Do you walk more since starting running?

[Hillrunner2201]

I've found since running I've built more walking more into my everyday life and use the car less and less. Has anyone else found this? It's also made me more aware of the environment and pollution and find myself getting a little annoyed with perfectly able people who drive short distances when they could help their fitness and the environment by walking more. Rant over😂

[misswobble Graduate]

Yeah, that's me ☺ I started walking more to lose weight. Then I borrowed a dog from my neighbour and we head off into the wide blue yonder twice a week. I have my niece's dog on a regular basis too. I never catch the bus into town now

You get fully familiar with your local area and find all the footpaths and shortcuts 😊You see so much you'd otherwise miss if you were in the car.

My bugbear is the McDonald's drive through. Folks can't even get off their ass to get their food 😦

[poppypug Graduate]

Morning, yes me too !

I have always been a walker , I passed my driving test first time, but then developed a driving phobia. So I dont drive at all .

I work to walk Monday - Friday and I tend to walk or run to the shops then if I havent got too much shopping , I will walk back . I love walking ,I could walk for miles and miles and often do ! xxx

[Hidden]

I know what you mean about the short journey drivers. Could discuss forever the why's and where fore's of how this has come about. Becomes a habit like any of us can develop. Myself for combination of reasons never learned to drive. Think partly why it has offset potentially worse health problems.

I've always cycled everywhere but despite that didn't stop me heading towards being 3 stone overweight over at least a 10 year period and potentially heading towards being diabetic. Last year started driving lessons again but gave up. Think partly my cycling habits made me too cautious. Even after getting ready to exit Islands I was still looking around to see what might hit me !! Whilst instructor was telling me to get on with it ! Anyway probably not the only reason but won't expand on it.

It was becoming semi-retired at 60 in January with more free time and doing C25K that really saved me. Over 2 years previously had lost about 1 1/2 stone through tweaking diet and cutting out drinking (didn't drink heavily) only at functions never at home or routinely go to the pub. It was the sugar issue that was the problem not the alcohol.

Also cutting out all the cakes , chocolate etc. that circulated round the workplace. The other 1 1/2 stone was lost on the C25K in March/April this year and my 3 times a week running to date.

At least we are developing the good habits and hopefully more can be done particularly for the younger generation to help make exercise a good habit too.

[Hillrunner2201]

I'm glad this isn't just me. I've always enjoyed walking but I started putting on weight, walking less and driving short distances when I got a car. I know how easy it is to fall into this habit 😡 I then lost weight fairly easily (slowly but probably not as slowly as I gained weight) by walking and running. No wonder there is an obesity crisis, especially with kids....

[Jonesycat Graduate]

Yes! I always used to get the bus into town (about 2 miles away) and now I usually walk there and back without even thinking about it. And the old fella and I have started going for a walk after tea - only 30 minutes or so but it's become a bit of a ritual. We actually talk to each other about our day and all sorts of stuff instead of just plonking straight down in front of the telly.

[Lauracorin in reply to Jonesycat]

The walk in the evening is something that Husband and I try to do too. I can't always drag him out (somehow he feels that if he has already swum that day he doesn't need to walk) but that's really important time for us. And if the dog doesn't get a proper walk, she pees on the kitchen floor during the night, so that's an incentive.

[Jonesycat Graduate in reply to Lauracorin]

It's a nice thing to do, isn't it? Plus it's the only exercise mine gets so I always try to appear keen even when the sofa feels like a much better idea

[RainbowC Graduate]

I don't walk nearly enough (but then again, I'm not running enough either!) - I could go for a walk sometimes at lunchtime, but at the moment just want to sit and relax.

Yesterday though, I deliberately took the bus 4 stops past where I needed to be and chose to do the 15 minute walk back, as I felt that the fresh air and gentle exercise might be beneficial. Halfway through the walk I wondered how that had seemed a good idea!

Even going for a long walk at weekends is tricky at the moment - Mr Rainbow has arthritis and is suffering a lot with it right now, so more than minimal walking is not an option. And I'm wussy (and uncoordinated) enough to not want to trek through the fields when it's too muddy and slippery.

So I'd like to be more of a walker than I am!

[davelinks Graduate]

My job involved driving all over London and SE England, riding motorcycles all over UK And continent, and cycling, but since starting running and early retirement except for cycling don't don't drive much, but walk more...

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

Like some people on here I've never really driven. My husband is even worse as he never even did his driving licence. So we've always walked everywhere, always lugged our shopping in rucksacks and got the children out of their buggies and walking as early as possible. It probably helped us stay reasonably fit (despite me being 3 stone overweight a couple of years ago) and I've always enjoyed hiking and walking. After being told I was pre-diabetic 2 years ago I walked like crazy for a year and then took up running to get my weight down and my health back. It worked and now I deliberately try to keep my mileage up as much as possible. On work days there is always a walk or a run first thing and I walk another 40 minutes after work to a station further down the line. I average 11.5 km a day (and have done for the last 18 months) which I think is pretty good. Sometimes I feel I could walk forever and I love long (20k upwards) hikes in the countryside round Munich, exploring new areas. So with me it's the other way round, walking Intriduced me to running!

[misswobble Graduate]

Ooh i'm a bit reticent about driving Pops! I hardly drive anywhere as I lost my nerve some while back. I do still drive but only to certain places, and nowhere far off 😕

[poppypug Graduate]

Ah bit like me Miss W . I come out in a cold sweat in traffic . The thought of driving anywhere now makes me feel anxious , so I sacked it and don't miss it at all. If I can walk there , I will .

I'm even a nervous passenger now xxx

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Me too, I bought a car a few years ago, monstrous wide thing it was, and every time I went out I hit something. It's completely sapped my confidence. Good job I don't need to drive more. I go to the supermarket because I have to but I hate parking...we live in a narrow cul de sac too so I have to turn round every time, hurts my neck...I used to think nothing of driving around central London in rush hour...and yes, I hate being a passenger too!

[poppypug Graduate]

Oh Sarah, I hit an ice cream van !

I had a very temperamental Mazda with a choke that had a mind of its own. I was pulling out of my street and there was a ice cream van waiting to turn into our street . As I was turning , the engine flooded . I was stuck at a diagonal , half in , half out but luckily some people were around to push me out .

I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden, the engine just burst into life and I hit the van sideways on . It was just awful ! His wheel arch got stuck under my bonnet and it peeled back like a sardine tin.

That was the beginning of the end of my driving days xxx