Yay! Looking forward to seeing your stats Jack!

We’re lucky to live opposite the National Park, so can get straight onto the trail & we walk there during the week, so it’s convenient. But at the weekend, we drive up to an hour to access great trails in other places, so it’s a bit of an adventure. If the walking in the week gets a bit repetitive because we have limited time, these weekend expeditions are a reward!

@@sportwalk thanks a lot

Happy New Year to you too 🙂

Thanks, that’s nice to know! 🙂

Glad it helped! Coming back from injury is a slow frustrating process isn’t it and a test in itself, just like an ultra. Hope your path back isn’t as long as an ultra though! All the best. Roger

Glad you like the channel! Firstly, the Strava Club’s still going so do look us up if you’re on there. So, if your walking technique’s good, then you can achieve a pace that will give you a good aerobic base. Not as much as with running obviously because it’s a lower intensity but it’s a different thing. Every Sport Walk would be the equivalent of a slow steady run (if you lay down a strong pace with good technique) but if you’re wanting to achieve a similar impact to running, then you just need to add difficulty in the terrain. So hills and anything that’s going to ramp up the intensity. Again, it’s not the same as with running, it’s different but then you just refocus on what gives you a similar outcome. Overall the intensity is less, so that means going long is an advantage. Also, because of the lower intensity you can go harder on climbs than most runners would, if they’re walking hills. The pace variants you mentioned are pretty strong, so I’d say you’re in a good place to adapt to Sport Walking, especially for ultras. At the end of the day, it’s always about what you need but I’d suggest that Sport Walking could definitely be a replacement if you need to move away from running. Best of luck with it! Roger

@@sportwalk Thank you Roger. I will try sports walking for some time and see if my health improves when resting from high impact sports. I aim to do most of my training in Zone 1-2. As you said, I will try to use terrain to drift more into zone 2 rather than zone 1. I wish you a great day :)

@@sportwalk Btw, Is there any merch one can buy to carry on events? :)

@RallihSarl Great! Hope it works for you & keep us posted on progress!

@RallihSarl Sure, check out our website - www.sportwalk.net there’s a link there to our store. It’s only apres walk clothes at the moment - T-shirts etc but we’re hoping we can add sportswear at some point.

No problem! 👍

Thank you! ☺️ I’m glad they’re helpful!

Thanks Michael! We could do with some of your temperature to be sure! 😆 Cheers

Thanks & good luck with your next ultra!

I also prefer walking. The problem is that it takes much more time than running, especially for training I have to add 50% which is time comsuming when juggling with other things in life.

@gainde1137 We often run weekday training sessions for the same reason - because it’s done quicker. But we always walk the weekend long sessions, which are important for replicating challenges.

@@sportwalk do you follow an off-season/race preparation plan with different ration of walking/running? Personally I stick to one session of strength training, three short runs and one longer walk/hike per week as base training. If there are long hikes planned I add an additional hill walking session (1-2h) and extend progressively the existing longer walk/hike session (e.g. 10/15/20/25/30/35/40km) to get the body used to long performance and walking. Then only one rest day compared to two days in base training.

@gainde1137 Not really, we mainly just place more emphasis on strength in the gym but on the trail, we’re keeping everything pretty much the same, just without targeted hill work. The emphasis is just on time on the trail, at a strong but comfortable pace & on reasonably challenging terrain. Long walks are about 5-10k shorter than in a focused build up.

You can definitely use walking for ultras AND get a better time than many runners! In my first 100k I finished in the top 50% of all non-stop finishers, in just under 16 hours. So half of the non-stop entrants (most walkers were spreading it over 2 days) were slower & most of them were runners. My 100 mile time is just under 28 hours, so that’s 2 hours inside the cut off for most ultras that distance. So you see, with good technique, Sport Walking ultras is wholly viable & potentially for many, a better option! 🙂 Roger

@@sportwalk Thank you, sounds easier as preparation and with less risk of injuries. I think therefor the distance should be at least 50k and more otherwise there is a risk to fall behind the time limit on shorter races. So you have to train to achieve at least a average speed of 4.5km/h with breaks included to finish it only by walking.

In some cases, the advantage over slow running is you can actually walk faster but mainly, it’s about functioning at a lower intensity & yet, with good technique, still moving along at a good speed. In terms of ultras, walking works out the faster option over 50k for many, if not most people because you’re holding your speed constantly, while runners tend to run for as long as they are able & then they have to revert to a slower form of walking because they’ve expended all their energy resources. Walkers on the other hand are steady state & just keep going at a constant pace throughout. If you like mixing running & walking, there’s ‘Speed Hiking’, which is essentially just moving as fast as you can along the trail & that means you can run & walk, whereas for Sport Walking there’s only really one rule & that’s to have one foot on the ground at all times because it’s a walking activity.

@@sportwalk Thank you! So pure walking would be the better option for long distances for the average amateur athlete as you move almost as fast as if it includes runs.

​@@sportwalk so normally a 50k ultra race can be done within 12 hours when just walking/power hiking without running (rest included)? I'm asking because I have to switch from running to walking sport due to medical condition and would like take part in ultra races (25k+). Didn't found a lot of information about sport walking in races.

Absolutely! Everything depends on the pace you can hold but to give you an idea, my PB at 50k is 6.5 hours. If you can hold a 10 min/km pace then you could do it in around 9 hours & 10 min/km is an achievable pace for many people, so yes, it’s perfectly possible to complete a 50k in a good time.

@sportwalk Thanks! Will have to check regarding ascents and descents in mountain races. Speed might drop to 4km/h.

