I started walking because my fiance was a marcher. He enjoyed civilian volksmarch walks in Germany while stationed there in the Army. Our military walking correspondent, Gary Nelson, has participated in many long distance walking events in Europe. He has the scoop on how to properly train, walk in military gear, and enjoy the camaraderie of walking with other military men and women from around the world.
Marching Marathons in the Military

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day in the US, set on the day fighting ceased in World War I. I honor veterans of all nations who served in their country's military.
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 1999: Swiss Soldier on the Nijmegen 4-Days Walk

Laurie is celebrating a big birthday year by walking for an hour a day, every day of the year. She blogs daily about her walks at My Big Walk. She had dreamed of a month-long walking adventure in Europe. But instead, "Rather than making my celebration an adventure apart from my life, I could make it a new venture within my life. And so, My Big Walk was born."

"Over the years I spent a lot of time with therapists and doctors with varying degrees who by and large taught me that there are few things in life that you can't get through by simply getting up, getting dressed, and getting on with the day. In other words, put one foot in front of the other and then do it again, and again. If it scares you, do it anyway. If you don't feel like it, do it anyway. If you're tired, definitely do it," Laurie writes on her "About My Big Walk" page.

As Laurie and I both share a big birthday this year, I think she is a kindred soul in so far as walking. We all can find excuses not to walk, but you just have to find an excuse buster that makes you do it anyway. Having a goal you are dedicated to achieving is a great one. It can be walking an hour a day, logging 10,000 pedometer steps each day, or training for a half marathon. It can be a dog or walking buddy that you can't let down.

Find your motivation and save your life. Laurie will be reducing her health risks by getting the amount of exercise that studies say we all need. How can you motivate yourself to walk?

Does walking backward give you 10 times the benefit as forward walking? Dalsukh posted a message on our Walking Forum praising backward walking with that claim (and that it reduces constipation). Forward walking also reduces constipation, so I have no trouble with that claim. But do 100 steps backward equal 1000 forward? No.

While an older study showed that walking or running backward increased the heart rate by over 50%, the most recent study showed it raised it as much as 20% That's a nice boost, but it's not a 10 times boost. It would be more like increasing your walking speed from 20 minutes per mile to 15 minutes per mile, or Nordic Walking using fitness walking poles. It may be a good activity to add a burst of higher intensity to your workout. But you also have to keep safety in mind (or carry a rearview mirror!)

Benefits of Backward Walking
Backward Walking and Running on the Treadmill

Tom Vanderbilt defends jaywalking in the Nov. 2 issue of Slate . Jaywalking is crossing a street outside of a recognized crosswalk, and it may or may not be an offense in various cities and towns.

I try to always be a law-abiding citizen but I must admit that I jaywalk regularly. I'm an adult. I look both ways and cross when there are no cars in sight. I always do this to cross a street a half mile away in my suburban neighborhood, as I believe the light at that corner is a far more dangerous place to cross. Cars turning right think they have the right of way, even though I have the walk signal. They aren't expecting pedestrians in the crosswalk. That makes it far more dangerous than crossing down the street after ensuring no traffic is coming in either direction.

We teach kids to obey the signals, and I am a good role model when children are present. But on my own, I trust my own eyes more than a driver determined to make a turn across the crosswalk I am occupying. I try to make eye contact with drivers and even wave at them while crossing to try to ensure my safety.

The good news is that the 40% of pedestrian deaths are people with measurable blood alcohol levels, usually walking after dark. I don't walk after dark if I've had a drink. While we may be dismayed by distracted walkers who are texting or blabbing on cell phones, or oblivious with their iPods, it's really the booze that is associated with the death rate.

Do you jaywalk? Do you think I'm a risky fool? Answer the poll and join in the Comments.

