From Wendy Bumgardner,
Your Guide to Walking.
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Reader A.S. writes, "I am really interested in doing the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. I am a runner and have competed in races before, including a marathon. I was looking at the training schedules and they require a lot of walking. I tend to get bored easily and honestly don't have time to walk. Is there a training schedule that lets me run more often than walk to help me prepare or is walking mandatory? And if so where I can find a training schedule that would accomodate the running."

A. When training for a long-distance walk, it is important to walk in your long-distance training rather than run.

The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and Avon Walk for Breast Cancer strictly enforce walking rather than running. Even racewalking is discouraged, as they do not want you to arrive at checkpoints before they are set up. There are other walking marathons where running is forbidden. These are long-distance events -- 20 miles per day for the 3-Day Walk. You will need to train fully for walking that distance rather than running it.

Sport-Specific Training Needed for Long Walks

Walking coach Judy Heller of Ero-Fit, LLC explains further, "Sport specificity training is very important, especially for long-distance or ultra-distance endeavors. It is about training the body to perform the desired movement in a safe and effective manner. Walking uses different muscles and soft tissue. Your training should simulate walking long distances 3-days straight. If proper attention is lacking to technique, it increases the risk for minor discomforts such as blisters to possible over use injuries.

"As no running is allowed, and walking is strictly enforced your training should be 'walking.' Just as with any other training program, this should include flexibility and strength, as you are 'new' to walking. You can incorporate running as cross training for 30 to 40 minutes.

"Training for an event like this is about more than conditioning your body, but mind and spirit. I suggest revisiting the mindset of 'getting easily bored.' Walking 20 miles for 3-consecutive days will require you to be mentally, as well as physically prepared for this endeavor. Be creative with your training tapping in to the world around you. During the event you will have the synergy and camaraderie of your fellow travelers.

"Finally, during your training don't overlook hydration and fuel intake to help you prepare for how you will do so during the walk."

A Walk Training Plan for Runners

The key to training for a distance event is walking a long, slow distance day once a week and steadily increasing its distance. This long day should be purely walking in order to get the complete training effect for walking vs. running.
Why You Need a Long, Slow Distance Day Each Week

For mid-week training days, the first 30 to 60 minutes should be spent walking and concentrating on good walking form. Work on good posture, eliminate overstriding, and learn efficient arm motion. Then the runner can finish off their distance with running and end with a walking cool down.

Endurance Walk Training Plans

• Marathon Walk Training
• Half Marathon Walk Training Schedule
• Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk Training Schedule
• Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Training Schedules

But What About Run-Walking?

At events where running is allowed, many people new to running or endurance training start with a run/walk technique. This is very popular at many marathons and half marathons, especially those with time limits that are not walker-friendly. Our Guide to Running has an introduction to training for the run/walk method.

How to Do I Keep From Getting Bored?

The breast cancer endurance walks ban iPods and cell phones on the course, as do many marathons and half marathons. During your training, you should spend some of the time unplugged as you will be during the event. Make yourself go for at least the first hour without your tunes.

Your best guard against boredom is to walk with other walkers and entertain each other with conversation. For your long days, you may have to line up a different friend for the second half of your walk, if none of them are training for distance.

If you are walking alone and unplugged, use this time to really notice your environment. An excellent little book for this is MindWalks, which offers fun ways to keep your mind engaged while walking.