Race Day Perfection

Don't ya just love it when you feel like you've been battling the elements for months - shovelling snow, commuting two hours through storms to and from work, walking into bitter -30 degree winds on training days - and you wake up to a perfect race day?

Sandwiched between two storms those of us walking the Chilly Half Marathon, and those outstanding volunteers manning our water station, had the weather gods grinning broadly upon us. For the first time in weeks, I could safely wear three layers instead of 20.For many of us this was the first major race of 2008 and an auspicious beginning to our spring season. Considering that we have been training under less than ideal conditions both underfoot and overhead, walking on a clear and dry road for 21 kilometers felt more than marvellous.

The dry roads also offered a perfect canvas for the inspiring chalk messages written by Jay and Jill of 50-state fame. The twosome went out early Sunday morning before the race, to leave colourful and inspirational words along the entire 21 kilometer course. At 15k, the WoW Water Station volunteers had the names of all WoW Power Walkers (and even some who did not come out to the race!) written on the road for a welcome hit of encouragement. These are the little things that keep us going in a big way on race day.

I've said it before, but I'm thrilled to say it again: the Chilly Half marathon is one of the best half marathons for walkers any where I have walked. Our one hour head start means that we finish with most of the runners. A pace car for the leaders shows respect for the entire division as athletes. A loud crowd roars us in to the finish line. The Master of Ceremonies still has a voice when the walkers arrive. And, there is plenty of hot food being served by friendly volunteers. To top it off, there are medals and prizes for top three in the overall category, masters category, AND age group categories.

The result of this attention to walking detail on the part of the organizers means a huge walking contingent. In 2004 there were 43 people at the start line of the first walkers-only start at the Chilly Half. Yesterday, there were 262. This is 600 percent growth in 4 years. More than 70 of this year's participants have taken or are now taking a WoW Power Walking program. And many of these WoW Power Walkers went home with double medals - winning overall, or in the masters or age category divisions.

Like I said during my talk to guests at the Yo-Pro Pasta Dinnner on Saturday night - the growth in participants and the result times posted after the race reflect an exciting attitude on the part of walking competitors. We have raised the bar! Yes, we are in the event to complete, but we're also here to COMPETE. I've heard many stories since yesterday of people who improved on previous times. I saw people pushing so hard to get to that finish line that they couldn't muster the energy for a smile. And I saw people who had truly gone to the bottom of the well to find whatever fuel was there to shave a few more seconds of their finish time.

Bravo!

(Pic above: Kelly Arnott, Race Director, Cam Jackson, Mayor of Burlington and just a few of the WoW Power Walkers who were Overall, masters, and age group winners!)

How chilly will be the Chilly Half?

Well, no matter how chilly it is on March 2, we're ready! Nothing will deter power walkers from that Chilly Half Marathon - one of the best races for walkers anywhere.

I keep going to races that have either "walking divisions" or a "welcome walkers" attitude - Columbus, Seattle, Big Sur - and I have enjoyed them all, but nothing beats the support, encouragement, and medals (!!!!) that await the walker entered in the Chilly Half.

Tonight I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of walkers at the Running Room in Toronto, many who are preparing for the Chilly Half. Before my talk Kelly, one of the Chilly Half organizers, spoke to the group and mentioned that next year they are hoping to allow as many as 500 walkers in the race. This is amazing growth since the first walking start in 2004 when 43 competitors toed the start line.

Growth like this speaks both to the incredible commitment of power walkers to raise the bar on their walking and the organizers willingness to welcome and applaud these efforts.

Keep up the great work!

Seattle Marathon 2007

Against all odds the sky in Seattle was bright and cloudless at 4:30 am when I looked out my hotel window yesterday morning. The start wasn't until 7:15am and I wasn't intending on getting up this early but I must have been on Eastern Standard Time when sleep would not return after waking at 4:13am. So be it. Better to be up early, than fall asleep again and miss the start. I'd already woken up once in the night dreaming that I had fnished the race but had no recollection of walking it! Wishful thinking - finishing a race without walking it.

A few hours later I left my hotel. A bright, near full moon almost pulled me toward the race start. Once there, I was happy to discover that the slight early start for the marathon walk meant that line-ups for the portable toilets were minimal to non-existent. Who-hoooooo!

My next stop was the clothing check area. This was in the stadium on an upper level. Over the railing and into the stadium the finish area was set up under bright and optimistic lights. During the most gruelling parts of the race I would find myself visualizing myself walking through the stadium entrance and over to that finish line. At times it was the only mental image that kept me going.

