Walking - distance? Time?

[Noggin]

I wear trainers on every walk unless it's going to be very cold or wet and it's going to be longer than one day so I will need to use the same footwear when I wake up in the morning. Me and my lad go out walking for the day in trainers, get cold/soaked but it's no big deal because we go home afterwards and get warm and dry.

I should caveat the trainers thing.
We do half days on the hills in trainers, we get wet (and sometimes cold) feet but it's half a day, then we're in the car and warm again. I walked halfway to Everest Base Camp in trainers then changed to boots when it got really cold, and I've done the Nijmagen Marches in trainers when I wasn't in uniform and it was better in trainers, but be sensible, don't risk frostbite if there is a chance you'll get stuck for extended periods out in freezing weather in trainers.

Thank you. TBF, its very very unlikely I'll be walking on/in snow until November. I mean, it does snow here in the summer but it doesn't settle on the roads, so if by some fluke the mountains are covered, I can walk on the roads. In winer if I'm walking up the mountain I'll be walking up on skis so nice warm boots on

[Noggin]

Well, it's been an up and down amount of walking due to sometimes the knee getting a bit swollen afterwards. But the worst thing I did was rest! When I went to have the check up at Grenoble, I ended up walking 5.5kms that day. Not all in one go, but much more than I had intended. So I rested the next day and my knee hurt. So I rested a couple more days Once I started walking again, the knee eased up a bit

Built up a bit again but on gentle slopes in resort and still being a bit (probably) over careful.

Yesterday I walked around a town in the valley (waiting for an appointment) then hitchhiked home. Walked a bit over 5km again!

So today I went out and walked again! Not quite 5km but but a much more severe slope downhill for the first 1.5kms. That's the bit the knee still doesn't like But, total of 4.5km so I'm pretty happy.

Same again tomorrow and then the next day I'll build on it and walk a bit further

I'm even getting to quite like walking

[Noggin]

This morning I got up extra early (for an unemployed!) and did the walk again. Same distance down and up but then I walked around resort a bit to hit the 5kms and approx 150m elevation!!

My pace is ridiculously slow - around 4.3kms/h according to Strava But, given both knees were already pretty FUBAR before the break, I have learnt not to stride out as they tend to collapse with no warning! So, little steps and for now a gentle pace!

Once my knee is less grumpy with the route I'm currently doing, I will head off the roads onto some of the walks near me - they are decent paths but obviously not 'quite' as flat as the tarmac roads


Whilst walking this morning it occurred to me that it probably seems a bit weird to lots of folks just how happy I am to be able to walk such a short distance!!

To put it in context a bit, since August 2017 I've not been able to walk without pain in my shoulder. Not always at the time, but for the following days after a 'decent' walk I was crippled with pain. Basically the vibrations of the footsteps would end up in my shoulder and bounce around (that's what it felt like!! LOL) but also because so far, in nearly 6 years, I've not found a pain killer that actually kills the pain

Balancing that is the fact that I have stayed the same weight in that time. Within around 6kgs. I didn't think that was a big thing really but in the first rehab centre after the second op (the full shoulder replacement) the dietician was amazed that I was the same weight as at the time of the accident.

So whilst I couldn't be very mobile, I had managed my food (without really thinking about it!) so that I didn't add more issues to the already bad situation! I do know I'm approx 15kgs overweight but as it's not new, I can work on that now I can do exercise!


This summer is the first time I can walk, on the roads at least, without causing myself massive pain. So I'm actually positive about walking for the first time since living here!

The knee is being a bit grumpy, but due to the discomfort of the metal in the last six months, I did less and less of anything. So everything about legs and knees is probably in shock!!


So, when I get all excited about walking a whole 5kms/3miles, this is why!! It's a massive boost in so very many ways for a registered handicapped (for work, no blue badge) and hopefully being able to walk further and further will mean that I can shift that 15kgs as well

[Noggin]

Well, turns out I should have put more thought into this! Two days of proper walking on top of the day of hitchhiking was too much So did some gentle walking around the buildings up here this morning to do about 2.5kms with no serious steep downhill stuff

But the knee has been proper grumpy - to the point that I went to the doc up here to get some anti-inflams

So, now I have to have a gentle day or two after a big day. Far far too complicated for someone with little to no patience for all this!!


(Bonus bit was a great conversation with the pharmacist who complimented me on how much my French has improved! - little wins )

[Noggin]

I haven't actually managed a 'proper' walk yet! LOL But through walk my 'paces' are pretty high! Around 900+ paces on a work day - but, that's only 5.5kms!!

But, I finished today still being able to walk . After the muscles compensating so much for the last few years, it was causing a lot of foot pain (and my back is grumpy from all the moving bikes and scooters, again, compensating for each lift due to my shoulder).

So, now I plan to do some proper walks on my days off Hopefully

I have done a few days off where walking amounted to around 8kms or so, but that's still not all in one go. But more proper walking than at work! LOL

[Count Steer]

I haven't actually managed a 'proper' walk yet! LOL But through walk my 'paces' are pretty high! Around 900+ paces on a work day - but, that's only 5.5kms!!

900 paces, 5.5km? Them's jolly big paces! (I make that 6m per step ).

(I average 2000 steps per mile...just logged 2 million steps and 1000 miles since I got a smart watch ).

[Noggin]

I haven't actually managed a 'proper' walk yet! LOL But through walk my 'paces' are pretty high! Around 900+ paces on a work day - but, that's only 5.5kms!!

900 paces, 5.5km? Them's jolly big paces! (I make that 6m per step ).

(I average 2000 steps per mile...just logged 2 million steps and 1000 miles since I got a smart watch ).