Walking with fitness walking poles (Nordic Walking) is a great way to increase the calorie burn and muscle toning of your walking workout. As an added bonus, you feel less exertion. Claire Walter has a new book out on Nordic Walking. It's a good comprehensive book with more about the differences in the poles, what to wear, and tips for the different styles. I received a free review copy from the publisher.
Nordic Walking Book Review
Nordic Walking USA Blog.
Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber

I've been following Nordic Walking for many years. It is very popular in Europe but only slowly making inroads in North America. I like using my fitness walking poles when walking solo. Because I spend most of the day at the computer, the poles encourage me to open up my chest and get my shoulders back. It's good therapy for bad computer posture. Also -- burns more calories per mile!

Nordic Walking Step by Step

I found several Nordic Walkers on Twitter, here are the ones in English:

• Nordic Walk This Way Minnesota
• Nordic Walker San Diego
• British Nordic Walking
• Nordic Academy Australia

Dara wrote to me to lure me to her walking-oriented blog, A Walking Blog, and I found her writing style to be entertaining. I keep five walking-related blogs on my blogroll and link to several other walking blogs. But I had to delete a few that had disappeared without a trace, and some others haven't been updated in months. Out snooping around, I found Claire Walter's Nordic Walking USA blog and updated my favorite how-to blog, Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhof. Do you have a favorite walking blog? How about favorite walking Twitters? Tell me about it in the Comments.

Congratulations to all finishers! My walking buddies and I think it's essential to share our experience after a marathon or half marathon. Nobody walks or runs the same race. Come tell us about how you trained, how you performed, and what you learned, and even share a picture.

Tell Us Your Marathon Story
Tell Us Your Half Marathon Story

After the marathon or half marathon, you need to take care of yourself. Marathon and Half Marathon Recovery: from the finish through the first day, week, and how to keep training for the next one.

Walkers' Stories:

The Ryans' First Portland Marathon

Fox Cities Half Marathon

Have some creepy fun this spooky time of year. The zombies have been walking all over in flash mob zombie walks. You can look for a zombie walk via Zombiewalk.com, splash on some good zombie makeup, and shuffle and moan away with others of your undead kind.

If shuffling isn't your pace and you don't crave brains, you might want to earn the AVA's Cemetery Stroll award by walking 40 different walking events or mapped trails through 40 different cemeteries before the end of June, 2010. That much walking will definitely help keep you out of the grave! They have both year-round walks you can do any day, guided by a map, or traditional events, which are walking events with marked trails, hosted and staffed by a club for a day or a weekend. You can search for Cemetery Walks via the AVA event search. Choose your state and choose Cemetery Walks as the Special Program. Read more about the Cemetery Stroll Program
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

A study of women who lost weight showed that 80 minutes a week of exercise helped keep off dangerous visceral body fat for a year, even if they regained some of the lost weight. The study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that both aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, and resistance strength training exercise helped keep off the visceral fat.

The study had participants exercise twice a week for 40 minutes at a time. Those who were in the exercise group but weren't faithful to it had as bad or worse regain of fat as those who didn't exercise. It was a small study with only 57 participants.

Visceral fat is "fat on the inside" fat often seen as abdominal fat or "beer belly." It can surround the internal organs and is associated with a higher risk of type II diabetes.

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

Body Fat Calculators

^{Source: Gary R. Hunter, et. al. "Exercise Training Prevents Regain of Visceral Fat for 1 Year Following Weight Loss." Obesity (2009) doi:10.1038/oby.2009.316.}

I almost let October slip away without celebrating the walking sport that turned me into a walker. Twenty-five years ago, my fiance and I went on the very first volkssport walk held in Oregon. It was a 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) walk that happened to be held in my hometown. I didn't believe I could make it a whole six miles, but I did and got my first sports medal ever - a volkssport medal given to all finishers. I was hooked, and here I am today.

You can catch the volkssport bug, too. The events are completely non-competitive and most are set up to allow you to sign up within a four-hour window and start and finish with plenty of time to really enjoy the route. These are walks, not races. While you can use the routes for athletic walking training, most are meant to be enjoyed for the sights along the way.

