It’s never too late to take up walking, says Debbie Griffiths

When my husband was diagnosed with high blood pressure three years ago, he was put onto medication and sent away with instructions to lose weight and stop stressing. I had read about the benefits of walking and encouraged him to join a new running and walking group that started up in our town. I agreed to do it with him for moral support.

The first thing we discovered was that no one walks correctly. We all slouch, have bad posture and wear incorrect shoes. I had to retrain my body and make it realise that walking wasn’t just about my legs. My arms had a job to do, my torso had to line up, my core muscles played a major role, and even my head, neck and shoulders became part of the complete walking machine.

Once I learnt how to walk properly I discovered how to add speed. It was imperative that my arms, held at 90 degrees, became the pistons on flat roads and up hills, and my brakes when I was going downhill.

The club encouraged us to keep a log book in which we recorded our body measurements, weight, distance walked and time taken. Over the weeks I began to notice an interesting pattern in my figures. My body measurements and weight came down, my distances increased and I bettered my own times. Not only did I feel and look better, but I also realised that the regular niggly headaches I suffered had disappeared and my outlook on life had improved. I couldn’t wait to get to my training sessions.

Our club manager was a keen runner, and having participated in many marathons over the years, she knew the fun and focus races brought. Five months after starting fitness walking she encouraged us to enter the 702 Walk the Talk, participating in the 10km walk. We were blown away by the thousands of participants, the excitement, the buzz and the sheer joy of finishing. I was on a high for days afterwards.

It was to be the first of many races and since then we’ve never missed the 702 Walk the Talk. This year I finished the 15km race fifth in my age category and was the ninth woman overall! Last year we entered the Two Oceans half marathon (21km), which I finished in 2 hours 40 minutes. We try to participate in two races a month, along with our normal training — which means we usually walk 120—150km a month.

For a long time the sporting and medical professions have proclaimed the benefits of walking, and now I know why. There is no right or wrong age to start, no large financial outlay and no difficult rules to learn. Walking can be enjoyed wherever you are, and the best part, as my husband discovered too, is that you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, relieve stress and gain a clearer, more balanced outlook on life.

I hope I will still be participating in races for many years to come, and challenge every reader to lace up those trainers, grab a friend, and get out on the road — you’ve got nothing to lose except excess weight and ill-health!

Motivational tips:

- Invest in a pair of shoes that have proper support for your ankles and plenty of cushioning.

- Set targets and keep a logbook. Begin with 15 minutes of brisk walking three times a week, and then increase in five-minute increments. 

- Be realistic. If you miss a walking session don’t beat yourself up or try to do double the next day. Just continue to focus on your target and have fun.