I get itchy legs during the winter. In my case, it’s dry skin, and I put moisturizer on my legs before I go out for a walk and at bedtime. Otherwise, I get itchy alligator skin. But some walkers have itchy legs that go beyond dry skin. They have exercise-induced itchy legs or itchy pants syndrome. Do you get itchy legs? What do you do?
Itchy Legs? originally appeared on About.com Walking on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 10:01:25.
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The worst day walking is better than the best day working. But today I let both you and me vent about the annoyances we encounter.
10 Things I Hate originally appeared on About.com Walking on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 09:51:49.
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Need motivation to keep going till Spring starts? Join in our March walking challenges. First, become a member of our Walking Forum — it’s free. You can then post messages on the Forum to join in the challenges.
March Walking Challenge: Post each time you walk, as we count up to a group total of walks.
Count Your March Minutes: Post your walking minutes.
Count Your March Miles: Post your walking miles.
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner
Join in our March Walking Challenges originally appeared on About.com Walking on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 10:17:01.
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Getting ready to train to walk a marathon or half marathon? Walkers and runners have the same training regimen, just at different speeds. You can avoid the four most common mistakes identified by Robert Chapman, director of the Human Performance Laboratory in Indiana University’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and coach of Brook Team Indiana Elite (press release).
Mistake 1: Discounting the importance of the weekly long distance walk or run. From my experience, you simply can’t skimp on getting this long day done each week. Chapman says it increases the glycogen storage capacity of your muscles and gradually strengthens your muscles, bones and tendons to take the miles of pounding. It also prepares you psychologically for the race distance. I also think the biggest value is that it toughens your foot skin to help prevent blisters. Why you need long, slow distance training.
Mistake #2: Selecting a race without considering the weather or lifestyle considerations for training.. If you decide to train for the Disney World Marathon or the Arizona Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon in sunny Florida or Phoenix in January — have you really considered you’ll be doing the long distance training over the holidays and in the winter weather of your home location? I actually gave up on Portland Marathon training after finishing it each of seven years when I realized my whole summer was spent doing long distance training in the heat for the early October race. I’ve switched to the half marathon distance because I can tolerate the training better. Before You Register for a Marathon
Mistake #3: Failing to “practice” the race day routine. You need to train with the exact clothing, shoes, socks, sports drink, energy gel and snacks, and blister preparations that you will be using during the race. Wear the same pack or stuff your pockets in the same way you will do at the race. The cardinal rule is “nothing new on race day,” meaning that you will have worn or used all of these items on your long training days. You also need a race day checklist that includes the logistics of getting to the start, where to park, what shuttles to take, and knowing the course.
Mistake #4: Starting the race too fast. The excitement of race day and being in a pack of faster walkers and runners can result in you putting in high speed early in the race rather than saving your stamina for the end. Runners usually have pace groups to run with at marathons and half marathons, while walkers rarely do. You will need to use your own timing devices to hold yourself to a good stable race pace early in the event so you can finish strong. Practice your pacing on your training walks so you know what feels right. Pacing Your Marathon Walk
Those were Chapman’s four top marathon training mistakes, I have my own list of the 10 Worst Marathon Walking Mistakes, some of which are similar. What was your worst marathon or half marathon mistake?
Top Training Mistakes for the Half Marathon and Marathon originally appeared on About.com Walking on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 10:18:10.
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Do you get muscle cramps? Changing your exercise type or ramping up your training may result in leg cramps. More typically, I get foot cramps. Medical News Today has a useful article on the causes, prevention, and treatment for leg cramps, including foot cramps. Wearing the right footwear can help, but I also like what they recommend about how to position your feet during sleep to help prevent foot cramps.
And more from out About.com Guides:
Sports Medicine: Muscle Spasms and Cramps
Orthopedic Medicine: Leg Cramp and Charley Horse
Muscle Cramps originally appeared on About.com Walking on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 10:16:23.
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Finding the perfect waterproof jacket for walking can be a real hunt. My husband is the waterproof jacket connoisseur, and he loves to shop for outdoor gear. He found a rip in his Marmot Oracle jacket and that sent him off to find the perfect replacement. He doesn’t like pit zips (zippers in the armpits to allow in more air). He wanted a one or two layer, non-insulated jacket. The lining couldn’t be slick-feeling, yet he doesn’t like mesh lining, either. The jacket had to allow good arm motion without restriction.
After weeks of searching and trying on jackets, he found the perfect replacement — another Marmot Oracle jacket.
I checked through my top picks and I was disappointed to find that Roadrunner Sports doesn’t have my current jacket available anymore. I’ve updated the list of rain jackets to eliminate discontinued models, and I’ll have to also go out browsing to find a selection in time for April showers.
Top Picks for Waterproof Jackets
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner — Rich in the Marmot Oracle.
Rain Gear Games originally appeared on About.com Walking on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 09:11:17.
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President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are leading the charge to give families the tools to fight childhood obesity. They have launched the Let’s Move web site to give families the tools for making healthier choices, increasing physical activity, building healthier schools, and giving greater access to healthy and affordable food.
A key goal to help increase physical activity is to double the participants in the President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle Program. This program has been around for many years, and now is updated with goals set by the latest studies. The basic goal is to be active for 30 minutes a day for adults or 60 minutes a day for youth under age 18.
The program encourages any sort of physical activity rather than setting goals for push-ups, etc. as the Presidential Physical Fitness Awards did when I was in school in the last century.
Pedometer step counting is specially featured as a way to achieve the active lifestyle goal. The program has set new targets for adult and child pedometer steps per day.
These amounts are based studies of average activity and are attainable by beginners. They offer the excellent President’s Challenge AE2790 Pedometer for a great price of $12.95, or the basic StepLinq pedometer for $7.95.
Top Picks for Pedometers
Let’s Move! Getting Families More Active to Fight Childhood Obesity originally appeared on About.com Walking on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 10:35:14.
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