I can't think of a better way to connect with my own local area as well as to explore tourist destinations. Last weekend I was in Los Angeles and we chose to stay at a hotel that hosts one of the 1700 year-round volkssport routes. That meant that I had a map and directions for a great walk I could use each day, and many starting points have more than one route featured.

What you will discover at many volkssport walks is that the walkers tend to be over age 50. Don't let that dissuade you if you are an energetic 20-something. Those oldsters can probably walk you into the ground. Strike up a conversation and you'll discover that many of them log a half marathon a day when they are out on a walking trip. Many have walked in all 50 states and many countries around the world. They lead fun, interesting and active lives.

Get started now with volkssporting. It is a world-wide sport. I have a step-by-step tutorial on what to expect on a traditional weekend volkssport walk, and another on how to enjoy one of those 1700 year-round volkssport walks.

Find a volkssport walk
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

Sue writes to me, "The edges off my heels have sharp pains and the bottoms feel like they are being pulled apart on the inside of my heel. I have not walked for a week and they are better but still hurt. What is your advice?"

Heel pain is a problem for walkers and non-walkers alike. I can't diagnose an individual's problem, but I know from years of walking that heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are two common problems that produce heel pain. Our Guide to Orthopedic Medicine has an excellent explanation of the symptoms, causes and treatment of heel spurs, including stretches for plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.

More on Plantar Fasciitis
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

The soft autumn day was beautiful, with sunlight playing off the red and golden leaves. Just mean enough to let you get a mile from home when the black clouds rolled in, the thunder banged and deluge came. That's not the usual weather for the Northwest -- we usually get a gentle, steady drip for four or five months. It's nothing you can't handle with a waterproof jacket. Last Saturday, that gullywasher had my sweat-wicking pants wicking the rain all the way up to my waistband. There is a time and a place for waterproof pants and waterproof shoes. Or just walking at home on the treadmill or inside the mall instead.

In fact, I thought the downpour and soaking was kind of fun and humorous. But the day wasn't cold and I was just a few minutes from home, a change to dry clothes, and hot chocolate. Not like the poor contestants on Survivor this week, who had days of rain and no good shelter.

How to Walk in the Rain

Best Ways to Walk Indoors

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

As fall speeds onward towards winter, it's getting darker and darker out there in the early morning and late afternoon. While most of my walking workout route has streetlamps, a flashlight is a good back-up. But I can eliminate having to take along something extra by using a Panther Vision LED PowerCap. The new 3-LED version is a great improvement for walkers and runners. Previous versions of these hats from Panther Vision and G3 had only lights in the front of the brim, which never pointed where I needed them unless I walked with my head down. That's bad walking form. The new PowerCap has two spotlights that illuminate the ground where I need it - right in front of me. Even better, the bulbs are so inconspicuous that you can wear this hat day or night without fear of looking geeky. It looks like any other hat. A headlamp that has an adjustable angle, such as the Petzl TacTikka, is still more precise. But I plan to take the PowerCap along for general use. Review samples were provided by the manufacturer.
Panther Vision PowerCap Review
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

The marathon is a difficult event, but deaths during the event are rare. Three deaths in the space of a quarter hour at the Detroit Marathon, Sunday, Oct. 18, are bizarre. All three men received immediate medical attention. Twenty-six year old Jon Fenlon had just completed the half marathon. Sixty-five year old Rick Brown reportedly collapsed and hit his head between the 11 and 12 mile markers, near where thirty-six year old Daniel Langdon had collapsed 15 minutes earlier. Autopsies will determine the causes of death. All three were reportedly competing in the half marathon rather than the full marathon.

Heat is usually the cause of illness and death at distance races, but the temperatures in Detroit began around the freezing mark and were only at 41F with a light breeze at the time of the incidents. Slower runners and walkers are at risk of hyponatremia from drinking too much fluids, but all three men were on a good running pace for the half marathon or marathon.

