Hi, team. Coach Alexa here.
I posted a joyous, enthusiastic video last week about me out on a walk exploring some of my wonderful local woodland. I thought I’d share a little bit about what walking means to me at the moment.
Living with Joint and Chronic Pain Conditions
Over the last few years, I’ve been diagnosed with a congenital joint condition, which means it was something I was born with. I’ve had six surgeries so far to try and stop, or at least slow down, the deterioration.
I also received a diagnosis about five years ago with a chronic pain and fatigue condition.
There have been a few different changes in my body over the last few years. Going back 10 or 12 years or so, I was doing a really high amount of long-distance running, and that’s not something I’m able to do anymore for a variety of reasons tied to those two medical conditions.
How Walking Filled the Gap
What has filled that space is walking.
It’s something I’m able to do with my joint condition, especially on longer walks with walking poles. It’s also something I’m able to do with less of an escalation in my pain and fatigue levels.
I don’t know exactly what it is about the combination of conditions and running. I suspect part of it is the impact loading through the body, which doesn’t sit quite as comfortably with my body as it used to. That can be one of the factors that increases my pain and fatigue levels.
Walking has been a fantastic outlet for me. It ticks so many of the boxes that I used to really enjoy with running.
Finding Peace Outdoors
One of the biggest benefits is getting out on the trails for a few hours and either really enjoying my own company or getting into a Zen, flow-like state where I’m concentrating on what I’m doing, where I’m going, and the magnificence of the surroundings and nature.
Connecting with Others Through Walking
Walking is also a fantastic way to connect with people in a different way to running.
The running community is magnificent and wonderful, but there are different forms of walking community. In my local area, I’ve made good friends just by being out with the dog. She’s a fantastic conversation starter, and lots of people are out walking their dogs too.
There are some fantastic walking groups around here, hiking events, and one walking group that’s specifically focused on walking for mental health, which is wonderful.
There are lots of opportunities, and I find that I can connect with a slightly broader range of people walking than I would running. I can go out walking with my parents, my nieces and nephew, and it’s something I’m able to do with a larger group of people in a wider range of ways than perhaps I did with running.
Appreciating What My Body Can Do
Walking means a huge amount to me. It also means a huge amount to still be able to enjoy many of the things I loved about really long-distance running, but with a body that isn’t able to do that as sustainably anymore.
What’s Your Balance?
I’d love to hear what your balance point is, because it’s not like we have to be doing all of the walking or all of the running. A mix is fantastic. We walk every day, don’t we?
I’d love to hear what your balance is across walking, running and other training.
Happy running!
