Anyone going to WALK this winter?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I know it seems like everyone here runs when they are not biking. I can't run, it's too hard on my knees and ankles. But I do plan to do my walking when the snow flies this winter. Anyone else do fitness walking?

I don't plan on biking when the roads have ice or snow. I just can't bear the thought of pedaling in the basement.
Last winter, before I started biking, I used to briskly walk 3 miles almost every morning, come snow or ice. Even at 10 degreesF I went out. Sometimes I needed my YakTrax type thingies on my boots.
I feel I actually have much smarter clothes for walking this year, because I've gotten some great layering biking stuff this Fall, thin merino layers, balaclava, good warm tights, windjacket, etc. Last year I wore big HEAVY bulky sweaters and scarves and stuff that I feel would weigh way too much now that I've been used to biking. I've gotten smarter about cold weather clothing layers, thanks to biking. I also think that biking over the past 6 months has improved my circulation, as I don't seem to get as cold as I used to.

I live in a small rural town with lots of pretty routes to walk. My 3 miler takes me down Main St., past the schools and library and down a little wooded road too. Takes me about 50 minutes if I recall, but I suspect I might be faster this winter, with my new biking leg muscles.
My most beautiful walk last year was during a heavy snow falling with huge flakes on me and a 6 inch white blanet on the ground already. No one was out on the streets that morning, no cars, it was totally silent and beautiful. The only sound was my mukluk boots crunching in the snow. Only the snow plow man passed me several times and we waved, the only brave souls out that morning. I looked like a snowman when I got home, and dh had to get out the broom to brush me off on the porch!

Anyone else do walking for exercise when they can't bike?

[kelownagirl]

I'm planning to this winter Lisa. Part of it is that my dogs are desperately needing to go for a walk and we've been neglecting them since we've been riding so much. We live in the hills and plan to take them up into the hills for an hour hike a couple of times a week. I enjoy the change in scenery from biking but I do find myself wishing I was on my MTbike from time to time.

[Offthegrid]

I can't run yet (soon), so I do all walking. You can get a SERIOUSLY good workout walking; I come home drenched in sweat. I tend to get bored walking, though. I usually listen to music or a podcast.

[bambu101]

I have to agree, Lisa! One of my favorite things is to walk in the snow, and it is a terrific workout. I definitely plan to keep walking all winter, just as I have been doing for years. It will be interesting to see what the effect of cycling for the last 5 months will have on walking. I also live in a rural area on the edge of 12,000 acres of watershed property with miles of logging trails and roads. It's also a great place for cross-country skiing. I also walk at lunchtime at work in a fairly busy office park location, but it's not as nice as home.

I plan to use the Schwinn Johnny G spinner exercise bike, walk, cross-country ski whenever possible, lift weghts, and use my Nordic Track ski machine (which I love). I used the Nordic Track at 5 AM this morning for 45 minutes, and sweated like crazy! I also have quite a few exercise DVDs, and just received some new yoga and Pilates DVDs ealier this week.

As a matter of fact, I was trying to decide earlier today how I am going to fit all these different things in with work and sleep and all that stuff!

[Fredwina]

snow? it that the white stuff on top of Mt Baldy?
I do walking whenever the Santa Ana winds are in full force. Riding into a 20 mph wind with 50 mph gusts is so not fun. I just bought some new shoes just for walking.

[Pedal Wench]

I use the treadmill in the winter when it's too dark or nasty outside for riding. I can't run either, so I've got a special treadmill designed for hikers - it has a 25% grade. So I can just slowly slog uphill for 90 minutes, gain 3,000 feet elevation and burn 700-1000 calories, depending on my speed (which is usually pretty slow - 2.5 mph) I find this good training for my spring hiking trips. Going fast without the incline doesn't get my heart rate up at all without jogging, so the incline is the way to go for me.

[emily_in_nc]

Anyone else do walking for exercise when they can't bike?

Absolutely -- of course, I walk year round since Pepper, our Boston Terrier, requires it! This time of year it's too dark to walk when I get home from work (so DH walks Pepper earlier), but I walk or jog on the treadmill at work, or, if it's nice, walk around our building on trails at lunchtime. If it's nice out, I'll walk up to the bank, as I did today (about 2 miles round trip, which I walked briskly). It's nice to get some sunshine and out of the office during the day!

On weekends in the fall, winter, and spring, DH and I enjoy hiking. We take day packs with hydration bladders, snacks, etc, lace up the hiking boots and head to a state or county park to hike trails. We've done some pretty strenuous hikes in the NC mountains, in addition to plenty of moderate hikes here in the rolling piedmont. It's been fun getting into hiking as we've been to so many parks in our home state that we never had visited before and seen some beautiful landscapes. We can also hike on horse trails behind our property (all wooded and vacant land) for miles, but not during hunting season, except on Sundays (no hunting allowed).

I ride the trainer twice a week too, this time of year. DH and I have two trainers, set up next to each other, we crank up music with a good beat, and turn the TV to the news with close captioning, so I can "read" the evening news while riding. It's not as much fun as riding outdoors but is quicker, safer and warmer, so I don't mind it on a dark week night.

Enjoy your walks!

Emily

[MyLitespeed]

I walk both my dogs for 45 minutes each morning, then at night my husband takes one dog and I take the other and we walk from 45 minutes to an hour. It works out to 2.5 - 3.0 each time. He is getting bored with riding the trainer every other day so he figures walking will do him good too.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, it was a beautiful sunny day today 35-45. I couldn't bike because my bike is getting repaired (broken spoke) and won't be able to pick it up until yet another day, tomorrow evening.
Anyway, no snow yet either, so can't try my snowshoes yet.
So... this morning I got tired of sitting on my butt for the past 3 days and went out on my first "official" winter walk of the season- 3 miles brisk walk around my small town. It's a pretty walk actually, and I always reward myself by starting out with scrambled eggs, croissant & latte at our favorite cafe. Gotta have fuel, after all!!

I did this 3 mile walk almost daily for about 8 months before I started biking, then I just was biking all the time for the past 7 months now. One thing I noticed this time was how much EASIER the walk seemed than I remember, and shorter. Definitely WAY less hard breathing on the uphills...biking has greatly improved my respiratory efficiency. The other thing I noticed is that my hip joints got a little sore- it must be that the heavy walking uses my hips in a slightly different way than biking does....interesting!
I guess it will be good to get a few walks in more regularly....at least for my hips' sake!

[MomOnBike]

I walk all the time, too. Monty (dog) requires it to keep his little innards working. (IBS in a dog - sheesh!)

I'm also walking home from work semi-regularly. On those mornings that I'm too lazy, or the weather is too yucky, or it's just more friendly to ride with DH to work, I car it, then walk the 2 miles home. Co-workers don't think such a thing is possible. What do they know?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

IBS dog?-good grief, that must be difficult!

Since my bike is STILL being repaired, I walked my 3 miler again today. The muscles on the upper INSIDES of my thighs are really sore from the sudden new walking- funny isn't it?