Earlier this month, I attended the Race Directors College in Portland, Oregon and the panel on medical concerns noted that deaths during the marathon are very rare. The legend has it that the first marathoner, Phidippides, died after running from Marathon to Athens. But the legend usually omits the fact that this was just the last leg of an extreme ultramarathon that included over 300 miles before the fatal run.

As a certified marathon coach, I encourage walkers and runners to get a regular physical check-up before starting training, and those with underlying medical conditions should consult with their doctors specifically about the training requirements. I also encourage those finishing a marathon event to ensure they are not alone for the next several hours. At the Race Directors College I heard tales of people dying alone in their hotel rooms after the race.

Over the course of 25 years of hosting and attending walking events, we have lost walkers during the event. I have been at events where walkers had a heart attack or stroke and died at the start/finish or along the course. It is always tragic, but most often due to an underlying condition that would have produced the fatal event anyway.

Over 19,000 registered for the Detroit Marathon. The deaths are tragic. The autopsies may reveal clues as to whether they were preventable or a simple tragic coincidence.


Detroit Free Press: Autopsies Expected Today

Why is the Marathon So Tough?

The New Balance 1063 is a cushioned lightweight training shoe. In my search for a replacement for my favorite discontinued shoes, I first tried a shoe that lacked enough cushioning. My legs and feet felt beat up after a few miles. I needed a shoe that would be good for 10K through half marathon distance and that didn't irritate my bunion. I have been pleased with the New Balance 1063 for a month now. They are cushioned enough that I didn't mind standing around for hours while volunteering at the Portland Marathon finish line. They feel lightweight. They have changed the lasts on which they make New Balance shoes, and this PL-1 last has less volume in the toe box for a snugger fit. Yet I found it plenty roomy in size D wide, and it doesn't irritate my bunion. The drawback is that the heel is a little higher than walkers need. But I haven't found that to be a problem. I think these are keepers -- until they discontinue them as well! New Balance 1063 Shoe Review
Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber.

If you build it, they will walk and be healthier? A multi-city study found that people living in neighborhoods where it was more pleasant and easier to walk and where they had better access to fresh fruits and veggies had a 38% lower rate of type 2 diabetes. That finding held up after adjusting for the usual risk factors.

The prospective study looked at neighborhood-level data in Baltimore, Forsyth County, N.C. and New York City/Bronx. They assessed over 2285 residents for blood glucose levels initially and then five years later. In that time, about 10% developed type 2 diabetes.

The study participants rated their neighborhoods for access to farmers markets and a larger selection of fresh fruit and vegetables in supermarkets as well as whether it was a pleasant and easy place to walk. Those factors were associated with a reduced rate of developing type 2 diabetes.

This study adds to findings that walkable neighborhoods can improve the health of the residents. A previous study in Salt Lake City found that walkable neighborhoods have thinner residents and so did one in Portland, Oregon.

Is your neighborhood walkable? Do you have a good source of fresh fruit and vegetables? Look around. If moving isn't an option, then get involved with local efforts to build a more walkable environment and to bring in a farmers market or fresh food co-op.

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2009

^{Source: Amy H. Auchincloss, PhD, MPH, et al. "Neighborhood Resources for Physical Activity and Healthy Foods and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus." Archives of Internal Medicine, 2009;169(18):1698-1704.}

Nothing is scarier to me than the pounds that start coming on when the Halloween candy hits the store shelves. I strive to keep my house and office a candy-free zone. But mini-Snickers leap out at me from every direction. Tiny bags of M&Ms cast me come-hither looks. What can I do?

I built a scary Halloween Candy Calorie Calculator that tells you how far you have to walk to walk off the checkmarked treats. Can't resist the treats? Lace up the walking shoes!
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Walking events large and small raise money for breast cancer charities. As exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer and improve survival rates, the walks have a dual benefit.