I had chosen to walk the Seattle Marathon because it has featured a marathon walk in both the full and half distances for several years. I looked forward to walking a race where walkers were welcomed. The race website did say it was non-competitive and there are no awards but the results have always been posted separately from the of the runners. I assumed that there would be no reason for any runner to start with the walkers. But, lo, as soon as we were sent on our way, at least 10 people ran out ahead of me. And I mean, ran. These were not people who thought they were walking but always landed with a bent knee that made them look as if they were running. These people were running - bouncy, head-bobbing running.

Now, I have to be honest. This makes no sense to me at all. And, it is discouraging for those of us who train hard to walk fast.

If a race organization decides to have a walking registration, walking start, walking results couldn't the race website post a couple of guidelines? Something to the effect that the start and division is for walkers only and participants must keep one foot on the ground at all times? Ideally,the guideline would also state that excessive head bobbing is indicative of a running gait and is not allowed. And, a back bib or tag is given to walkers so that people coming up from behind know that the participant is a walker.

In my experience these guidelines work. I have seen it work at the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington, Ontario, The Edmonton Marathon in Edmonton, Alberta, and the CRIM Festival of Races in Flint, Michigan. I'd like to hear about more races where this is done. If you know of one, post here!

Still, Seattle Marathon turned out to be a magical course. I was lucky enough to be participating in a year when the weather gods were with us. The sky was clear, yet there was a mystical fog over Lake Washington. The sun burned a path through the fog just as I was crossing the bridge to Mercer Island. The long journey south along the shore of Lake Washington to Seward Park continued to be graced by a magical light.

After this, I'm sure there was more beautiful scenery but during the return trip north along the lake's shoreline, I was hanging in by my toenails! I know there was a soothing stretch through some parkland and I remember a slight feeling of optimism overtake me upon returning to a main road that I vaguely remembered, from reviewing the course route the night before, meant that we were spine tingly close to the finish.

Sadly, that last few miles always seem, and sometimes are, the longest of the race. I was pushing to beat my previous personal best and cross the finish under 5:01:33. I know I gave gave it my best shot in that final stretch. It just wasn't good enough this time for that race against myself.

The good news is, I still have a goal! I still need to beat that time!

It's time to set some goals

Word has it that people should be setting some goals now for 2008 or you risk missing one of your favorite races!

The Chilly Half Marathon on March 2 in Burlington is filling up fast. The price increases on December 1. Truly, price should not be the motivating factor as it is quite likely the race will be sold out for the walker positions before then.

The Big Sur 21 miler is sold out! There's still room in some of the other distance events if you are pining for a walk in California in April.

And thanks to Laurel for noticing that the Ottawa Marathon for 2008 has walker divisions, bibs, and start corrals for both the half and the full marahtons. When Laurel isn't offering us great tidbits of info on this blog, she's cruising the marathon websites for walker updates!

With the winter weather most suddenly upon us, these goals become an effective psychological weapon against the cold, dark, ice, and snow.

And, never forget the power of good clothing and a pair of yaktrax!

Excuse, me while I go look for my fleece!

The good and the bad of walking divisions

The Tim Horton's coffee and bits were out in full force yesterday for the first Oakville Heritage Hustle 5k event. Quite fitting considering the head office for the TDL group is in Oakville. If we didn't get enough coffee and bits at the race venue, each participant was given $5 in gift certificates for later! Ah, a great Oakville tradition begins!

In other ways the race was a great success. Walkers were treated to their own division with separate start and results postings. Prizes were given out in the same quantity and proportion as the runners! That must be a first. The race organizers had clearly gone to considerable trouble to make walkers feel welcome and to ensure that there were no running (!) walkers by publishing guidelines in the race brochure. Perhaps, the only disappointment at the end of the day was that there was no reiteration of these walking guidelines at the start. Several younger age category participants did run for large parts of the race. This is a challenge that can be easily overcome, and we look forward to more Oakville Heritage Hustles in the future.

Looking for race results from several events held yesterday, I was encouraged to discover that the Toronto Marathon featured a half marathon walk (226 participants), the Prince Edward County Marathon also featured a walking division (30 participants), and Myra Rodrigues walked in the Prince Edward Island Marathon half walk event (64 participants). Things are definitely looking up for walkers.

On the Prince Edward Island marathon site, there is a clear statement that runners in the walking division will be disqualified. The race results seem to reflect the fact that walkers only participated. The Toronto Marathon event results defied credibility unless there were some elite race walkers entered in the event. This is not surprising as there were no walking guidelines on the race website, and the bibs were only differentiated from runners by number, not by colour. In addition, the walkers and runners started at the same time. With upward of 5,000 runners and walkers covering the half marathon distance, it would be very difficult to identify walkers who run.