Hi! Yeah, so these technique elements stay constant regardless of the terrain, the only change being that when you’re climbing you regulate your effort by shortening your stride as the hill gets steeper but you maintain your cadence. Then, when descending, you lengthen your stride as the descent gets steeper, allowing you again to maintain your cadence but more importantly, to open up & attain the free speed potential from descending. Lengthening your stride on steeper descents also stops you from running out of control if you’re applying the ‘free speed’ approach we talk about in that video. Main thing though on hillier courses, is that your leg drive really comes to the fore when you go upwards & it becomes your secret weapon for staying strong & fast on climbs. Hope that helps. Roger

@@sportwalk Thanks for the pointers. That’s helpful. What would your higher-end cadence be on the flat and how did you find out what your optimum cadence is?

@IamBMM My normal cadence fluctuates between around 134 & 140 steps per minute, although the higher cadence tends to only occur when the terrain varies, so I’d say 133/135 is my norm. I settled on this essentially over time & that’s the way it works really. You find a cadence that feels comfortable but is fast & then, over time, it can increase a bit, as you get faster & stronger generally but that should be a natural evolution.

Hope it works for you 🤞

Thanks, glad you like them! I think the key issue with a barefoot approach is the heel landing you need for walking, compared to running, when a fore or mid foot land is feasible. I know people who’ve tried both barefoot & very low drop shoes for Sport Walking & had Achilles issues. The other thing is terrain & when you get out on the trails & rough surfaces, I think that could be problematic, especially over longer distances. Personally, I don’t have a problem with people using minimalist footwear, it’s more about the benefits vs the downsides. I think if you’re already established with a barefoot approach & have successfully used minimalist shoes for some time, then I think it’s potentially viable to at least try using that approach for Sport Walking but if you’re just looking at options without already having successfully used a barefoot approach, then I’d probably advise against it. I just don’t think the potential benefits are significant enough to be worth the time you’d need to give to make the transition. Don’t know if that’s helpful 😆! Be interested to hear how you get on if you try it. Cheers. Roger

Good question! For me, it would be best to use the normal walking technique, in part because if you can perfect a strong walking form with a normal style, you’ll be walking in a fast, efficient way, so if you decide to walk tactically in a race & not just in training, you’ll automatically slip into the most efficient & effective style, minimising speed loss. The other styles will use more energy with their more ‘active’ upper body motion. Hope that helps & good luck with your marathon. Hope you get that PB! 💪🙂

@@sportwalkTY! Very helpful. Will review the video again.

😅

So great to hear that you’re having success with Sport Walking! So, I’m not sure exactly what my top speed is in mph but normally I walk at over 7kmh. I think once, when I did a speed test, I got up to 9kmh using a normal walking technique 🙂

Couldn’t say for sure as we’ve never climbed that long but the logic says yes. It’s the most efficient way to climb, so in theory it’s going to work whatever the duration & the longer you go, the greater the benefit from using a really efficient technique.

Hey! Great to have you with us & that’s really interesting about the similarity with skating, thanks for sharing that. Hopefully you’ll get leg drive dialled in pretty easily! All the best. Roger

Wow, thanks!

Thanks! 🙂

Thanks Christy. I’ve just had to convert this into kilometres so I hope I’ve got it right but I think that would be around 8:05/km, which is a good pace! I wouldn’t say you’ve peaked speed wise, there’s always scope to go faster but much depends on the distance you’re going, so you could look at it that you’ve achieved a great pace for that distance range. If you were to do shorter sessions (5k etc) then you could target adding more speed. If you want to see what your absolute potential is, doing a speed test is brilliant because you can literally go flat out for 100m & then you’ll see where your 10 mile current best pace sits in comparison to that. It’s obviously going to be slower but if the gap is huge then you’ll know you have more scope within you to improve, even though it may take some time before you can achieve it. If the gap isn’t that great then perhaps you have got close at least to your optimal pace. The other thing I’d say, well two things actually, is that even if you have achieved your ultimate top speed over distance, that’s not a negative! It’s good to aspire to go faster if you’re still developing but speed is only about enabling you to achieve a time goal, it’s not an end in itself. For instance, I achieved my optimum pace over five years ago & now, it’s a rewarding challenge to be maintaining that pace. The goals I’ve set for myself are challenges calculated at that pace benchmark, so I’m seeking to perform at the same level as I was five years ago. The other thing is to discount age in this. As long as your technique & fitness is good, your age should have no bearing on your pace, at least for another 20 years 😊! So, in summary, I’d say your pace is really good but if you feel you can go faster or would like to then keep pushing. If you feel that your pace is comfortable but want more of a test, look to go longer or walk on more challenging terrain holding that same pace, which would be a tougher test. Whatever you choose, the pace you’ve already achieved is a strong one, so well done on the progress you’ve made! Hope that helps & all the best. Roger

@@sportwalk Once again, thank you for your prompt and thorough response. I also appreciate your comments on my progress and pace, and for sharing your own story with me. Your perspective is exactly what I needed to lift my "walking" spirits. Your videos help incredibly and keep me in pursuit of my goal to walk a 21k at the end of September.

A sub 13 minute mile when 'normal' walking sounds very impressive ! That's about a 40 minute 5k. from my reading, you might need to move to power walking or race walking if faster times are your goal.....I'm also a fast walker and want to get faster than a 42 minute 5k (I'd like to get to 12 minutes/mile), so I'm researching power walking. It has less injury chances than race walking does...Keep walking !!