This is not a female-only disease or female-only cause. Men also get breast cancer. Most breast cancer walks welcome men to support the cause. So long as they aren't allergic to pink.

I've walked and volunteered for each of the series of multi-day breast cancer walks. These were supreme walking experiences, and I encourage others to take the challenge.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer 3-Day Walks

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

Few people finish a half marathon or marathon without blisters, and it is common to get a black toenail. What can you do to prevent these, and what do you do when you get them?

Black toenails is a bloody blister under the toenail and are caused by trauma -- usually by the foot sliding forward in the shoe and banging against the end of the toe box. Or you could get them by dropping something heavy onto your foot, but let's stick with the ones you get on a long walk. The prevention is to have well-fit shoes and lacing them to prevent heel slippage. It's the downhills that can really cause problems with heel slippage.

The bad news is that unless it is just a spot of black, you will probably lose the toenail. This is not painful, and the toenail will grow back after several months. You can even paint the area where it should be with nail polish and pretend you still have a toenail. More on black toenail.

Blisters happen any time friction against your shoe finally wears too much on your skin. There are many tactics to prevent blisters: wearing sweat-wicking socks, corn starch to keep the shoes dry, lubricants and cover-ups to reduce friction. Tactics to prevent blisters.

Once you have a blister, it can be drained and then covered up to prevent it growing bigger. Soaking the feet in an Epsom Salts bath can also help draw out the blister fluid and dry the blister. It takes about a week without further rubbing to heal a blister. How to treat a blister

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

How frugal are you? As I volunteered at the finish line for the Portland Marathon, I saw block after block of fencing draped with discarded shirts and jackets. The 45 degree starting temperature meant that marathoners brought along cover-up to discard. I saw some expensive fleece and high tech shirts amongst the discards. These are free for the taking if your level of frugality is high enough. The Portland Marathon collects these discards and donates them to charity.

But seeing the thousands available made me wonder whether this was a good opportunity for the boldly frugal. Would you ever consider picking up one of these? I suppose I could look through them and then loudly exclaim, "Here's my shirt, I knew I left it here" when I found one I liked. I'd stick with browsing at the starting line where the shirts haven't gotten sweaty yet, vs. later on the course. Reuse, recycle, be green? Or an idea that is beyond the pale?
Money-Saving Tips for Walkers
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2009

I've finished the Portland Marathon seven times and decided to rest on those laurels. So it was an easy sell when our local walking organization was looking for volunteers to staff the finish line for those who would finish in over seven hours.

My first job was with the space blankets, also called heat sheets. These are mylar sheets that help keep the marathoners from cooling off too quickly. The day was cool, in the 60's, and it was very rewarding to swath each finisher in their own shining silver cape.

By the eight hour mark, the event organizers were ready to start rolling up the electronic timing mats. I got handed a timing machine to enter each finisher's bib number into so it would record their finish time once the chip timing mats were turned off. That was quite a responsibility, but luckily the crowd of finishers had turned into a trickle.

That didn't stop the enthusiastic welcome we gave each person. Cheers, clapping, a medal, space blanket, rose and tree seedling (not to mention snacks and drinks). The Portland Marathon keeps up the spirit for every walker.

At eight hours 47 minutes, a vision in purple appeared - my old club mate Ruth Robbins, finishing her first marathon. She trained with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training and was escorted by several of her team mates. She carried a bouquet of flowers -- she was really getting the royal treatment. I knew Ruth would make it, slow and steady. We had met up throughout this past year when spotting each other at half marathons and the Bridge Stride. I felt privileged to be there at her moment of triumph, recording her finish time.

Ruth chose her event well -- a big running marathon that cares just as much about the walkers. If you think you'll never be fast enough, you'll never be able to walk far enough, think again. I've felt the miracle happen in my own body year after year. Six miles feels like forever in the spring, but by July I'm finding a half marathon not much of a challenge, and by September that's an easy day. Try this yourself some year -- feel the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, from stroller to marathoner.
Tell us your marathon story

How to Walk a Marathon

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2009

Have you used walking as part of a weight loss effort with good success? Come tell us your walking weight loss story, with optional photos. You can help inspire others to get out the door or onto the treadmill while cleaning up their eating habits.

