Route Walk: Running hurts more than walking

Reflected walkers in the mist

THE Route Walk blog has taken a bit of a back seat lately, partly because I’ve started running.

I joined the Massey Ferguson RaceFit running course in Coventry 10 weeks ago, and will be signing up to their main club (Massey Ferguson Runners) tomorrow.

I’ll be starting a companion blog – Can Run Will Run – shortly.

The question over walking/running injury has cropped up, and painfully! In his book Walking, Casey Meyers, argues that ‘. . . the only thing running can give you that walking doesn’t is injury!’

So far, in my case, he’s been proved absolutely right! In all the walking I've done, I haven’t suffered so much as a single blister. In less than 10 weeks of running, I’ve already sported a black eye and knee/muscle problems that have reduced me to a hobble. To be fair, the black eye wasn’t a result of the running as such, but a slight ‘connection’ with someone’s head during an exercise. Ouch!

But Meyers also says that although he was an exercise runner for nearly three years, there was ‘not one time’ that he ‘truly enjoyed’ running as much as he does his daily walks.

That’s where we differ. I like walking, but also thoroughly enjoy running. My 10-week course has been fantastic. For motivation and mutual support, a walking or running club can't be beaten. It's a great way to share experience with like-minded enthusiasts, and improve your performance.

But you have to be sensible with whatever physical activity you do.

Preparation and prevention are better than pain and enforced immobility. In my case, I'll have to see how things go . . .

In the meantime, I had an enforced walk last week when my car broke down one evening at traffic lights on a dual carriageway. I managed to push it across the highway on to an island.

My broken-down car after I'd pushed it off the highway. Above, traffic whizzes
behind it. Below, light trails from vehicles passing in front of it. Yikes!

The walk came the following morning. The car had been towed to the dealer’s. To get there, and to avoid hanging around at bus stops etc, I walked.

I'd imagined short cuts and alleyways. How wrong can you be? There weren’t any, so it took a wee bit longer than anticipated.

But, despite a hot and sweaty arrival at the dealer's, it was good to take a 'different' route. There’ll be more walking to come, though – as the car’s not quite ready for collecting yet!

Here are pictures from recent, more 'scenic,' walks in Coventry War Memorial Park: