Looking for some advice on walking to work, as opposed to cycling or driving.
My walk to work would be about 3.5 miles, who else regularly walks a similar type of distance?
Can't ride due to a cycling related injury, and haven't been able to ride for the last 8 months. I'm beginning to put a little weight on, and dieting doesn't seem to be having any effect.
I have walked in the past (during the snow), but would hope that beginning to walk to work say twice a week initially and working up to five days a week would have a beneficial effect on my fitness.
Any similar experiences from fellow SW riders
What injury is that such that a 3.5 mile walk would be OK but not a bike ride ?
One of the girls at work does 3 miles each way and another chap 4 miles once or twice a week. Definite health benefit. I leave the bike at home and walk my couple of miles occasionally, makes a nice change and it feels a lot more like exercise
Yes, I got tennis elbow & was off the bike for over 5 months in 2007 due to not being able to brake 😯 so I started hill walking - really enjoyed it (living between Dartmoor & Exmoor) I still do it now & tend to average 3.7-4.1mph dependant on terrain.
Started walking parts of the South west coast path with a couple of mates & will be doing Pen y fan @ easter.
I was doing a walk of exactly that length, and managed to do it for more than a year before getting very, very bored.
You definitely need good shoes, and an iPod, preferably with podcasts of 'In Our Time'.
I wouldn't ease into it, though. Just get started. After the first week of sore hips and feet, you will feel great.
I sometimes walk that distance home. I have a choice of waiting 40 mins for a connecting bus, then a 20 min journey, or a 40 minute, offroad walk, so mostly choose the free option. Even after five hours pounding the streets, its perfectly do-able.
When I moved to Helsinki I walked about 1h15 minutes each way to work, no idea how far it was - mainly because I was afraid of navigating a strange bus system in a foreign language (I needn't have worried about the language as it turned out). I lost TONS of weight, although I didn't have weighing scales these six weird regular shaped bumps appeared on my belly magically...
I think it's a vastly under estimated core strength building exercise. Our modern life styles mean we think walking a few miles is a big deal. Got talking to a polish guy about it and he said they would think nothing of walking 10-15 miles and basically implied we are lazy. Didn't stop him taking a lift to work off me though!
Sounds like I'm going to give this a go then.
More details on the injury then.
Its been a long niggling injury that has been with me for about three years, but stopped me in my tracks last August - riding the Gap Brecon Beacons way - I posted up about strained groin and adductor stopping me from cycling.
I had a bit of a scare after seeing the first physio who said that I had quite a bit of play in the left hand hip, and that cycling off road might be aggravating the wear . So I sold my bike and mostly everything and "gave up".
After a few months the pain didn't really go away, but wasn't as intense. Since seen another physio (and I've bought and built up another bike, because I simply miss riding too much).
He says the issue with the left leg groin / adductor/ hamstring is all due to trouble in my back. He says that he thinks that a return to cycling is possible, and I'm following his detailed advice.
Weight gain without cycling has been gradual , but something which is getting me down.
Fortunate really that a daily walk of say 7 miles looks like being a good alternative to regaining some fitness and weight loss.
Bit confused what advice you're looking for?!
I walk similar distance. Get some hiking shoes, don't wear your work shirt as you'll get sweaty and carry full waterproofs (I went for eVent stuff) for the time that it pours down (like Friday).
For me, it takes longer to get changed, get the bike out of the shed, get to work, lock the bike, get changed than it does to walk 3 miles to work.
EDIT: when I was bored the other day I wore my HR monitor - it burns around 100 calories each way, so if you walk 5 days thats an extra 1000 calories burnt
Nowhere near that. At least two days a week I have to park at a remote location and walk to the office. It's roughly a mile each way. My issue is I sweat easy so after a mile walk I'm a tad damp.
Could you jog?
If 7 miles a day sounds a bit much for a start, can you do the classic "Get off the bus a few stops earlier" trick ?
Do a combined Walk-Bus-Walk trip and gradually cut down the bus bit.
Thanks for the advice, I'm going to buy a lighter pair of walking boots and start to walk to work once or twice a week to begin with.
Jogging is out at the moment.
Typically Monday and Wednesday , and build from that.
Looks like an alternative way to rebuild some fitness for me, until I can return to riding.
3.5 miles should take about an hour.
why the need for walking boots?
Maybe for the first couple of weeks, get the bus to work and walk home every day. Avoiding niffing at work.
I think walking shoes are a good idea. Even if it's only for an hour walk
I found that I was getting a bit of knee pain walking in my work shoes (leather ones) plus I was wearing through a set in about 3 months, and they aren't waterproof.
A decent pair of correctly fitting goretex salamons was definitely worth it. As was spending a bit on proper waterproofs.
There is nothing worse turning up to work completely soaked or with blisters
I use my running trainers when I walk to work,same distance. Only coz I found any of my walking boots a bit overkill for the pavement. Some light walking shoes would be perfect though.
Don't be put off if your legs & hips hurt a little for a day or two, it's really not that far in the grand scheme of things.
I'd agree with the suggestions of taking music or podcasts to listen to.