It's marathon and half marathon season. Now you can share your story with other walkers - including a photo or two. Come tell us about how you trained, how you performed, and what you learned.
Tell Us Your Marathon Story

Tell Us Your Half Marathon Story

Terri wrote to me, "I just took a 30-minute walk and used a pedometer for the first time. When I was done it read 00043." Obviously, we have a problem. After 30 minutes, even very slow walkers should have over 2000 steps. I gave it some thought and came up with the 10 most common pedometer reading problems. How you wear it, whether you got a lemon, or whether you accidentally hit the reset button can cause flaky readings.
Also: 10 Things I Hate About My Pedometer

Two new studies of men have shown the benefits of regular physical exercise for reducing prostate cancer, lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer.

The first was a study conducted on 190 men undergoing prostate biopsy at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. After adjusting for many other factors, they found that men who get the equivalent of three hours of moderate-intensity walking (9 MET) per week were significantly less likely to have cancer found on biopsy. And among those men who were found to have cancer, they had a far lower risk of having a high grade disease if they got three to nine hours of moderate exercise a week, such as fitness walking.
Preventing Prostate Cancer
How to Start Walking

Does exercise intensity matter for preventing cancer? A study 2560 men in Finland found a difference between men who exercised at a moderate intensity of 3.7 MET (the equivalent of walking 3 to 3.5 mph) and those who exercised at a higher intensity of over 5 MET (brisk walking, jogging, running). Exercising at a higher intensity was associated with fewer cases of lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer (stomach, colon, bowel). While an easy stroll might be a great way to start, picking up the pace a few times a week has extra benefits.
How to Vary Your Walking Workout Intensity
Adding Higher Intensity to Your Walking Workout

^{Source:
Jodi A. Antonelliae, et. al. "Exercise and Prostate Cancer Risk in a Cohort of Veterans Undergoing Prostate Needle Biopsy." The Journal of Urology, Received 3 March 2009 published online 16 September 2009.
Jari A Laukkanen, et. al. "Intensity of leisure-time physical activity and Cancer mortality in men." British Journal of Sports Medicine, Published Online First: 28 July 2009. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.056713.}

Do you find that all you talk about is your diet and workout? Our Exercise Guide Paige has 10 signs that you may be an annoying health freak. I find there are two ways to be annoying. The first is to be self-righteous and judgmental -- bragging about how healthy your diet is and how much exercise you put in each day. The other is to be the sad sack whiner who carps on how they haven't gotten desired results from diet and exercise.

What kind of health freaks aren't annoying? The ones who take a true joy in what they are doing and inspire their friends to join in their latest walking adventures and share delicious but healthy recipes. It's all about the joy.

"Let's walk to the park, the maple leaves are spectacular!" is a joyful invitation. "I have to put three miles on my treadmill tonight or my pants won't zip up tomorrow," is a whine. Look inside yourself -- are you feeling joy from your diet and exercise efforts and achievements? What gets you out the door? Is that what you talk about to friends, or is it all "you should" or "I can't." I learned a lot of good lessons from the Serene Journey blog's Secrets of the Perpetually Unhappy. If you find yourself getting snarky or judgmental, take a time out with her 10 Ways to Feel Better in 60 Seconds or Less.

Autumn is officially here, with the days getting shorter and dark coming earlier. Is there a best time of day to walk? Some research shows that afternoon is the best time for exercise performance, but other studies show people stick with exercise better if they do it in the morning. Here are the pros and cons of each: What's the Best Time of Day to Walk?

POLL: When Do You Exercise?

1) Early Morning

2) Morning

3) Noon

4) Afternoon

5) Late Afternoon - After Work

6) Evening

7) Night

View Poll Results

You can eliminate one extra gadget by buying the new 5th generation iPod nano, which includes a pedometer function. And it's a very good pedometer function -- I found it as accurate as a hip pedometer when I carried the iPod nano in my pants pocket. Plus, it stores your pedometer workouts, daily step totals, and gives you nifty graphs of each day on the iPod itself. You can also upload your steps to the Nikeplus.com web site through iTunes and share your achievements with friends on Facebook.

Not only that, but the Stopwatch function will also be useful to those who want to time laps and viewed stored sessions. With this new iPod nano, I can actually leave my hip pedometer at home.

What doesn't it do? It doesn't estimate distance or speed. It only counts steps and estimates calories burned. If you want speed and distance, you still have to use the Nike + iPod Sport Kit with a shoe sensor. But I am quite happy to do without the distance estimate for my total daily steps and most of my walking workouts. Now I have one less gadget to remember to bring along.

Still not the killer apps you're looking for? It also has a video camera and FM radio built-in.

iPod nano Pedometer Review

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner 2009

Autumn is coming. It's time to change up your walking clothing and gear for cooler weather and maybe a bit of rain. I walk in the rainy Northwest, so I know what to wear to get through a cool and wet walk in comfort.
Best Fall Walking Gear

Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

New research shows that it is truly never too late to start enjoying regular exercise. A study of people over age 70, some of whom only started exercising at that age, showed significant benefits for longevity, maintaining daily living skills, socialization and avoiding poor health. The subjects were considered to be physically active if they exercised for four hours a week, including such activities as swimming, jogging, or walking for an hour a day.

Physically active vs sedentary participants:

At age 70, the 8-year mortality was 15.2% vs 27.2%

At age 78, the 8-year mortality was 26.1% vs 40.8%

At age 85, the 3-year mortality was 6.8% vs 24.4%

For those who had been sedentary, they reported a significant survival benefit in taking up exercise after age 70, or even after age 78. Those who were active at age 78 were more likely to be independent in performing daily activities at age 85.

It's never too late to start walking or enjoying other physical activity. It leads to a healthier, more independent life in old age.

Exercise Guidelines for Over Age 65

How to Start Walking

^{Source: Jochanan Stessman, MD; Robert Hammerman-Rozenberg, MD; Aaron Cohen, MD; Eliana Ein-Mor, MA; Jeremy M. Jacobs, MBBS. "Physical Activity, Function, and Longevity Among the Very Old." Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(16):1476-1483.}

A problem with going organic is that high-tech sweat-wicking fabrics are not grown in a field. If I were to wear organic cotton or hemp clothing, I'd end up wasting energy on blister bandages and longer drying times in the clothes dryer. But companies are finding ways to reuse polyester to produce the sweat-wicking fabrics we need, and to choose sustainably grown wool. Teko is one such company and they specialize in sports socks.

Teko uses recycled polyester to produce their tekoPOLY fibers used in their polyester socks and part of the blend for their organic merino wool socks. I prefer to think of using recycled material for my socks rather than tying up farmland to grow fibers instead of food.

But for me, the proof is in the performance of the socks. I love the seamless designs, which help prevent hot spots and blisters caused by seams. Their socks are crafted to fit the anatomic shape of men's and women's feet. I feel a great fit that is perfect - it won't bunch up yet I don't feel cramped.

I am always in search of the perfect socks. I really liked the pair of low, light cushion tekoPOLY socks. But I'm a princess who found the wool blend to be itchy. To be fair, I have yet to find a truly itch-free wool sock, no matter how much a manufacturer claims it to be. At least the sheep this wool came from are roaming happily in organic, chemical free pastures in the Argentinian pampas, herded by gauchos on horseback and foot rather than a Jeep. At least, that's what Teko says. My review samples were provided by the manufacturer.

