Hello! I am doing a 26 mile walk next month and done a 10 mile walk last weekend and doing a 15 mile walk today, was going to do a 20 mile walk next weekend (weekend before the 26 miler!) but was told that wasn’t a good idea?
Edit. Thank you for all your help really appreciate it, 15 mile walk today went ok, Nipples or toes ain’t fell off !
33 comments
I think, certainly among cyclists, that if you can do 2/3rds of the distance in prep then you are good to go, so 17 or 18 miles for you would be sort of ideal in that if you can do that you can push on to the full distance. The main thing about walking is to make sure you have good, well worn in shoes and have tried a good combo of socks and shoes to make sure you don’t get chaffed. I know a guy who tried London to Brighton (walking) and the skin on his feet literally came off at 30 miles in.
I’d push your 15 mile walk up a to 17/18 and give it a rest the week before – just doing a shortish one to keep your legs awake and toned but making sure you are fresh for the big one.
If you can walk 15 then you can probably walk 26. It’s walking not running. Your biggest issue is likely to be shoes or clothing causing discomfort.
Whatever you do, don’t read Richard Bachman’s *The Long Walk* before you go.
Are you doing the breast cancer moonwalk? I did this almost 10 years ago – our last big training walk (20/22 miles) was 2 weeks before. Then just stayed active the week before so we didn’t risk any injuries so close to the event.
I wouldn’t really do much training tbh. Walking a long way is an endurance feat but apart from that there’s not really much to it. You just…keep walking.
The biggest issue is that it wrecks your feet. So I’d avoid any big training because you absolutely do not want big blisters before the real event.
Only thing you need to do beforehand is make sure you have comfy shoes and a comfy bag that you can put some water bottles in.
I walked the length of a 30 mile canal in one day once and I think the main thing is just to practice walking longer and longer distances. As other people have mentioned, protect yourself from blisters with decent comfortable footwear and layer up your socks. Bring as much water as possible unless you’ll have somewhere to re-stock along the way and eat plenty of food.
Remember to clip your toenails.
You need very little training. Putting miles on the legs, at a steady pace a few times a week is good. Context for this; I’m in the infantry, so basically walking, running, etc in boots all the time; so the most important thing is foot prep.
Dont use new boots! Tape your feet with medical tape (not tight) making sure the criss cross in a ‘v’ shape (back of heels). Talc lightly, and use good socks( would recommend Bridgedales 100%) but go for a lighter padded pair. When putting socks and boots on, try to push the toe in far (avoiding displacing the tape on your heels) its prob better to go for nubuke boots and avoid gore tex. personally use Altberg mircolights or AKU’s never blistered.
I did an ultra marathon last year. No way of running the full distance as training, and definitely don’t beast yourself the week before the event.
Build up the walks until you’re at about 18 miles, then stay at that level until a fortnight or so before the event and drop it down to 10mi so you’re not burning yourself out.
Good luck, and enjoy!
I’d train myself with 35-mile walks. Then 26 miles will seem a doddle.
Probably walk
I have done a few long walks in the past few years for charity – did a 100km last year in 21h and attempted a 150km in 35h a few weeks ago (had to tap out at 91, but my mate did the full 150)
honestly your best bet is to not over do it. Seriously don’t do a big one the week before. As you’ve already done a 15 mile, you should be fine to do 26, provided you’ve got your nutrition and good shoes sorted. My main other advice would be to try and carry as little as possible weight wise, even an extra kg here or there in your pack makes a big difference. I agree with the advice to get some good socks, maybe change into a new pair at the half way point.
Other than that, good luck – based on your training so far you should be grand!
I’d say enjoy your walk today and take it relatively easy next weekend. Better to do a few shorter walks.
A few thoughts
– walking 26 miles is actually harder than running it in my experience. Your body has time to go into shock/ run out of energy and adrenaline. For example expect your joints and feet to hurt before you’re finished.
– lube anything that can rub. Toes, thighs, nipples
– cut your toenails if you want to keep them
– have a change of socks (different brand). If you get rubbing, you can switch to a pair that will rub somewhere else
– wear a hat, drink lots of water and eat snacks. Fuelling is important, as is not getting heatstroke.
Having done a few – the 20 miler will set you up. You’ll know exactly whether your clothes chafe or if you’re getting blisters etc. Wear the same rucksack with the same amount of stuff in, same clothes. Unless you’re really having to push yourself to do these distances and you’re ruined for days afterwards, then a 20 mile prep walk with 7 days recovery is absolutely fine.
Only thing I will say from experience that has caught me out is that as you’ll be walking longer, you’ll need to eat more so be prepared that at some point you’re going to probably want the toilet. Make sure you either have toilet paper or a planned toilet stop somewhere between mile 20 and mile 26. I had to painfully rush the last miles of the yorkshire 3 peaks until I luckily found a public toilet.
Another one would be – try to get rained on with all your gear on. See if you’re still comfy walking while fairly soggy.
