Walking vs Running

[Yesletsgo]

Before I started C25K I did quite a bit of walking in the hope it would increase my fitness. Being able to walk for at least 30 minutes is a good indicator that you're ready to start C25K. But which is better for you, walking or running?

This is an interesting article from the New York Times which gave me some insight into this very important question.

nytimes.com/2023/11/14/well...

I don't think it's behind a paywall, I believe that the NYT allows you to read a certain number of articles each month for free.

Happy reading, happy walking and happy running all!

[Rabbit561 Graduate]

I can’t get into the article. Is running better? Please say it is 🤞

[Folkylass Graduate in reply to Rabbit561]

Good morning Rabbit561. I too couldn’t get into this article either. However there are plenty of other articles that you can look at about this subject. Personally I would just add that each to their own, whatever works for the individual. There is benefits on both and the main thing is safety first. Anyway I’ve dropped a link below ….hope it works so you can have browse through and find out about the benefits of both running and walking.

healthline.com/health/walki...

Good luck🙋‍♀️

[Rabbit561 Graduate in reply to Folkylass]

Thank you Folkylass. That’s much as I expected really and the risk of injury with no running is clearly higher as most of us know! Reassuring that walking is also so beneficial when running is off the table

[Folkylass Graduate in reply to Rabbit561]

You’re very welcome Rabbit561 and a very reassuring post below from Baggieboy61 and like him I’m in my sixties and my recovery takes longer too. I also do jeffing which is the run walk method and it allows me to recover enough between my running steps.

Anyway good luck again🙋‍♀️

[Baggieboy61 Graduate]

Well I have been hiking for years now . Some pretty strenuous stuff at times. And although it gives you a base fitness it won’t prepare you for the rigours of running. Yesterday was my W6R3 and I’m feeling it today. Sore and aching legs. I can walk and hike every day with no issues but i could never run that often. I’m due back out on Monday to start week 7. I’m considering run walking it if necessary. It’s stamina not speed at this stage. Plus I’m in my sixties so my recovery takes longer. As long as you’re out there and enjoying it then I guess it doesn’t really matter what you do. Your body will let you know.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Baggieboy61]

Do, get across to the Strength and Flex Forum and check out some of the exercise there, for those aching legs!

Stamina is key, for all our exercise... and there is much more, we seasoned runners can do to support that... ( I am a lot more seasoned than you

Loads of really basic exercise there which can be slipped into our working days

[suburbanplodder Graduate in reply to Baggieboy61]

I thoroughly agree - I'm in my mid 40s and regularly hike distances of between 12 and 16 miles, so when I began the C25K I assumed my general fitness would allow me to sweep through the early weeks of the programme without feeling it. Week 1 was such a reality check! Running seems to use a whole different set of muscles and impacts my body in an entirely different way.

[Baggieboy61 Graduate in reply to suburbanplodder]

It’s a completely different experience. But having said that it did a lot of good too. It’s just never going to cut it as a precursor to running. Be interesting to see if I’m stronger on my hikes.

[Baggieboy61 Graduate]

Thannks for the heads up. I will follow your advice and see how it goes. I will let you know.

[CyberPrincess Graduate]

There was an article in the New Scientist a few months ago called The Truth About Exercise. While it went into lots of areas, the one takeaway I recall is that running is better for fitness as it’s quicker if you’re time poor. Ie you get similar benefits from a half hour run as an hours walk… I’m sure I’m paraphrasing it badly here, but that’s why I’m running as it gets it over and done with quicker!

[Yesletsgo Administrator in reply to CyberPrincess]

I know the feeling - glad to know there's scientific validation 😂

[moopo]

I think you should be able to read the nyTimes article here web.archive.org/web/2024112...

I was walking over an hour every other day before C25king because my lifestyle had become far too sedentary and I was pushing at my waistband. I was increasing my walking pace but did realise if I could get a similar benefits from 30 minutes of running rather than 90 of walking I'd get a bit of time back. I miss my regular walks. Walking is more meditative and I get a better connection with the outdoors, once I'm reprogrammed to be a runner I'll reintroduce some longer walk while keeping the runs.