Walking Advice?

[SheFly]

OK. I'm a bit nervous.

Some of you may remember that last year, I lost my younger brother to suicide. I have missed him every day since. This also was not my first exposure - I became a survivor in high school when my BF killed himself a week before we graduated.

This morning, I registered to "Walk the Overnight" at the end of June - an 18 mile walk benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The walk begins at 7 pm, and concludes with a ceremony the next morning at 5 am - sundown to sunup.

Here's the thing. I'm in GREAT shape FOR A CYCLIST. Anyone have any good advice on things I can do between now and then to prep for this walk? I am going to continue riding/racing between now and then, so don't think I will be completely altering my training schedule... I do walk quite a bit at work these days, but not 18 miles at a time ;).

Thanks for your input and advice!

SheFly

[abejita]

When I walked the Breast Cancer 3Day, I followed this training schedule:

http://walking.about.com/cs/avon3daywalks/l/bl3daytrain.htm

It is too much and too long for your walk, but maybe you can modify it to fit your needs.

Good luck with your walk. Prepare for a very emotional day.

[ny biker]

I like taking long walks, although for me "long" is about an hour. I do notice the difference between muscles used for cyling and those used for walking, even with a walk of that distance. So you will need to do long walks for training.

Also, good shoes and socks will be important, and you might need to experiment a bit to determine what are most comfortable and how to deal with potential hotspots and blisters. A few years back I did a 38-mile inline skating race, and I wound up having to tape my feet with athletic tape to prevent blisters before every training session.

Like with cycling events, you'll want to make sure everything the day of the walk has been tested -- e.g., you don't want to wear new shoes or try new foods at the last minute.

Good luck!

[Biciclista]

start walking! and good luck. it took me about a month of 1 long walk a week to get to the point of not having blisters and serious soreness, and your walk is a lot longer than mine..so you probably have more training you need to do. good luck. you can do this!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I alternate between fitness walking and biking and dancing for exercise.
All 3 activities use my muscles in different ways. I recommend you do at least a couple of 10 mile walks before the big event or you may be sorry. ;) It'll also give you a chance to test out your shoes and get over any blisters and figure out how to prevent them.
Good luck!

[indysteel]

I alternate between fitness walking and biking and dancing for exercise.
All 3 activities use my muscles in different ways. I recommend you do at least a couple of 10 mile walks before the big event or you may be sorry. ;) It'll also give you a chance to test out your shoes and get over any blisters and figure out how to prevent them.
Good luck!

I've never done a walk of that length, but that sounds like good advice. Build up to that mileage somewhat gradually (or as gradually as you can with 4-5 weeks of training). Give some thought to nutrition and hydration, just as you would with cycling.

(((((()))) and good luck. I hope it helps you in your healing and grieving process. My parents each lost a parent to suicide, which is a very sad thing to have in common with your spouse. I lost a friend in February to it.

[SheFly]

Well, the event was this past weekend, and I SURVIVED! Thankfully, no blisters, so my shoe/sock selection must have been good.

Prior to the actual event, the longest walk I had done was 4 miles :o. With the riding and training, I just couldn't fit more than that in. And, I had only done that ONCE!

Needless to say, I was pretty crippled on Sunday. Riding 100 miles is fine, but walking 18 took me down.

I wrote about the experience here (http://twoadventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/overnight.html) if anyone is interested. Thanks for the tips!

SheFly

[redrhodie]

Great job, Shefly! 18 miles! I consider myself a walker, and I've never walked 18 miles. You've done something to be proud of by walking those miles.

I also lost a love to suicide, and even though it was a few years after we broke up, I still feel guilty. It's an awful thing to go through.

[zoom-zoom]

Needless to say, I was pretty crippled on Sunday. Riding 100 miles is fine, but walking 18 took me down.

There is a quote by a famous runner--not recalling which one, right now--about it being harder to run a marathon slowly than it is to run the same race fast. I'm a slow running marathoner...but I think those who walk are really the hardcore ones. It's not easy to be on one's feet at any pace for so many hours.

I'm glad the walk was a good experience. I hope it was therapeutic for you.

[lph]

I wrote about the experience here (http://twoadventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/overnight.html) if anyone is interested. Thanks for the tips!

SheFly

That was beautifully written, SheFly. I'm all choked up here. I hope the feeling of breaking a barrier and moving through lasts.

[Crankin]

This is awesome, Cathy. I so wanted to do this, but I had my class that weekend. Some of my former clients had signed up to do part of it, and I was really proud of them.
And walking that far is an accomplishment, too. I once did 11 miles of the Walk for Hunger and my feet paid for it for days!

[indysteel]

Thank you for sharing your blog entry with us, and congrats on completing the walk. I wish you and your family continued healing and peace. ((((())))).

[SheFly]

Thanks, all. It really was emotional and healing for me. I know that there are a number of people on this very forum who unfortunately know what it is like to be a survivor.

LPH - you're not the only one ;). I've had a number of people write me to say they were in tears. Not my intent, but it came from the heart. And I know you have lost a brother as well, and can understand.

All I ask is that we spread the word. Talk about it, and let people know that there doesn't have to be a stigma for depression, mental illness or suicide.

I appreciate all of your support more than you know. Some of you have helped get me through the past year. I am a very lucky person.

SheFly