Training Tips for the AVON BREAST CANCER 3DAY™

This summer, over 25,000 walkers will participate in the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk program, with net proceeds supporting non-profit breast health programs and medical research. During nine nationwide events, participants will walk 60 miles in three days--determined to beat the $43 million total raised in last year's events.

Walking 60 miles sounds like a long way. It is a long way. It requires months of preparation, culminating in 8 to 12 hours of walking for three consecutive days. Help your clients complete the journey injury-free with these suggestions compiled by a 3-Day Walk veteran.

Getting Started

Be sure to assess the walker's current fitness level, strength and endurance. Even if a walker exercises regularly, long-distance walking may be a new activity. You must help your walker design a training program that will allow enough time to prepare for the event. Also, don't assume that a physical limitation will prevent participation. Walkers have successfully completed the 3-Day event while pregnant, in a wheelchair and even with prosthetic limbs.

Mileage Guidelines

Avon provides these guidelines to help walkers build up to the suggested 20-mile daily total, over the course of seven to eight months:

Month   Mileage/Walk   Weekly Total

  1       3-5 miles     6-10 miles
  3       6-8 miles    12-16 miles
  5     10-12 miles    20-24 miles
  7     15-20 miles    30-40 miles

First-year walkers may assume that they will "pour on the miles" at the end of the training period. Don't let your walker leave all the walking until the end! Procrastinators who try to do too much right before the event are more likely to be injured during the walk. In order to avoid overdoing it, training time and distance should not be increased by more than 10 to 20 percent per week.

Minding Your Soles

Proper shoes are a must. Walkers should not train or do the walk in hiking shoes or boots. Instead, they should shop at a store specializing in walking/running shoes and seek the recommendations of a professional shoe-fitter who can analyze their stride. Since feet swell while walking, shoes should be purchased half to one full size larger than normal. To further insure comfort, when trying walking shoes on, walkers should always wear the socks that will be worn during training.

When training, alternate between two pairs of shoes. Select two pairs of the same model, since a different fit will risk different "hot spots" (the places where your feel friction or pre-blister sites). Walkers are also advised to bring two pairs of shoes to the event. However, the shoes used during training may not be in good condition for the event. Therefore, remember to buy the event shoes early enough to break them in.

Avoiding friction and moisture is the key to preventing blisters. Wearing socks made of moisture-wicking synthetic materials is a good idea. Some walkers apply powders or antiperspirants to reduce moisture. On longer walks, including the event itself, it's best to carry an extra pair of socks and change them mid-way. To avoid friction, some walkers coat their feet with petroleum jelly or BodyGlide[R]. It's wise to begin experimenting early with these different preventive techniques.

Training Walks

Organized training walks, led by experienced walkers, are highly recommended. Participants should not do all their training solo. Walking with a group requires a different focus and the ability to adjust one's stride when walking alongside or behind someone else. Also, training walks do not allow dogs, strollers, Walkmans[R] or cellular phones because they can divert the walker's attention from the road.

Stretching

Stretching for five minutes, every hour, will help prevent muscle tightness. Walkers who do not stretch will suffer from stiffness and fatigue the next day. Also, they are more likely to be injured in the walk. Training walk leaders teach stretching techniques, but walkers must also stretch on their own--even during short breaks, like when waiting for traffic lights.

Terrain

Remember, the 60-mile route will include varied terrain. During the three days, walkers will experience sidewalks, city streets, paved trails, dirt and sand. Six months of training on a treadmill will not prepare a walker for hours on asphalt and park trails. Although they can provide extra mileage when training in bad weather or at night, treadmills are a poor substitute for the "real" road. In addition, walkers need plenty of experience with hills as well as flat walks. Inexperience with hill walking is more likely to result in injury.

Cross-training

Advise your client to supplement walking with other activities that engage similar muscle groups, such as running, cycling and skating. Activities which improve aerobic conditioning--such as rowing, swimming and stair-step machines--can also provide a welcome break from the many miles on the road.

In addition, resistance training is an important component of training. Walking is a highly eccentric movement, especially if hills are involved. Weight training prepares the connective tissue for this type of stress, thus reducing the chance of "overuse" injury. Resistance training also enhances glycogen storage, which is crucial for providing energy to the muscles.