I’ve been walking half marathons since 2012, and I really have my Mom to thank for the inspiration. She started walking them at one point and when she told me she was, I was surprised because I had never thought about it. To be frank, I’m sure not many have. Who would think about walking a race that thousands of people run? As I’ve been walking them, I’ve learned that walkers are in the minority to be sure, but there aren’t only 5 or 10 of us. Lots of people walk half marathons, especially the big races.
Whenever I tell someone I have a half marathon, they typically assume I’m running it. After I correct them, I usually hear one of the following questions. I also get these questions a lot if I tell someone they’re more than welcome to walk a half marathon with me.
Doesn’t it take a really long time?
My longest race time has been 3 hours and 30 minutes, and that was my first half marathon. I typically finish around 3 hours and 15-20 minutes, although this last race I finished at 3 hours and 11 minutes thanks to jogging some portions. Three hours is a long time, I suppose, but think about the last time you hung out with friends for 3 hours. Since I usually race with friends, that’s really what it feels like–hanging out with friends while constantly moving and not drinking. Three hours is how long my toddler naps, which never feels like that long of a time. Three hours is watching Dances with Wolves or one of the unedited Lord of the Rings movies. The only time three hours feels like a really long time is during the last two miles.
That sounds way too slow. Is it slow?
It’s as slow as you make it. I’ve gotten my pace at a 14-minute mile, and I pass some joggers (it’s not running that that pace). I can keep up with most of the dedicated run/walkers on the course. If you’re looking to just get it over with or if you’ve been running races most of your life, then I guess that does sound slow. But if you think I’m casually strolling for 13.1 miles, think again. Imma bookin’ it.
If you just walk it, you don’t really have to train for it, right?
WRONG. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I train pretty hard for these races. Before my first race, I walked four miles every day for six months before, and then a month before, I walked six miles once a week, then upped it to 8 miles once a week. Now I don’t train as vigorously, but that’s mostly because I do yoga four days a week. I walk 4 miles about once a week, and if I race is coming up, I’ll bump it to 6 and then 8 miles.
Don’t you want to try to run it someday?
Not really. I’ve never been a runner or even a jogger. I was pathetic at running when I played rugby, which is one reason why I was a forward and not a back. When I attempted to referee rugby, I could barely run 2 miles at a time, which is what my coaches recommended I do just for conditioning. Then I had knee surgery, so I’ve pretty much given up on the possibility of running any long distance. I’m really okay with it. I’m also okay with it not being “cool” or whatever that I don’t run the races. Doing yoga has really helped build up my knee strength, so I don’t have knee pain anymore after walking races, and even after jogging last weekend, I still don’t have any pain.
That said, I still have no dreams about running or jogging a half marathon or any race. Even if I never run a 5K, I’ll live, I promise.
Don’t you get bored?
This usually follows after the “Doesn’t it take a really long time?” question. Three hours to yourself, that has to be boring, right? I personally find that I’m a fascinating person, so my wanders all over the place and it’s easy to keep myself entertained. I also load up my iPod with podcasts and focus on those, so the time really ticks by. And if I do walk with friends or family, then I’m never bored, because we talk the whole way. But trust me, my mind never turns off, so those three hours are often filled with thinking about work, what all I need to get done, what feature can I think of for next week, what yoga stretch have I learned to help ease this hip pain I’m feeling, etc. etc. etc.
I can honestly say I’ve never been bored. I do want to thank all of the friends, though, who said I could text them during the last race in case I needed someone to talk to.
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