May Clinics
EP Walking Weekends
There are many ways to ambulate on two feet: hiking, ambling, meandering, running, jogging. However on weekends in May we will not be doing any of those. On these walking weekend mornings we will be discovering Endurance Powerwalking (EP) which is the intermediate step between strolling and racewalking. The formal pace is between 15 -10 mins/mile. During these sessions we'll be learning form techniques in order to increase our speed and distance.
Through the month of May we will increase our distance aiming for 5 to 6 miles, and increase our speed by one to two minutes per mile. In order to accomplish these goals, you will need to have other powerwalking sessions within your week. I would recommend at least two if not three.
I will be available to help you plan a personal walking program both to establish your base and keep you going strong through the month and beyond, if you like.
Prerequistes:
I advise that prior to beginning our May sessions, you have, or develop, a walking base through April, so that you will already be comfortably walking at least 3 miles at a pace somewhere between 18 and 15 minutes per mile.
Pretraining:
Without a base and additional weekly walking sessions it is possible that you may experience discomfort, pain, or injury in the shins, knees, hips, or hamstrings. One way to mitigate this likelihood is base training in concert with learning to regulate your pace for form and efficiency.
If you are not used to walking at speed/pace, shin splints are a frequent obstacle. So through April when you are building your base, do not try to walk too fast and back off at the slightest feeling of fatigue in your shins. Give them time to adjust. Focus on carrying your body lightly with all your Pilates techniques, letting your arms swing free, and lean into your walk from your ankles.
Why PowerWalking:
This practice is ageless. I began racewalking in my early 30’s after overtraining injuries sidelined me as a sponsored cycling and triathalon athlete. So no, speed walking is not merely for the seniors. This practice is also ageless in that you will be able to fall back on these tools for moments that come up in your life like illness and injury. It is a practice you can do almost anywhere in the world, For Free! And some of these principles will cross over to other sports you may already be participating in.
During our sessions we will be out doors on relatively flat surfaces some paved and some chat trail. We will use fartlek style interval training that will tune us into form, energy efficiency, and give us the skills to notice when we can push and when we should ease off. In EP, much like swimming, form shaves off time, in some cases much more effectively than sheer aerobic training.
I recommend that your weekly walks also be outside when and if at all possible. It will mitigate your chances of injury which can occur using treadmills, and it will also give you the benefits that being outdoors uniquely provides, different from working out between four walls. This is a walking program for your mind and your body.
I hope to give you the foundational principles of Endurance Powerwalking without incurring injury so you can continually reap the benefits of walking, particularly outdoor walking.
When: Saturdays and Sundays in May
Sunday walkers, our approach will be slightly different. While we will still walk and learn about form and pacing and increasing miles, for those who would like to stay, we will add 30 minutes of discovery writing post session. During walking the brain releases chemicals, I like to call them openhearted truth serums, that allow us into places of mind and heart not otherwise accessible. Writing directly after an EP session is a good way to catch those serums so you can use them later.
Don't worry, even if you don’t consider yourself "a writer" or if thinking of taking pen to paper causes you consternation, relax. I will provide tools to jumpstart you and guide you in the process. You're totally supported. Just bring a small notebook and pen.
These sessions are offered FREE of charge! So you and your friends are welcome and on Sunday stay for the discovery writing portion or not. Currently I only plan to offer this through the month of May. That being said, it is rather important to make at least one of the sessions each week, because we will be increasing distance and speed regularly and as you all know, continuity is key.
I ask that you not bring your pets or your earphones. Your shoes should flex easily at the toe box so as not to put unnecessary strain on the foot and shin during push off.
EP uses the entire body to generate power and speed, so get ready to feel muscles like you’ve never felt before! And I hope you will come prepared to have fun, learn, and get in Endurance Powerwalking shape.
For inspiration check out my blog post: www.coreworkspilates.com/blog/2024/3/29/someday-walking
Here are some other resources and bit of curiousness about EP:
https://olympics.com/en/news/all-you-need-to-know-about-race-walking
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartlek
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a45709070/average-walking-speed/
https://www.webefit.com/articles_900_999/article_959_PowerWalking.html