[Author’s Note: This article is part of an occasional series on the unique opportunities and challenges of growing older as a runner.]
“No one knows, till [they try], how easily a habit of walking is acquired. A person who has never walked three miles will in the course of a month become able to walk 15 or 20 without fatigue. I have known some great walkers and had particular accounts of many more; and I never knew or heard of one who was not healthy and long lived.” – Thomas Jefferson
Those of us who have been around the sport of ultrarunning for any period of time have explained a long race to someone and invariably been asked the question, “Do you actually run the entire time?” And, aside from the very few elite runners out there, our answer really ought to always be, “Well, no, there’s actually a fair bit of walking involved.”
Claire Bannwarth (left) and Annie Hughes walk up from Maggie Gulch in the early miles in the 2023 Hardrock 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
I believe walking is one of the most frequently overlooked skills of the successful ultrarunner. Being a strong and efficient walker is essential to ultrarunning success, particularly in events of 100 kilometers or more. Yet, many less-informed runners and observers of the sport view walking as something only to be done up very steep hills or when one has completely run out of gas. How many 100-miler runners have you heard about who have said, at some point, they just decided to “walk it in?” As if that was their way of giving up.
The truth of the matter is that walking may be the key to a long and successful career in ultrarunning. Two Hardrock 100 legends, Ulli Kamm and Jim Ballard, are proof of this assertion. Both Kamm and Ballard finished the Hardrock 100 multiple times, and they did so by walking every step. Now, don’t get me wrong, these guys were strong, fast walkers, but they were walkers nonetheless. As I have aged in the sport, I have come to believe that not only is walking an essential part of ultrarunning, but we also must train purposely for it with some degree of regularity.
As Ballard pointed out to me a few years ago, walking uses many muscles different from running, and it’s important to practice walking quickly and efficiently. Many runners see walking as taking a break from running, while Ballard and Kamm believe it can enhance and even extend our running lives.
Fast and efficient walking is a key skill demonstrated by a group during the 2018 Hardrock 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Over the last several years, I have deliberately integrated walking into my weekly training regimen to the extent that today, in any given week, up to 20% of my total training volume is spent walking. In addition to activating a different set of muscles, walking also provides relief for my joints and allows me to move my body in ways that running simply does not. This year, after several months of practice, I have been able to get my walking pace on flat ground down below 15 minutes per mile, and I can maintain that pace with a moderate heart rate in the 105 to 110 beats per minute range.
While I suppose time will ultimately tell the full story, I believe integrating walking into my training regimen in my mid-50s is extending my running career, diversifying my muscle stimuli, and actually making me a better ultrarunner. And for that, I am pleased to have, in Jefferson’s words, “acquired a habit of walking.”
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from the Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville, Virginia. While Charlottesville is home to many outstanding craft breweries, this is one of the best. Ramble On Juicy IPA is a fruity, slightly hazy ale with mild bitterness and a sweet finish. Coming from a brewery known for its traditional styles, Ramble On Juicy IPA is a dip into the unknown.
Call for Comments
- Do you regularly incorporate walking into your training?
- Have you found that walking more has increased your overall pace at ultra distances?
