The Walking Runner

Wow!

Walking is really different than running - as I am discovering during my 'recovery week' after the Bay.

Thirty minute walk last night.  An hour walk tonight.  Maybe an hour and a half tomorrow?

First of all, how nice is it to come home from work and then head out for a walk?  No changing into running clothes, putting on glide, filling my pockets with carbs, kleenex and lip balm, putting on my Garmin and untangling the cords of my shuffle.  Just grab my gloves and go!

Know what else is cool about walking?  It's easier on the blood sugars.  No need to adjust my basal rates.  No need to be rigid on what time I'm going for a walk.  Or for how long. Just check my sugar, pop a few emergency packs in my pocket just in case, and head out.  Sweet!

No need to stretch before or after.

No need to shower and dry my hair.

No need to throw on a load of laundry when I get back.

Just....walk.

It's almost too easy.

An hour walk takes about an hour and five minutes to complete - if you factor in grabbing gloves, zipping up a coat and checking blood sugar.  An hour run takes over 2 hours if you factor in changing, stuffing pockets, filling water bottles, eating pre run snack, stretching, running, stretching again and showering.

I seem to have a lot of free time on my hands this week.

But I can already tell that my body will not be happy with this routine for long.  Because deep down, I'm a runnergirl.

I'm a fast walker but a fairly slow runner.  Yet I prefer to run.

Tonight, I kept having to stop myself from breaking into an easy trot.  I was so full of energy that I could hardly rein it in.  But rein it in I did.  Because my body needs time to recover before the next running cycle begins.

And so I walk.

Want to know how to recognize a runner when they're walking?

They walk on the street - not the sidewalk.