Oops !!! 9000 paces!!

I like using kms (and obviously, I do here!!) cos there's more kms per 9000 steps than miles

[Yambo]

I've just tripped over this thread and wondered how you're getting on.

I've done a bit of walking over the years but can't walk at the moment as I have arthritis in my left hip which effects my whole leg - pain in and around the knee, calf, thigh and of course the joint itself. I'll be getting a new ceramic hip joint before too long and walking is going to be one of the two main exercises to get my mobility sorted.

Next month I'll start back on the rowing machine as prep for the operation. Rowing is OK as the movement is forward and back with no loading. It'll be rowing and walking post op.

There's some good advice in this thread so I'm not going to add much to it. I have a pair of excellent Zamberlan boots but I don't wear them for local walking, preferring trainer style (interested in Oboz now!) but I think I still have a couple of mountains in me and there's a couple of likely candidates for next spring/early summer by which time the hip should be sorted. They've worked fairly hard - Mt Ararat, Annapurna Circuit and EBC/Gokyo and you never know I might get back to Nepal for a couple of lower, easier treks before I hang 'em up. It'll be trainer style shoes for my re-hab.

To answer your original question, I'd personally walk for a time as opposed to a distance until you are really confident you can put the miles in. As you progress I'd suggest loading up a small backpack with just 5 kg or so and maybe carry a couple of small dumbells and get into the habit of swinging your arms (as much as you can) - more like marching. I make drinks up for walking, water. fruit juice to taste and dioralyte. If you are sweating you are losing more than just water and the dioralyte replaces necessary salts. It's sold here as re-hydration salts.

As most of your walking is going to include hills make sure your shoes are really well fitting and tied tighter for downhill stretches. I've lost my big toe nails a few times from allowing a bit of movement of my foot inside the boots/shoes on downhill stretches - I lost them on both Nepal trips and I know exactly where it happened. it's not really painful but they can look unsightly (you can always paint them pink to hide them while they're going black) if it does happen.

If it's sunny, wear a hat!

[Noggin]

@Yambo thank you

I still haven't got into actually going walking. But I'm generally so knackered (mentally as much as anything with the two languages!) at the end of the day that I just take a longer route home and then crash!!

But, hopefully soon I do some actual walking!!

Still doing around 5.5kms+ on work days, some short routes to and from work but mostly walking around the site, in/out of the office to the bikes, lifting and moving bikes/scooters. So, at least I'm generally active!! In the interseason I'll put more effort to actual walking

[Count Steer]

There's some good advice in this thread so I'm not going to add much to it. I have a pair of excellent Zamberlan boots but I don't wear them for local walking, preferring trainer style (interested in Oboz now!).....


As most of your walking is going to include hills make sure your shoes are really well fitting and tied tighter for downhill stretches. I've lost my big toe nails a few times from allowing a bit of movement of my foot inside the boots/shoes on downhill stretches - I lost them on both Nepal trips and I know exactly where it happened....

Hi Yambo, the Oboz I use are their Sawtooth X Low. They do two versions, one with a waterproof membrane and a cheaper version without. They're a bit pricey but I liked them enough to buy another pair. Well made and fairly substantial. Rumour is the chap that started the company quit another shoe/boot company because he wanted to 'make shoes properly again'. I bought a pair of their casual trainer style shoes for day to day use too.(The Sawtooth are fine for day to day to, just a bit firmer underfoot).

On fit - with 'cold' feet, with appropriate socks, boots should probably be half to one size up on your shoe size to allow for your feet to expand as they get warmer and spreading a bit under load. There should be toe-wiggling room. Too small/tight boots are agony after an hour or two - but 'fit' is the thing, some makes are narrower than others etc. I can buy certain makes on-line now as I know I'm OK with them (ie Scarpa) but always used to go somewhere that knew what they were doing with fitting. Never lost a toe nail and have been up and down a few big hilly bits Wife has 'Zamberlan feet' and really likes hers. I've got some Zamberlan fabric boots but they've reached the state where they're used only for gardening.

(For years I wore Meindl boots, (tend to be a bit wider than the Italian boots like Scarpa and Zamberlan but I was OK with them despite having narrow feet) but they appear to have gone down the tubes on quality The last pair went to the charity shop with a few miles on. V disappointing).

[Yorick]

Folk get too uptight about walking shoes.
I've only ever used these for last 20 years. 100% waterproof.
https://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-m ... e=18307503


My phone app tells me I've averaged 5 miles a day over last year. These shoes are great.

But some days here I walk 10 miles in just decent sandals. In fact in summer, I bet half my miles are in sandals

[Dodgy69]

I do a bit of walking, generally wear proper walking shoes, Merrels atm i think and seem decent enough. 4 mph is pretty quick I reckon, I'm more about 3.5 mph and that's country lanes, not up rocky hills.

[Count Steer]

I do a bit of walking, generally wear proper walking shoes, Merrels atm i think and seem decent enough. 4 mph is pretty quick I reckon, I'm more about 3.5 mph and that's country lanes, not up rocky hills.

4mph is cracking on a bit. I typically average 3mph in the gently undulating Surrey Hills when it's dry underfoot. That's not hanging about but 4mph would feel a bit of a route march!

Edit: for example, just done 5.2 miles with 600ft ups and downs on footpaths and bridleways. Ave moving pace 3.2mph (peaked at 5mph on a smooth flat bit - tend to be a bit slower going both up and down). On this walk keep seeing the same bloke on an e-bike followed by a fed up looking spaniel. The chap is a dead ringer for Charley Boorman! He's constantly giving it yaddayaddayadda on the phone. Must be WFH...nice work if you can get it!