Teko tekoPOLY Socks Review

Teko tekoMERINO Socks Review

Eco-Friendly Walking Gear

Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber

I'm always shocked at how the days shorten so fast in September. Soon enough, it will be dark for early morning and after-work walks. A headlamp or headlight hat can help light the way if your walking takes you away from streetlights. I needed a headlamp for the Portland to Coast Relay Walk at the end of August. I own at least four headlamps, but I couldn't find the newer ones and the two older ones I found had shorts in the wiring and would only work intermittently. That's not going to cut it on a dark country road at 2 am. These were all Black Diamond models with the battery pack at the back of the head. I decided there was something basically fragile about that design.

I headed to my local outdoor store and bought a Petzl TakTikka LED headlamp. Unlike the other designs, this one had the batteries up front with the light -- no wires to get wonky. I was concerned that there was just a single strap to go around the head vs. having a cross strap that also goes over the head. I worried that sweat and my fine hair might cause a single-strap design to slip. No problem -- it stayed secure even as I sweated out my night miles.

I chose the TakTikka because it swivels to adjust the light angle. I've discovered that you must adjust that in order to spotlight the ground exactly where you need it, without ruining your good walking head posture. I find flashlights annoying, because if you use any arm motion you get only intermittent spotlighting of the ground ahead of you.

My walking buddies had another tactic - they pinned the headlamp to their shirt or the strap of their backpack rather than wearing it on their heads. That also gave a steady light.

My buddies tease me about the headlight caps I have, provided for prior reviews. I like wearing the Panther Vision headlight cap and the Head-Lite Cap just to be visible. But because you can't adjust the angle of the light, they don't light up my path sufficiently. The beams tend to hit the horizon. I see that Panther Vision has modified their caps so that a couple of the lights point downward from under the cap brim. That is a nice improvement, I'll have to test it out.

These LED headlamps and caps go easy on the batteries. You should only have to replace the batteries every 100 hours of use or thereabouts. That is far better than most standard flashlights, where you are lucky to get five or six hours of use. For that reason, I like to keep one of these handy in my car and home for use when the lights go out or I need to take an unexpected walk in the dark.
Lights and Reflective Gear for Night Walking
Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber.

The kids and teachers are headed back to school and college. A pedometer is a great back to school gift to encourage both students and teachers to stay active. Even better, parents can help form or promote a walking school bus or bike train in their area to walk with the kids to and from school, or a portion of the route. That gives everyone a boost towards their daily minimum requirement of exercise. I've observed school buses picking up students from just a few blocks from the school. All of those idling engines are both a waste of money for fuel and a burden on air quality.

Back to school also means backpacks and can mean backaches. Packing lightly is one key. But wearing a good backpack right makes all of the difference. Right and wrong ways to wear a backpack.
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

A kid-friendly pedometer is a great back-to-school gift and incentive for tracking those playground steps or walk-to-school steps. The Pedz pedometers are designed for ages 5 and up, and give access to a kid-friendly MyPedz.com web site to track their walking steps and other healthy activities.

The pedometer requires no set-up to use, everything is pre-programmed. The eyes of the pink critter are the mode and reset button. Well, kid-friendly doesn't mean Wendy-friendly and I managed to hit the reset button just a third of the way into my walk. That's what I don't like about pedometers that don't shield the reset button. Still, it's a darn cute pedometer and the web site is fun. I got a free sample from the manufacturer to review.
Review of the Pedz Pedometer and MyPedz.com web site
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner

School may already be back in session in many places, but Labor Day Weekend is still the last gasp of summer fun. Grab your trail sandals for some serious walking on the beach or along a river trail. For a rocky trail, you'll want trail shoes to give you traction and prevent the rocks poking through.

I've been seeing lots of running skirts on walkers at big events. I think that's a style that will still be popular next year.

Hot weather will still linger for a few more weeks, so be sure to take along chafing protection and blister protection. This is especially true if you are putting in your long distance days for a marathon or half marathon this fall.