Developing Your Walk Training Plan, Part 2
One of the hardest things about training for an endurance event is finding the time. It really helps if you have a schedule, one that takes into account not only your daily life, but any special circumstances as well. For example, I’ll be training for the Avon Rocky Mountain Walk this spring, a marathon-and-a-half over two days. I know that I’ll be out of the country for about three weeks in the middle of my training, so as I develop my schedule, I’ll add some extra weeks at the beginning to account for the time when I won’t be able to actively train. While I’m traveling, I’ll still get in as much walking as I can, but I won’t be stressed about the training time I’m missing (or the extra pasta and wine I’m consuming).
To plan your schedule, first decide what time of day works best. If you have a nine-to-five job and you’re used to walking at lunch time, you’ll probably have to adjust, unless you have an understanding boss who doesn’t care if you take a two-hour lunch break. Also know that your non-work days are mostly going to be about walking, especially during weeks 8-13 when you’ll be doing long endurance walks. If you have weekend responsibilities like running kids to soccer and doing mountains of laundry, ask your family for a little understanding and support. You won’t be doing this forever — they can spare you for a few weeks of training, and it helps them feel like they’re contributing to your success.
Plan on training six days a week for 16 weeks. Even if you’re a couch potato, that should allow you to get in good shape and build up the toughness in your feet. Some days you’ll do cross-training (biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, weight training, or an aerobics class) rather than walking to avoid boredom and to work some other muscle groups. Your body needs balance, and cross training helps you achieve it.
Your training should involve several shorter walks at an easy (exertion level 3 on a scale of 1-10), moderate (exertion level 5-6) or brisk (exertion level 7-8) pace and one long endurance walk (exertion level 5-6) per week. If you’re doing a multi-day event, you’ll need to plan two endurance walks back-to-back, one about twice the length of the other. That will get your body used to the stress of pushing to the limit two days in a row.
Increase your mileage about 20 percent per week and add most of that mileage to your long walks. Let’s take a look at a sample marathon schedule (a half-marathon schedule would require less mileage on endurance walk days):
Week 1
Monday — moderate walk, 3 miles
Tuesday — cross training, 30-40 minutes
Wednesday — brisk walk, 3 miles
Thursday — cross training, 30-40 minutes
Friday — rest day
Saturday — endurance walk, 4 miles
Sunday — moderate walk, 3 miles
Week 2
Monday — easy walk, 3 miles
Tuesday — cross training, 30-40 minutes
Wednesday — brisk walk, 3 miles
Thursday — cross training, 30-40 minutes
Friday — rest day
Saturday — endurance walk, 6 miles
Sunday — moderate walk, 4 miles
Week 8
Monday — easy walk, 4 miles
Tuesday — cross training, 45 minutes
Wednesday — brisk walk, 4 miles
Thursday — cross training, 45 minutes
Friday — rest
Saturday — endurance walk, 15 miles
Sunday — endurance walk, 7 miles (if you’re doing a one-day event, this would be a shorter, moderate walk)
Week 13 (In a 16-week program, this is your most intense week)
Monday — easy walk, 4 miles
Tuesday — cross training, 45-60 minutes
Wednesday — brisk walk, 6 miles
Thursday — cross training, 45-60 minutes
Friday — rest
Saturday — endurance walk — 22 miles (this will be your longest training walk)
Sunday — endurance walk — 10 miles
In weeks 14 and 15 you’ll taper off, cutting your mileage by half each week, and the week of the event, do a couple of moderate short walks and spend the rest of the week resting so your body is prepared for the event.
Some tips:
- Use your moderate days to work on your walking technique or to do interval training.
- Try to pace your endurance walks at a moderate level, but keep in mind that those days are about distance and not speed. As you increase your mileage, decrease your exertion level so that you can maintain a steady pace.
- If you need an extra day of rest during the week, skip a day of cross training.
- When you first start you will be sore, but if the soreness persists or becomes unusual, stop your training and see a doctor or physical therapist. Don’t try to walk through an injury — you risk doing serious, permanent damage. Many times you can alleviate an injury with a few days of rest, ice, and ibuprofen. Sometimes you might just need a new pair of shoes. Whatever the cause, extreme muscle or joint pain isn’t normal and shouldn’t be ignored.
- Reward yourself when you make it through a whole week of training without missing a day. Enjoy a long, hot soak in the tub or go out to a movie with your sweetie. After Week 13, do something really special like a massage. You’ll deserve it for making it that far.
Next time, we’ll talk about the food component of your plan.
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Great tips and a do-able plan. I love that walking can be so challenging yet is safe for the joints and an approachable form of exercise for most. Sounds like you might be going to Italy??
One of the fun parts of being involved in the Avon walks is seeing people of all ages and body types walking for the cause and finishing either the two 13-mile days or the 26.2 and 13-mile days. It’s a big physical challenge, but most people can accomplish it if they prepare, unlike a bike ride, tri, or even running a marathon, which all take some physical ability to even get started.
And yes, Italy is in our future. My significant other is working on his Italian citizenship so we can go back and forth for extended periods. Our trip in the spring will be to spend time with relatives and start planning. Fa bene!