow to walk a bit it tears me down on my confidence. I always beat myself up since I believe that slowing to walk is also killing me on my time to finish. I know that I can give myself permission to walk but all these years later, I still feel weak when I walk during a race. My competitive edge just keeps poking at me....my husband has worked hard to get me to realize that I’m not going to win the race so who cares! Easier said then done.....I’m truly a work in progress!
This is great. I truly love walking for body and soul. I usually walk for an hour or two and it helps release negative energy as well as organize my thoughts. I have recently broken my ankle and will need surgery so running sadly won't be part of my exercise for a good year however walking will be my bff.
The biggest putdown to a walker is to claim the he/she is “just” a walker. I had to call out someone just this week who described themselves as such. We should be loud and proud to be a walker! And we collectively need to shift our thought process. So, Terrell, I am very delighted that you chose to post this viewpoint. I plan to check out your references. Thank you.
Oh man, my first ever marathon was the White Rock marathon, now known as the Dallas BMW Marathon in 2005. That went well, and we were so excited to run another, that we signed up for the Paris marathon in April 2006. At mile 15 of the Paris marathon, I got sabotaged by bilateral shin splints. I had to walk the last 11.2. People were urging me to allez! allez! I was so down about it. The last 2 miles I came upon another walker whose leg and foot were swollen. I asked him where he was from to which he said, Rwanda, have you heard of it? I had just seen the movie, Hotel Rwanda. We walked in talking , so it wasn’t too terrible. It prepared me for when I cramped really badly at the NY marathon several years later and had to walk some. It’s so disappointing when your dreams are shattered, but as I’ve had to learn, not the end of the world! Some of my best runs have been when I didn’t care about the time.
Several years ago Mizuno launched a campaign, Every Mile Changes You. I have embraced the motto (although sadly not the shoes) ever since. After most of my runs, I do a one mile walk. It's my time to recover and reflect. And in the Florida humidity a chance to dry off a bit before getting back in the car. 😁
You have incredible timing. I just got back from a 20-mile run during which I had to walk quite a bit the last five miles. I got pretty frustrated about it and had to remind myself that it’s okay. I’m training for my first marathon — a small, in-person race at the end of March. I expect I will be walking some of it and I need to accept it. Thanks for this post.
Good day and thank you for this forgiving read. I just finished the Shelby Forest Half and boy but what it HUMID! I only brought clothing for a cold and damp run so I was not prepared. Other people commented as well, some cussing at the weather lol! Made me feel like “good, I’m not alone.” I had to walk a few times and had to keep telling myself that it was good, to listen for the birds chirping and the toads croaking. Over and over, “we’re doing this to finish, not win.” “Enjoy the journey.” “the destination is coming to an end no matter how fast or slow you’re going.” I had to keep repeating mantras to slow down and let myself be in the moment. It is hard, Terrell. We put so much pressure on ourselves. I watched walkers talking and smiling and I wasn’t smiling. I wanted to be that walker, smiling and waving and encouraging.
I became a runner four years ago (began at age 50!) through a local run club in Spokane, WA that "taught" the interval training method. I LOVE having the walk breaks... I'm currently in training for my 1st half-marathon, June 27, 2021, in Missoula, MT. I haven't figured out my reasonable finish time goal, I do know that I will finish, even if it means WALKING some of it. I just recently signed up for the paid subscription and am thankful I did!! Thank you for your insight and guidance. It's been a great companion to my, altho limited, in-person training group. Have a great evening!
I just recently (Jan. 1) decided to make sure I walk or run every day at least 2 miles. I run 3-4 days a week, and now I make sure I get outside to walk on all of the other days. I sometimes listen to books or podcasts, or just clear my mind. Definitely great for the soul!
I walk everyday on my lunch break. I wish I walked more. I sometimes get bored while walking. I will take your podcast suggestion. Thank you.
Love this! Thanks Terrell! We have 2 dogs—an older female beagle (Snoopy, age 14) & a 5 month old male mini dachshund, Oliver, who both love walks.
Before Oliver we had a dachshund-lab mix, Oscar, who LOVED walks. I would walk him & Snoopy 2-3 days a week & they went with our family on trips, hikes, etc. As both Oscar & Snoopy got older, I walked them less & we were all sad. I love walking too, even in the city.
Oscar was 17 when we had to put him down & it broke my heart. I continued to walk Snoopy, but even less. (She had slowed down quite a bit.)
In December we brought home young Oliver & I set to work walking him. It has been a process! It’s been fun though to rediscover walking & use different muscles. I started walking the dogs after my runs & I feel like it’s helped my recovery & is an excellent cool down for me. Also walking during a race has helped me so many times! (Walk up hills, run down.)