Walk Much?

To walk or to run...which would YOU choose?

Until a couple years ago, my answer would have (obviously) been to run. No second thoughts, no debate. 

Although walking and running share a lot of the same traits and features (more walking benefits HERE), I have noticed a few differences that are often over-looked. It wasn't until I was forced to substitute walking for running (after that emergency surgery in 2017) that I finally got it. I not only recognized these differences, but also learned to respect them.


As a result, I have an overwhelming desire to share what I have learned about walking, and what I've come to love about this often-shunned activity. Care to hear about it?

First of all, there's the weather. Most of us know to dress like it's 10-15 degrees warmer before heading out for a run, right? Well, that rule is for runners, NOT walkers. Sure, walking will heat up your body, but not to the same degree (see that play on words?) that running will.

walking often requires more layers

I'm not a chronic complainer, but our spring kind of came to an abrupt pause recently. It wasn't as cold as winter (thankfully!), but the temps in Iowa felt much more like those of October. Sure, those low-50F temps are ideal for running...but they are a tad bit chilly for walking. I have had to pull out the gloves and headbands, as well as don a layer of fleece for my early morning walks. Certainly not a crisis, but a change from the reality I'd be enjoying if I was only a runner.

Let's not forget about shoes. Did you know you probably have a different foot strike and stride length when you walk?  I had read it, heard about it from experts, and even been advised against it from sales clerks in shoe stores....but never really grasped the concept until recently. I typically don't wear my running shoes unless I'm actually running (so you will not see me wearing them with jeans or casual shorts), so this never really was an issue.

I do remember when I took an old pair of shoes to a running store (to show the gal what I'd been wearing). She immediately noticed the wear on the outer edge, along the side. It started an inch or so from the heel and was worn along the "mid-foot" area. She could tell (without even seeing me walk) that I was an over-pronator (meaning I tend to land on the outside of my feet and "roll" my feet inward with each step). She also pointed out that my right foot over-pronates more than my left (because the right shoe had much more of the sole worn off than the left one).

These shoes are made (optimally) for running...for now

Why all this information about over-pronating? Because, when I walk, I tend to be a heel-striker. I have long legs, and I take long strides...imagine the damage to my running shoes if I wore them for just normal daily use! The shoes would be "worn and conformed" to my walking feet and would not be as supportive (in the areas where I really need them to be) for running. One does not necessarily need a separate pair of shoes specifically for walking, but be mindful of just how much walking you're using them for. I keep my good (aka NEW) running shoes in the closet on my walking days. Ironically, it is possible to walk in the shoes you've used for running but the reverse doesn't always work favorably. Fortunately, I have a pretty good supply of running shoes that are on their way out...they still feel comfy and have adequate support for walking, but their days of long-distance running are over.

How about mileage? This is the one area where I got the most feedback during  my surgery recovery. When runners train for long-distance events, they have to put in a lot of miles. Although walking and running use many of the same muscles, running is harder on your body due to the faster speed and increased impact from all of that pavement pounding. Walking, because it's quite a bit slower, is not as hard on your joints. Essentially, you can walk greater distances (and reap the cardio benefits) without as much stress or strain on your body because you're not demanding as much from it. After my surgery, I walked a lot of miles during my three months of recovery .... more than double the miles I would have run (had I not been in recovery mode and was able to assume my "normal" routine of running 3-4 days per week).

A few extra walking miles are safer than a few too many running miles

Walking takes much longer than running. Hands down, walking feels very slow in comparison to running. There is no effective way to sugar coat that fact. One advantage to the slower speed, though, is the fact that you can actually take in your scenery much better than if you were running through it. There are a lot of unique architectural details one can notice on buildings and houses that you may miss if your were running by them.

That said, I can't just head out for a "quick" 5-mile walk. I can run five miles (usually) in less than 45 minutes...but walking? I have to plan for at least a good 30 minutes longer (because there will likely be a potty stop in that span of time). Kind of a time-suck, huh!

I did so much walking while I recovered from that surgery

It's easier to get the "fat-burn" going. I do a lot of my walking (and running, when I'm able) in the early morning hours. Translated, that means I'm doing cardio in a "fasted state" with little (or zero) fuel. The absence of "new fuel" means your body will be forced to burn its "reserves" instead, which is when the fat-burning happens. If I'm running, I usually need a quick granola bar to have a boost of calories to combat the expected hunger I'll get from the exercise. If I'm walking, though, my body won't need that energy boost, and since I'm not working as hard, I'll be able to go longer without re-fueling. That said, it's never my intent to starve myself before a workout...I simply don't need a meal that early in the morning if I'm just walking a few miles to start my day.

So, that's my take on walking, and how it differs from running. It certainly isn't my first choice of exercise, but it  filled a huge void in my life when I wasn't able to run. It took awhile to get my mobility back, and my range of motion was slow to return as well. Early on, I was limited in what I could do with my healing knee. Walking was the one thing I was allowed to do. I could walk as slow as I needed to (when the 6-inch suture seam was at its most vulnerable), and walking was readily available anywhere and everywhere, anytime of the day. These days, I walk whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Talk to me....how do you feel about walking vs. running? Do you ever treat them as equals in terms of effort or legitimacy? Have you ever had to substitute walking for running as you waited out an injury's recovery?

I'm linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Marc  for the Running Coaches' Corner

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