Elite race walkers whip around the track with an unparalleled fluidity and grace. While they achieve speeds many runners would be envious of, they do so with a significantly lower incidence of injury (86% less than running). Race walking has been around in one form or another for hundreds of years. An Olympic event since 1904, amazingly, at one point in history professional walkers earned more money that professional baseball players.
Today race walkers compete from short sprints like a 1500m and mile event, to longer distances like 5km, 10km, 20km, and the longest footrace in the Olympics, the 50km.
Race walking is also great for children. It moves them off the couch, gets them active, and gives them a positive self-image. Young walkers can do it for the fun or competition with a wide set of events available.
As walkers age, their opportunities expand. Some states like New York and Maine have race walking as an event as part of the high school track and field program. NAIA colleges offer scholarships with plenty of opportunities to compete. If there are no scholastic programs near you, there are countless walking clubs to provide camaraderie and advice.
While race walking can be started early, it is not limited to the young. Many masters athletes compete in their age group at events across the country or internationally. Unlike non-weight bearing sports like swimming, the low impact nature of race walking helps prevent osteoporosis by strengthening the bones without the high risk of injuries from more aggressive exercises.
For my father, exercise was a spectator sport and not something to participate in. As he aged, his life-long lack of activity severely limited his quality of life.
When you think of someone old, what comes to mind? Someone who is frail and has a lack of range of motion in their gait. Race walkers are the antithesis of this. They drive their legs, arms, and hips threw a full-range of motion unseen in most forms of exercise. They power forward with a combination of locomotion that utilizes all the body’s muscles.
So, are you ready to join the Race Walking Revolution? If so, please read on, but please consult a doctor before starting any exercise program.
Next Lesson: Definition of Race Walking