Questions on walking as part of a fitness plan

Shannon I love walking. I don't have a lot of extra time for workouts so I walk everyday during my lunch. I walk 3.5 miles in 45 minutes 5xweek. There is also a nice hiking trail near where I live. There are trails anywhere from 3/4 of a mile to 7 miles. Before I had my kids walking was my only source of cardio and I was pretty thin and in great shape. Although back then I walked about 6+ miles a day.

And what are chiggers???
 
Hi Dana -
Chiggers are these nasty little creatures related to mites and spiders. They are very tiny - unless you look very, very closely at just the right time, you will never see them on you. The babies (lavae) burrow under the skin and itch like crazy. They don't stay long, and I believe it's actually after they leave that you start to itch. The grownups look like tiny bright red spiders. Like ticks, they enjoy biting people wherever clothing is tighter, like around the waistband, socks, bra, etc. Consider yourself fortunate that you haven't encountered any. Maybe I should move to wherever you are! ;)

Yes, if you spray bug repellant all over you, they usually stay away.
 
They are mostly in the south, right? When my kid was in Marine Corps training in North Carolina, he got chiggers and they told him to wear panty hose! Seriously!

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)
 
I live in Pa and I've never heard of chiggers. After your deccription of them, you can keep them wherever you are, thank you very much. :p
 
I'm with Dana. You can keep those chigggers. x( I actually dislike exercising outdoors. Now that I've heard about chiggers, I have another reason to be at two with nature.
-Nancy
 
I imagine you northerners are safe from chiggers. So Nancy, it's ok if you ever get in the mood to exercise outside. :)
 
Chigger's aren't just a southern bug. We have them up here in the midwest states too. They especially seem to hang in dense hedges so as kids we were always told not to run through the windbreak rows of shrubs because of chigger's.
 
I think you should plan to spend a thousand dollars or more. Just get yourself a nice bike you can use for awhile. My bike cost about 1200 and it's about a Honda Accord V-6 level bike, if you see what I mean. Not a POS econobox, and not a Porsche either.

The most important thing is fit. Make sure you get fitted. If you think the bike shop doesn't know what it's doing go to one that does. Don't buy from a big box retailer. Go where you can get personal attention. Buy as much bike as you can afford. It's nice to have quality components. They make a difference in comfort and safety and if you're on your bike more than an hour or two, it matters.

You'll also want a couple pairs of shorts with chamois inserts, a water cage or Camelbak, a tiny tool kit that fits under the seat (for flats or whatever), maybe a computer to keep track of mileage and mph and so forth. Definitely a helmet, maybe some safety goggles, and a rear view mirror for your glasses or handlebars. Get some gloves, or I just use my weight training gloves. Maybe you can wait on the special shoes and jerseys and stuff. There is lots of gear.

I ride with a local cycling group. I feel safer that way because of all the hostile drivers and rednecks on the road here in NC. People have cell phones and can help you if you have a problem. There are several rides a week to join and you make friends and so forth.

Wherever you live, there are likely to be cycling groups.

I love this new sport, I don't regret spending the money. Actually, it was an investment. Tomorrow I'm going on a 30 mile ride at 10 am. It's a great cardio, and fun.
 
Ok forget the chiggers - I have a walking question for Bunbun. I saw your post and I've also been doing some treadmill walking lately - altertnating it with running and my elliptical. When I walk I set my treadmill at an incline, and using cardio coach adjust the incline from 6 - 10 degrees. There is no way in the world I could get up to 6 mph! I'm huffin' and puffin' at 5 and usually hover at around 4.5 - 4.8. How on earth do you get up to 6 mph walking - is it more like a race walk? That's amazing girl!

Lorrie
 
Lorrie-
I was also thinking that Bunbun's walking sounded more like jogging. I never do anything above 4.0 mph.

By the way, if you look back a few days on these boards, you'll see I posted a thread to you. :)
-Nancy
 
Hi Nancy - can you tell I've not been around much lately?}( I went back and found your post. I so hope you and DH enjoy Blue Hill - please be sure to give me an update after you dine there. Happy anniversary to you both this month!

Glad to see that someone else thinks that walking speed is phenominal. I can get to 5 mph, but there is no way I could make it to 6 and be walking. Awesome!


Lorrie
 
I'll definitely give you an update, Lorrie. Your recommendation inspired my choice.

Hey, I'm very impressed with 5.0 mph!
-Nancy
 
Thanks for the advice, mogambo. I went to a different bike shop today, not so elite, and was much happier with the salesman I had. I made him explain everything...why this brake was better than that, why this fork, why that tire, why this shifting mechanism. Unfortunately, the bike I decided to buy...they only had in this poop color brown so I had to order one in a different color...won't get it until the middle of June. But boy, did I ever like the fit/feel of that bike.

So in the meantime...I'll keep plugging away on my old bike but now I can really tell the difference after spending a couple hours riding better quality, better designed bikes!

I will definitely get the tool kit and I already have the shorts you're talking about. I always ride alone, during the day, so I've never talked with anyone else about this sport. Thanks again! :D
 
Ugh...5.6 mph, not 6 mph!! I wrote that message when I was half asleep. I remember having a vague thought somewhere in the back of my mind that I had made that mistake, but then all hell broke loose at work this week, followed by having to go apartmenvt hunting every night this week, and it just flew out of my head. It took me a long time to build up to doing mph. I sort of use racewalking style, but I can't say for sure that I do it right, as I've never had anyone teach me or evaluate my walking style. Oh, and yes, my treadmill gives readouts of mph and distance covered.

Reading these posts has made me want to get back into biking. Now that I'm moving back to the suburbs, at least I'll have the opportunity to do that.
 
Well, and you wouldn't have to worry about chigger's when you're on a bike! :p

Unless you veer off the road into a thicket!
 
<Well, and you wouldn't have to worry about chigger's when you're on a bike! :p

Unless you veer off the road into a thicket!>

I've tasted plenty of bugs in my time, believe me! :)

Also, I can only go fast if I keep the incline on my treadmill moderate--around 2. I sometimes do hill workouts, but I don't like them as much, plus I go slower and find that I have to set the incline at something ridiculous (9 or 10) if I'm doing an intensity workout. I think I prefer going for speed--I want to be able to racewalk 6 mph, that's my goal for this year! (Just decided that on the spur of the moment.)
 
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