Pre-download the area you’re walking in on google maps. Have the app ‘what3words’ downloaded, just in case something happens and you need to direct emergency services. Let some people know you’re doing it, and give them a window of time in which they should expect you to tell them you’ve finished. You’ll be walking long enough that you’ll definitely need to care about the amount of daylight, so be aware of timings of sunset and how far away you are from your finishing point. If your phone is running down faster than you’re going to finish it then turn it off and only turn it back on as/when to check directions, or have one of those battery banks. These bits are probably just me being over the top, but it’s worth bearing them in mind. Pack a couple of blister plasters.
Good luck, have fun.
There’s stuff from Boots in the foot section called “Slim comfort padding”. It’s a roll of quite thick pink tape that you cut to size and put on your hot spots.
I discovered this over 15 years ago on DoE and it was a lifesaver! I pretty much always stick it on my heels and pinky toes as my feet always blister!
Good socks and good shoes are key. I did that once and forgot my walking socks so the last 6 miles or so were terrible. I didn’t practice but had done long walks before, like 18 miles so I’m sure you’d be fine at 15 miles. Just take it easy, rest when you need to. Bring snacks and hydrate. A pub stop half way through really helps the morale if that’s an option!
Lots of good advice here but something I’ve found useful on 26 mile walks is, if you have supporters cheering you on, is to ask someone to have a pair of your trainers. If possible I change into trainers at the 20 mile mark. Feels like walking on clouds after 20 miles of boots. Of course trainers don’t offer ankle support etc but for me it is worth it, makes the last 6 miles easier.
Biggest challenge for me has always been sore feet, just being on your feet for hours and hours. So make sure you protect against blisters (I use those double layered running socks and apply compeeds in advance). The 15 miler will help with knowing where rubs.
I also concentrate on posture as my core tends to start to crumple! So I am mindful of pulling my tummy muscles in and shoulders back. I also have foot drop so really concentrate on pulling my toes up at the start of a step, so think about if you have any body parts that don’t work brilliantly and how you might counter that.
If you can do a 20 mile walk and have a couple of weeks to heal, I would, give you the confidence that you know you can do it.
Good luck!
I think other aspects of prep are probably as important. It sounds like your fitness id at least reasonably good and human bodies are naturally good for walking over long distances.
Make sure you’re diet’s right in the run up and you pack adequate supplies like food and water.
Make sure everything is comfortable. Others have mentioned boots, but you also need to make sure you have decent trousers and underwear because chaffing can be a bitch. And a decent bag that is comfortable and fits all your equipment.
You haven’t given yourself much time but it’s only a walk and 26 miles isn’t too onerous. I agree with the person who said do 18. Get yourself a good 5 miles during the week to loosen any tightness and break down any scar tissue that may have formed from your exertions.
I think if you can do 15 you can do 26. At some point between these two I always find it just the feet that feel it. Take note of where blisters and hot spots are starting on your 15 miler, and tape them up from the start. Change socks at around 15 miles too and restrap if needed.
You need hydration, calories, comfortable underwear and good footwear. If you have that covered and you are an adult who did a 10 mile walk without any issues, then you can do a 26 mile walk assuming its easy terrain and weather. It’s not a run, you don’t need training as such, you just need persistance, comfort and food/water.
If you don’t plan to have someone bring you more food and water etc. part way round, can you cache some ahead of time? Reduces how much weight you have to carry.
I don’t think you need to do any additional training, go with what feels right. Like others said.
But contrary to them, I would say just because you can walk 15 doesn’t mean 26 will go OK. Be prepared for suddenly having your knees go or your hip go, and understand what pains you can walk through and which you need to turn back on.
There’s no way to know in advance, the 20 miler will likely highlight problems for you early, but those last 6 miles can really go south rapidly if you’ve got bad luck.
So my advice would be to make sure at every mile beyond your current ‘safe’ distance – you have an exit plan. Like a bus you could get to. The worst idea would be to go from fine, to limping at mile 22, and still have 4 miles before you can get out of there.
As long as you’ve got those escape routes, any distance is fair game for a walking attempt – you’re unlikely to do any permanent damage if you listen to your body.
I’m going to go out on an limb and say.
Ibuprofen. Precautionary from the outset and top up when allowable. No harm in having anti inflammatory on board for an endurance event.
Between now and the walk just a couple of shorter walks, maybe 5 miles with really good stretching before and after. Nothing more than that really in the 2 weeks before something big and nothing beyond a mile in the two or three days before.
Honestly you don’t really need to. I did one last year (Clarendon Way) and was fine, apart from my knees ached for weeks but that was because the route was so hilly as opposed to the distance itself.
25 mile walk.
How quick you recover from exercise depends on your age and a few other factors, I would say a week is probably long enough
Although trying to fit in all your training now may be a bit too late to make much of a difference as to endurance… 26 miles isn’t too far to walk however, I would say most relatively fit people could do it without training even if their usual sport doesn’t involve walking long distance
My friend who ran lots and lots of marathons said that the most important training was just being upright for the expected amount of time. The weight of your body on your joints is what causes stresses (plus the bouncing/impact) but that’s what he said anyway.
I would make sure you give some time before the walk to make sure your feet are in good condition before the walk. Training should mostly be about making sure you have good equipment. If your shoes are rubbing it is better to find out ahead of time than 6 miles into a 26 mile walk.
25 mile walk?