On the whole, things on the race front are looking up for walkers. I’d like to see more definitive rules published on race websites, brochures and at race kit pick-up. I’d also like to see all of this reinforced with announcements at the beginning of races and separate colour bibs and back bibs like I had at the CRIM race would also be good!

As always, I welcome your opinion and would love to hear about any specific positive or negative experiences you have had in walking divisions.

Walking really, really well

The roads and trails were well trod this weekend. WoW Power Walkers stomped the trails at the Run/Walk for the Toad and still more pounded the pavement of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the CIBC Run/Walk for the Cure.

While I wasn't racing this weekend I did speak about power walking at the race expo for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.I enjoy taking the opportunity to encourage walkers to put their best forward, so to speak!

Because the Steam Whistle Brewery is just beside the Metro Convention Centre where the Expo was held, I was reminded of seeing a Steam Whistle Smart vehicle driving the Don Valley parkway just this past week. On its hatchback was painted the slogan "Do one thing really, really well".

The slogan resonated with my experience as a power walking coach and I decided to steal the Steam Whistle concept to introduce my talk, "Power Walking: Anything is Possible".

You see, I've come to the conclusion that running with walking breaks doesn't promote skill for either gait. Now, don't get me wrong, it's always impressive to see people out participating. Covering 21 or 42 kilometres is never an accomplishment to belittle.

It's just that when a person works at good technique with a focus on posture and speed - either walking or running, the effects are much more visible on the body. Good technique usually results in good posture - and there is nothing that radiates health and strength like good posture. Good speed is often a result of good technique (and a few intervals!) leading to improved fitness levels as revealed in key indicators such as resting heart rate, resting metabolic rate, and blood pressure.

We're not all going to be perfect walkers since each of us is blessed with different body mechanics. Still, each of us can be enriched by the focus it takes to concentrate on walking really, really well. And each of us can take pride and enjoyment from applying that focus to power walk the entire distance of a race.

So, for those of you that walked really, really well this past weekend, grab a Steam Whistle, sit back and revel in a well-deserved rest this week!

As always, I welcome your thoughts. Please post a comment.

WoW Walkers rise to the top

Have you seen the Wow results on our website? They'll blow your wick-away socks off! Not yet posted is Jill's stunning personal best of 5:30 for the full marathon in Erie Pennsylvania, with Jay pulling in behind her at an outstanding 5:50.

We have some dedicated walkers out there and the race results reflect that. Look for Toad results in a couple of weeks!

We're leaders in other ways too. Check out the first-ever walking pace bunnies above who graced the roads of the Oakville half Marathon. Kudos to Linda, Stuart, Lyne, and Hans.

In case anyone is wondering what to do next, it looks like we're gaining momentum to have a big group walk the Angus Glen Half Marathon north of Toronto on November 4. Could it be everyone has had enough of the ceaseless rain in Niagara Falls? Or could it be that the Angus Glen race organizers welcome walkers with such a big bear hug? Sign up soon because last year this event sold out early.

Be sure to post here if you've got some other fun race ideas in your future this fall.
And don't forget this weekend is the Terry Fox Run and Walk. It's not competitive but we love its spirit.

Runners in the walking divisions

Life has been good on the walking front over the past few years. More and more race organizers are recognizing the efforts walkers are making to be the best competitors they can be. It is so thrilling to see a prestigious race like the CRIM 10-mile road race in Flint, Michigan create a new division for power walkers. This division is not as technical as race walking but still insists that one foot be kept on the ground at all times and there should be no excessive head bobbing (which is indicative of a running gait).

As a long-time fitness professional I see this trend toward more walking divisions as a positive move in the broader terms of society's fitness. Walking has always been accessible, popular, and sustainable. With these walking divisions we're challenging walkers of all abilities to get more fit.

Still, we are faced with some growing pains. We still have people entering the walking division who are running or running with walking breaks. I like to believe that these people just don't understand that a power walk division means all walking. I like to believe that over time, and with some clear communication, everyone in the power walk divisions will be walking.

Our numbers are still small enough that many race organizers do not want to deal with protests by walk division competitors that another competitor was running.

I have been working hard locally, and not so locally, to educate everyone including race organizers, participants, runners, and spectators on what power walking entails. We need to continue to encourage race organizers to have walk divisions, we need to be the best participants we can be to raise the level of the event, and we need to help race organizers wherever possible to make the walk divisions work for both race management and participant.

If you have any suggestions, let's start a conversation here.

P.S. Sorry I missed the blog last Thursday – too much walking, not enough writing about walking!