"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time"

October 14, 2006 5:02 PM

How do I walk 25 kilometers and survive? There's

I've been invited by a friend to an event that includes a religious procession at the start of it. I'm no religious man but it's really cheap and I get to visit lots of places after the procession.

The procession is supossed to be 25 Km long and includes uphill paths.

The problem is, I'm really out of shape. While no overweight, I've neglected doing any kind of exercise for years. I'm somewhat scared of suddenly fainting or being completely unable to reach the end of the journey.

Any advice for surviving this?

posted by Memo to health & fitness (24 comments total)

By the way, it's spring around here so the day will probably be hot and sunny.
posted by Memo at 5:05 PM on October 14, 2006

Slow and steady, bring lots of water and energy-efficient food (nutrition bars, stuff like that).
posted by The Michael The at 5:08 PM on October 14, 2006

How much time is procession expected to take to cover the 25 kilometers? Hours, all day, several days?
posted by RichardP at 5:09 PM on October 14, 2006

If you're walking, and are not overweight, you should have NO PROBLEM. In a similar out-of-shape but not-overweight state, I did a 5-day hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. We'd do 15-25 Km a day with some SEVERE climbs, and while i was definitely huffing and puffing at times, my similar fears proved unfounded.

And I had quit smoking only 2 days before I flew to Peru.

Water and willpower.
posted by Roach at 5:10 PM on October 14, 2006

If they're taking it slow, I can't imagine it will be a huge problem.

Bring a couple liters of drinking water and drink it. Eat well beforehand - you don't want to be stuffed but you shouldn't let yourself suffer from hunger.

That's why people faint from things like this - heat, dehydration, and not eating enough.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 5:11 PM on October 14, 2006

RichardP. AFAIK, one day or less.
posted by Memo at 5:12 PM on October 14, 2006

How long until you need to do this?

If you've got some time, start walking now to get your body used to it and identify any issues. Go for a walk every night. If you can walk for an hour at a decent pace without any problems, I'm pretty sure you could push it to make 25km.

Make sure you're wearing good socks, and make sure your shoes are comfortable and well fitting. Shoes that feel good between the car and the shops might have problems after hours of walking. Good socks from a hiking store will definitely help add padding and wick away moisture.

You may have some chafing issues, there are anti chafing creams available but I find Bepanthen, which is for nappy rash, works wonders.

Get some lycra walking shorts which won't bunch or rub when you walk, and wear them instead of regular underwear.

25K is long, but not huge. You probably won't be walking fast, so it comes down to stamina. Keep something to eat in your pocket, and definitely make sure you get enough water.

Sunscreen is also good if you're in a sunny climate. At a good clip you're talking a four hour walk, but since it's a procession it will probably take longer.

I doubt you would faint, the exertion is not huge like running, it's more of an endurance issue. I'm not very aerobically fit but I can walk all day without problems.

Good luck!
posted by tomble at 5:12 PM on October 14, 2006

Re shoes, wear comfortable, well-worn-in shoes. If you have a pair that feels a bit too big, pick that one. your feet will swell during the day because of the heat, and because of the time you will spend on your feet. you don't want blisters on top of everything else that you will do.

will you be carrying a backpack? In that case, bring an extra pair of socks to change into, 2 or 3 litres of water (less if you know that you can refill your bottles along the way), some snacks (perhaps an energy bar, perhaps a turkey sandwich, maybe some cookies)

and just so you prevent the discomfort of blisters, put a small package of band-aids into your backpack.
posted by seawallrunner at 5:24 PM on October 14, 2006

I did the cancer 60km walk a few weeks ago with zero preparation, although being a city slicker I do walk everywhere anyway.

The walking should be okay, but do everything you can to avoid blisters. Visit your local hiking shop to get advice about socks & do a long walk before this event in the shoes you plan to wear, bring band aids.

Good luck & have fun!
posted by jamesonandwater at 5:44 PM on October 14, 2006

Is the event the kind that will have people of many ages and levels of fitness doing the procession? If so, I would suggest that there will be plenty of people in the same boat as you, and the pace will be accomodating.

At the end of the day, expect that your feet will be sore (and that's assuming you're wearing comfy worn-in shoes that won't give blisters), but I don't think fainting will be an issue - wear white and a sunhat to keep cool, have some water, bring a bunch of wide band-aids so that if you do get blisters, you can cover them and let the shoes rub against the band-aids instead of against your skin.

I'd suggest using pockets for the supplies rather than a backpack or handbag, but if you take a bag (such as for water), I'd suggest a very lightweight schoolkid-style backpack (or perhaps a bumbag/fannypack). Over hours of walking it doesn't take much weight to make shoulders uncomfortable (and a well-designed hiking-pack is probably overkill), and you definitely won't want to have to carry anything in your hands the whole way.

Find out if there are refreshments available along the route - that could save you carrying water, which in turn could save you carrying a backpack, since pockets suffice for snacks and bandaids, etc.
posted by -harlequin- at 5:54 PM on October 14, 2006

I would second the advice of trying to walk as much as possible in the time period leading up to the event.

