Training for a long-distance endurance event is much easier when we walk together. The miles fly by as you meet fellow participants and strangers quickly become friends. After leading thousands of people over tens of thousands of miles of training walks, we have a comprehensive and well organized training walk program to help you safely train for the event, whether it is your first event or even if you are a veteran walker. Hope to see you on the road soon. Walk on!
TRAINING WALK REQUIREMENTS
Your safety is our first priority and to ensure a happy and safe walk for everyone, to participate in our training walks, you agree to the following requirements:
- RSVP's for training walks are mandatory to ensure we can accommodate the group safely and that everyone has a route map! (If you come to a training walk without RSVPing you may be unable to join us if that walk is at capacity.)
- Training walks are free and open to anyone over the age of 18, or 16 year olds accompanied by an adult guardian.
- Come to walks with sufficient hydration supplies and snacks.
- Come prepared with proper endurance walking shoes, gear and a way to carry your personal items (see list below.)
- Abide by all rules set forth by the training walk leader, all applicable road laws and regulations - engage in safe walking behavior & share the road/pathway!
- Only join training walks if you have completed a training walk that is a few miles shorter than goal mileage (e.g. – If you have only successfully completed a short training walk of a few miles, please do not sign up to walk 20 miles!)
- If you are recovering from a training injury or are stressed from over-training, please respect your body's need to heal. It is OK to take time off of training! Don't force training through an injury - if we know you are injured we may very well ask you to sit out of a training walk if you show up.
- No talking on cell phones while walking.
- No pets.
- No strollers.
- No headphones or earbuds while walking.
- No waist/pack speakers (not everyone likes the same music!)
Training Walk Details
The following are more details about the training walks we lead:
- Start Times are selected so that walks will likely be finished by 12:30 p.m. (except for walks 16+ miles.)
- Please plan to be ready to go by the posted "meeting time" so we can all sign-in and hit the road on time! There is a Safety Speech which all participants must hear to join us on our walks.
- There is ample, free parking where our training walks meet.
- You will get a route map with turn-by-turn directions with the Training Walk Leader(s) contact number(s).
- All pace levels are welcome on our training walks. That said, most of our walkers average a 3 - 3.5 mph pace although we make every effort to not leave anyone behind.
- Walk routes have bathroom/stretch breaks every 3 - 4 miles.
- Wear layers – fleece and wicking under layers - as it can be very cool along the coast.
- Be prepared for drizzle. Heavy rain cancels. If you are in doubt, don't come out!
- Come prepared to sweat! Most walk routes are challenging and hilly.
- The routes are planned for their aesthetic qualities, access to clean bathrooms, and grocery stops.
- We support one another and care about our fellow walkers while training, but everyone is ultimately responsible for their own safety and well being. Know and respect your body's limits!
- Some walks have route support - check training walk calendar for specific walks. Route Support follows along the route with us in a vehicle and will have a cell phone number listed if a walker needs a ride (either to next break, or until the end of the walk.)
Items to Bring With You on a Training Walk
Training is your best opportunity to learn what you need (and don't need) to carry with you while walking. Train with the pack or waist pack you plan to wear on the event. The following are items we like to make sure we bring on a training walk:
- A fanny pack/camelbak/backpack (a way to carry your personal items)
- Snacks
- Water & electrolyte replacement for 3-4 miles
- Blister care items: moleskin, tape, blister cushions, needle, alcohol wipes
- ID, insurance card, blood type
- Emergency contact name and phone number(s)
- Credit card, some coins and cash (in case you need to call a cab to leave a training walk)
- Cell phone, although there may not be service in some areas where we walk
- A change of socks for walks over 10 miles
- Sunscreen, sun hat & sunglasses
- Camera, wet wipes, bandana, kleenex, SPF lip balm
- And, don't forget to pack your sense of adventure!
A Note about Training Walk Route Mileage
GPS devices may track different mileage on our walks. That will be true even on the actual event weekend. The important thing to remember is that we are in training for a life changing event!
Our first priority is your safety. We take having well-placed bathroom breaks and access to water/food replacement along our walk routes very seriously. As such, actual mileage for each walk will vary based on a number of factors. We do our best to ensure the routes are as close as possible to our goal mileage but ultimately, planned mileage is approximate and GPS mileage may vary.
See you on the road!
