Training Safely For A Walkathon

An interview with Marc Cubbison, LPT, CPT
Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified Personal Trainer

What you need to know when preparing for a long-distance walk ...

Getting ready to walk a long distance? As you take your health and fitness to new levels, we'd like to pass along some suggestions for making it a great experience and one without injuries.

"I always tell my clients that they should not sacrifice health and safety to achieve a short-term goal," says Marc Cubbison, licensed physical therapist and certified personal trainer in the Cleveland area. "My most important advice to them is that fitness is a marathon, not a sprint."

Marc spoke about the important points of training for a long walk. Of utmost importance is how far to walk during the weeks before the race or event.

"To avoid injury, you should be able to walk most of the distance you intend to walk in the race for at least one week before the event," advises Marc, who stresses that two weeks is optimal. "This is one step to avoiding injuries and discomfort."

OK, so let's get planning on how to advance your distance:

• Consider your starting point the distance you are walking right now.
• Each week, you can safely add about two extra miles, according to Cubbison. To do this, add about one-third of a mile to the distance from the previous day. This allows you one day off each week, which is necessary for resting your body during this intensive training.

"The most important advice is to listen to your body," says Marc. When you are finished walking on any given day:

• You should not be sore.
• You should not be cramping after the exercise.
• Only increase mileage when you don't feel a high level of exertion the following day.
• If you are in pain or have cramping, listen to your body. It means you have overdone it. Take a day off, or do another form of exercise, such as swimming or biking, to give the major walking muscles a break.

The week before the event, walk just one-half the distance you intend to complete in the race, giving your body a total rest the day before the event.

Now, for one more essential point about each training session: Stretch before and after you walk to avoid injuries. "Stretching maintains both the length of the muscles and their flexibility," explains Marc. "Without proper length and flexibility, you are predisposed to small but nagging injuries, such as tendonitis, bursitis, back pain, cramping, and plantar fascitis."

Marc advises that you include all the stretching exercises outlined below. Slow, easy stretches that are held 15 to 20 seconds reap the most benefit.

Please note: if you have any back or joint trouble, or have not performed these exercises before, be sure to check with your physician before doing them; also, if you experience any pain, stop at once and consult a physician.

1. Stretches for the lower back: lie down on your back and pull knees into chest one at a time and then together. Slow, easy stretches are always best.
2. Hamstring stretch: Lie down on your back. Raise one leg at a time straight up in the air, and then straighten knee slowly. Repeat on other side.
3. Rotation stretch. Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Rotate your knees alternately from one side to the other.
4. Quad stretch: Lie on your side. Bend your knee toward your backside. Grab the ankle and pull the heel toward the buttocks.
5. Gastrocnemius and soleus stretches: Stand with face toward wall, hands against the wall, and legs in a straddle position with one foot slightly in front of the other. Bend the front leg at the knee, and lean back into the other heel.

Simple strengthening exercises are also key to accomplishing your intended distance in the event. Marc suggests performing the following exercises every other day, once per day. How many repetitions? From about 10 to muscle fatigue, says Marc.

1. Squats: from partial to full
2. Forward and backward lunges

"Another excellent way to get in shape for any event is to cross train -- which means performing other types of exercises," says Marc. This helps strengthen your cardiovascular system without overworking the same set of muscles. Cross training may also help you avoid overuse injuries such as tendonitis. So, if you can, water jog, swim or ride a stationary bike over the course of a week.