Back into Race Walking!
Unfortunately, I quickly ran into a problem: Shin pain. I realized that I had started out way too quickly, not allowing my shins to adjust to the new strain. Apparently, this is a rather common problem for new race walkers. I found a lot of exercises to strengthen the shins (some of them I can highly recommend!). But as much as I looked, there was no sample workout schedule for absolute beginners out there. I could find oodles of programs for getting off the couch and running a 5K. No such luck with race walking. Since the shin exercises didn’t seem to do much good, I gave up – on the race walking, not the exercises.
I kept in touch with the people from the Golden Gate Race Walkers, though, and during a recent fitness walk, I ended up doing some race walking. I loved it! And I noticed no shin pain! We had been walking for more than an hour before starting the race walking, so I figured my legs were just well warmed up. The experience rekindled my interest in race walking but I still didn’t know how to slowly start to race walk, allowing enough time for my body to adjust to the technique. And then, I looked in that old book the founder of GGRW had given me. There it was: a training schedule! I was excited and ready to try again.
I just came back from my first race walk. My shins were screaming at me after 5 minutes, so I stopped and stretched. I remembered from the Dave McGovern article that it’s important to watch the stride: Reaching out too far up front can cause shin pain. So, after my stretching I started out slowly watching my stride, pushing off with a long leg in the back but only taking a small step in front. When my shins said something again, I counted my steps. According to the Howard Jacobson schedule, I am supposed to take 90-120 steps per minute. I was way faster! I slowed down and soon was smiling: no shin pain!
Lessons learned: Watch proper form and start out slow! There are plenty of resources on technique. And thanks to Howard Jacobson’s book published in 1980, I now have a schedule for easing into race walking.
Hi Rachel! I’ve been looking for race walking resources in the Bay Area and found your page. I have zero experience and would like to learn how. Do you have any suggestions besides watching videos? I’d rather have a little more hands-on training. Thanks!
Kathy: Yes, there are other options! You could join the Yahoo group of the Golden Gate Race Walkers and post your question there. Depending where in the Bay Area (I assume San Francisco BA), you’ll be able to meet up with some folks on a weekly or monthly basis who can teach you the basics. If you have trouble joining the group, please contact me.
Glad this helped, Susan!
Rachel,
Accidentally came across your blog and am writing to say thank you
for your book suggestion for beginning racewalkers. Have taken a few
clinics with Dave Mcgovern and feel like I’ve discovered the perfect
sport that I will be able to do anywhere and for the rest of my life.
I also was on the hunt for a training schedule for absolute beginners.
Have ordered the book thanks to you. Hope you will continue to comment
on your racewalking. More people need to hear about it.
Thanks, Nyle! I’ll check out those Mexican Race Walk Drills!
Hi Rachel,
Dont give up….trust me the shin pain does go away. The best advice I can give you is what my coach gave me. Search on here for the Mexican Race Walk Drills and do them every day. It improves hip flex and leg stretch. I also used to walk around the house on my heels keeping my toes off the ground. This helped to build up my shin muscles and now I dont suffer the dreaded shin pain. Good luck with your walking I hope to see back on your site that you are still doing it.
Happy walking