Walking a Marathon (in a day)

You are an inspiration to us all - I have nothing but admiration for your wonderful effort.

Thank you, Greatnan. But I take my hat off to you, I don't think I could walk up and down mountains like you, despite being a Capricorn! (There aren't any between Winchester and Salisbury, are there?!!)

I've just watched 'Bert and Dick' on BBC1--a play about the British double sculls gold medal winners in the 1948 London Olympics. Not quite as inspirational as Chariots of Fire, but it all helps me appreciate the enormous effort, commitment and dedicated training that any sportsman or woman has to make. In its own way, preparing for this trekathon has increased my understanding of many things...quite humbling in fact.

I've just come back from today's shorter training walk--only 2 miles--to my allotment (I live in a flat in central London with no outside space!) to water the beans and tomatoes! And I had the wonderful surprise of finding a donation for my charity on my justgiving web page--from 'A Grandad' (who may or may not be called Rod). Whoever you are--thank you SO much. You have made my boots walk even more determinedly.

A huge thank you to Greatnan for your contribution to music therapy for sick and vulnerable children via my Justgiving webpage Members of this forum must know by now just how every donation encourages me to go on with the trekathon training. Less than 6 weeks to go now, so I'm aiming for a double Richmond Park again this week.
The Olympics is another source of inspiration now, as London is abuzz! I happened upon the penultimate stage of the Olympic cycle race yesterday afternoon as I was going to Cotswold Outdoor to change a walking pole! The cyclists were just about to go along the Brompton Road towards Hyde Park Corner en route to the Mall for the finish. It was very exciting, even though Cavendish, Wiggins et al. failed to gain Olympic glory. But at least they finished. And that is all I am hoping to do on 8 September plus help provide music therapy sessions for more children.
Please keep on encouraging me and passing on useful tips, I really appreciate it

I wish you sunshine. We have thunder and rain. My niece and family at the Olympic Eventing in Greenwich took a real soaking so I hope Richmond is fine. Last time I was there it was pouring down - but that was in December! Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain ...

With the support from gransnet forum members I really do believe I'll never walk alone!!

And more inspiration from the women cyclists today. I happened upon them just down the road from my allotment in Fulham Palace Meadows. It was pouring with rain when the first three came through, including Lizzie Armistead who
went on to be Team GBs first medal winner--getting the Silver for her cycling.

A big thank you from me to another unknown donor. 'Classical gran' wherever you are--thank you. It is more encouragement for me to train harder as I'm now only £200 short of my target. Onward I shall go! And the children will benefit.

I met up with 3 other 'grans' this week. We all started training to be nurses (at Westminster Hospital, London) back in 1959. Lovely to catch up with them, and their support of my trekathon for music therapy for vulnerable children now means I am closer to my fundraising target.
Off to Richmond Park again today.
Encouragement NEEDED:
I have discovered a hill there that I find 'challenging', so rather than walk my 8 miles around the park, I have decided to try to walk up this hill 3 times today. Greatnan, I need your mountaineering experience in words of support!
And anyone else who is good at hill walking. My huff and puff is evident at the top of this hill! I know the route of the trekathon is over 'rolling' downs, so I guess I need to be well prepared for the ups.

Well done, GrandmaMiney. I have only ever walked a marathon once and I was in my early 20s. I don't even remember now what charity we were supporting; I know I was quite amused as my BF (now DH) was a great walker and insisted on wearing his proper walking boots - he had some enormous blisters. I, on the other hand, never walked anywhere, did no practising, wore my pumps (this was well before trainers) and had not one mark on my feet. I think I did ache the following day, but not too much. Oh the arrogance of youth!

Thank you GillieB --Just the encouraging words I needed. And does it matter if you were 'in your early 20s' at the time. I'm sure you could still do it now, and we all still feel that's where we are!
Interesting that in the UK and Europe walking boots seem the norm, whereas in the US they wear running shoes for walking a marathon.(accordion to a US 'walking a marathon' website. Just as well as walking boots now rub my ankle bone, so lighter weight shoes it is for me. Any views on this?
I did my 3 ups and downs of the hilly bit in Richmond Park today--very invigorating, and my huff 'n puff lasted ok. But the muscles at back of my legs (?gastrocnemius) certainly let me know of their existence!

I only wish I could, GrandmaMiney, unfortunately I have had one knee replacement and the other one wants doing now (but I am putting it off for as long as possible). I have my good days and bad days, I am afraid. I do envy you being able to do this.

Dear GillieB, I am so sorry you are having double knee troubles, it must be very tiring and wearing-down to have pain on movement we take forgranted for so many years. I admit I have been fortunate to have good genes that allow me to move ok (not fast, but ok) up to and just beyond my 3 score years and ten. I have had hip twinges for several years, but I started taking glucosamine and chondroitin fairly regularly and, touch wood, they have diminished.
But it is one of the reasons I decided to take up this challenge now, while I still hope I can do it.
Wasn't today exciting and inspirational?! I am no sportsperson, but I have watched more sport today--and enjoyed it--than I have ever done in my life before! SIX gold medals in one day. I find all the medalists quite wonderful, knowing just how hard they have worked and pushed themselves, but they all seem to have retained a degree of humility--and are so grateful for all the support they have received.
The last bit is true for me, too--especially from Gransnet forum members.