The other key ingredient? Woolen socks. They don't retain moisture like cotton, which makes a HUGE difference. I have problems with blisters normally. After switching to woolen socks, I have noticed a huge difference in the condition of my feet. Woolen toe socks in particular are great.
posted by gemmy at 6:18 PM on October 14, 2006

If it's going to be hot and sunny, I recommend getting sunscreen, a floppy sunhat and a little battery-operated handheld fan.
posted by joannemerriam at 6:36 PM on October 14, 2006

This really isn't that far, really. Do you have good shoes? How about back problems. If you sometimes get a sore back I would just concentrate on walking upright with the top of your pelvis tilted back and your back straight. Even out of shape, this should not be more than you can handle, although you will be tired when you are done.
posted by caddis at 6:46 PM on October 14, 2006

Nice Steven Wright shout-out.

If you're walking with a pretty large group, chances are there are people at least as out-of-shape as you in it, and the whole group will move at a rate everybody can manage. Unless the religion involved is some kind of Worship of Marathon or something.
posted by cgc373 at 7:03 PM on October 14, 2006

and a little battery-operated handheld fan

That's incredibly unnecessary.
posted by The Michael The at 7:32 PM on October 14, 2006

If you are lead a sedentary lifestyle, you are right to be concerned about walking 25KM. It is actually quite a long distance. You're not going to pass out or have a stroke but you might end up feeling rather miserable because your joints aren't used to it. And if your feet are dainty, it only takes one blister to make things REALLY painful.

I recommend you follow this 13 week program to get yourself to walking 10K easily. It is geared toward people who are currently inactive. At the end of the 13 weeks, you'll be quite attuned to your body's limits, and will be able to figure out for yourself how to increase the distance to 25K.

Don't rush out and waste your money on any gear except for a good pair of shoes. Get yourself into regular walking, and it'll become obvious to you what you need to bring along.
posted by randomstriker at 8:16 PM on October 14, 2006

That would work, randomstrikers... if the procession wasn't in one week time.
posted by Memo at 2:50 AM on October 15, 2006

Bring bananas and a good pair of boots.
posted by popcassady at 4:49 AM on October 15, 2006

Take a couple of walks after work - try to do at least 2, say one of 5km and the second of 8-10km. You should be able to do the second one in about 2 hours. Use this to road-test the shoes you intend to wear on the day.

The exercise will also help to get your feet and joints into shape so you're not floored by minor discomforts early on your walk. As others have suggested, take plenty of water and/or juice. Bananas are excellent too.

The night before your walk, make sure you eat plenty of carbs like pasta, rice, potatos, etc. These will supply you with useful energy throughout the day.

Take something sweet like an apricot muesli bar, but promise yourself not to touch it until you're at least half way. A chocolate bar is good to keep in reserve until the last 5-10km when you're seriously considering calling a taxi. The sugar burst will get you through it.
posted by imbecile at 5:58 AM on October 15, 2006

Others have covered the obvious (nutrition, hydration, as much practice as you can without over doing it). I'd add take a change of socks. I'm sure it's psychological, but it's great to have a fresh pair of socks if you've got sore feet.
posted by handee at 10:41 AM on October 15, 2006

A religious procession is likely to attract devoutly religious people whose health is not really up to the trek, so you are probably not going to be the one in the worst shape. There is likely to be some provision for rendering first aid, particularly if this is a regular event. The general pace and the frequency and length of the rest stops are probably planned to make it a pleasant experience so that you might wish to repeat it. (Is this a celebration, or some sort of repentance ritual? Even if it is the latter, I bet it isn't designed to be unbearable.)

The major risks to your comfort would seem to be blisters, joint pain and dehydration. You may be able to buy "blister kits" of special gell-filled bandaids from shops for hikers or joggers, but even ordinary bandaids help. I find wearing two pairs of socks works for me, but you can Google lots of advice on socks. Eating oily fish or fish-oil capsules does seem to help joints. Dehydration is easy for you to combat, once you realise it is a risk. Again, it is likely that local provision has been made.

Do get some practice walking done during the week, testing what you will be wearing if possible. Discuss tactics for the day with your friend -- if they are in much better shape, will they slow down for you, or go on ahead?
posted by Idcoytco at 10:47 AM on October 15, 2006

Bring a walking stick/trekking pole. (I, for one, have a bad knee and need a pole for anything more than 3 or 4 miles.)

Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wide-brim hat. Depending on the locale, you may also want bug spray.

A Camelbak type of hydration pack is very handy and a good way to make sure you are sipping water every 15 minutes. (You want to be drinking small amounts constantly.)

Carry some trail mix or powerbar or something to give you an extra kick of energy when you need it.
posted by Sangre Azul at 11:30 AM on October 15, 2006

Take some duct tape, wrapped around a pencil with you. If you get a blister, put a bandaid on it, then cover it with a strip of tape. The tape keeps the bandaid in place, and slips easily against your sock/shoe to prevent further damage. If part of your foot feels like it's going to get a blister, slap some duct tape on it and you won't get one.

(I can never get bandaids to stick to my feet while they're in shoes--I would always end up retrieving the sad little beige wads of false protection from the toe of my sock.)

Like other posters have said, the limiting factor on how far you can walk has little to do with your aerobic fitness and lots to do with your feet, joints, etc.

Good luck and have fun!
posted by Coda at 12:19 PM on October 15, 2006

Bring a iPod (loaded with those podcasts you've been meaning to listen to, or a audiobook, and of course some great walking music)?

I almost enjoy perambulating with one.
posted by oxford blue at 6:28 PM on October 15, 2006