Yesterday was absolutely wonderful - so inspirational. I am currently watching the men's tennis final - fingers crossed for Murray!

Hi GillieB,
Hurray did it! All so exciting.
If it's any consolation to you, I've got my comeuppance today. Walked around Richmond Park once, intending to do it twice, but I was absolutely knackered!
I did 15 miles in all today, but boy am I paying for it--aches in quite a few places.
Actually I'm really disappointed in myself, I did 22.5 miles a couple of weeks ago and was tired, but not achey. I hope today is just a blip.

If any of the exercisers on this page have any tips, PLEASE help. I just have to do the whole marathon on 8 Sept, and at the moment I don't know if I should get right our there again on Wed and do the two rounds, or if I should take the ibuprofen and rest?!

Tomorrow I'm going to an evening of athletics in the Olympic Stadium (i'm so excited) so maybe I can absorb some of the energy there to boost my batteries. Nil desperandum...

When I was training for running the London Marathon, the idea was 4 exercise days a week, including just one long training run per week. 'Peak Week' [including the longest training run of all] was 4 weeks ahead of the Marathon, with the final 3 weeks 'tapering' down to the big day. Rest days are important too. If walking follows a similar pattern, you shouldn't be walking very long distances more than once a week and you should soon be into the taper zone.

Thanks, Frankel, that is a real help.
I have read bits and pieces about training--maybe too much, and I was getting disheartened. My walking marathon/trekathon is 4 weeks from this Saturday. With your advice, I shall have another go at the double round of Richmond Park on Saturday, which should give me a good 20 miles. Then I'll keep it to the shorter walks three or two times a week for the remaining weeks.

This is not a race, so it does not have that pressure and I do want to enjoy the beautiful countryside, as well as raising as much money as possible for the Music Therapy for vulnerable, sick and disabled children charity.

Thanks again--hope you are enjoying the Olympics. I'm exhilarated by it all--and so ashamed of being a such a sceptic before hand. I saw some of the Triathlon around the Serpentine when I was walking in Hyde Park, caught a bit of the road cycle race in Fulham (en route to my allotment), and went to the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday--it was all Amazing and the true Olympian spirit is inspiring. Jessica Ennis is my hero!

I hope it helps - you'll know on September 9th! Most of all, enjoy the experience. As for the Olympics, it has rather passed me by despite having gone to watch the hockey on Tuesday morning. I am not really a watcher of Olympic sports and all the hype tends to turn me off, rather than on. I'm glad people have enjoyed themselves but still, I will settle for it all to end safely. So, my level of Olympic excitement has stayed about the same. I still wonder if we can afford the expense and whether there will be a significant, lasting payback. I may have missed something but I don't feel any shame, feeling as I do. Good luck for 8 September.

Hi Frankel,
Your post on Tuesday really helped. When I read it early yesterday, I looked out of the window, saw the sun coming up and decided to go for it yesterday!
I had a wonderful walk in Richmond, and did two laps of the 'walls' of the Park. So I clocked up just over 20 miles. I admit I had to push myself at times, but it was quite hot! On the second lap I was rewarded by the sight of about 8 stags standing in the small river to cool off. It was beautiful--and the park is beautful. I know I shall enjoy the trekathon experience, and the countryside we wll be walking through. So now I will just be doing the shorter walks to taper down. Thank you so much for your encouraging and helpful posts.

Don't forget the other participants will help you along on the day, I am sure the atmosphere will keep you going. Hope your training continues well, it sounds right on track!
I have just started using my pedometer again, aiming for at least 10,000 steps a day. I wonder how many there would be in a marathon!

Oh dear. Here's my anorak side. There are 1,661,220 inches in an official marathon distance [26 miles and 385 yards] so divide that by your average step. Runners on Runners World have calculated 30-33,000 steps but walking, I reckon maybe 85,000 for me? Of course, when walking or running a marathon, one tends to waver back and forth across the official distance line [a blue line in the London Marathon] so mere mortals, as opposed to elite runners, travel further than the 'marathon' distance. My Garmin said I ran an extra half mile in my London Marathon - as if 26 miles 385 yards wasn't enough!

I knew someone would try to work it out! I guessed it would be about 60-70,000, so wasn't far off.

60-70,000 steps is a very good guess. If I'd been a better anorak, I'd have measured my step more accurately. It seems the average step is 2.2 ft for women and 2.5 ft for men and 2 steps equals one stride. You live and learn!

I've found your 'tapering down' idea useful too, frankel. No need to think of myself as a wimp when I can't go at the hedging three days running now. I'm tapering down during my recovery days

Yes Bags I have my tapering down to a fine art Just need to learn how to taper up!

GrandmaMiney I am full of admiration for your dedication. I have done the London Moonwalk twice (at least that was all on the flat!) and the training programme included tapering down as Frankel said. It recommended a 20 mile walk two weeks before the event followed by two weeks of rest with shorter walks every two to three days. What was also recommended was gentle stretching exercises - yoga is good but any stretching will do, just to condition the muscles and help the body to cope with the strain on the day. My memory is a bit hazy as it's three years since the last time I did it, but you can find the programme on the Moonwalk website. Good luck!