Post on Racewalking yahoogroups

Things got crazy at work. We're having a screening Saturday and I was at work late last night and had to get back early in the morning so no time for today's workout. However, it was hurry up and wait so during some idle time I answered a post on the racewaking forum at yahoogroups.

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Howdy.
Been a semi lurker,begining racewalker trying to learn from the
really fast folks in this group.
I just made a personnel goal of breaking 10 minutes per mile for a
road 5K. 31:01 at 52 years old and 4 years of racewalking. Endurance
athlete for 40 years-ex-runner - too many knee surgeries.
Anyway. My question for the fast folks. Was there any kind of
specific workouts or drills that really took you to the next level
of speed in racewalking ? I am use to running track drills. I view
racewalking as being similar to X-country skiing and swimming. In
that it is mostly technique and the better your technique the faster
you go. That technique has more effect on speed then being in shape.

Any input from the fast folks ? Am I just dreaming about a silver
bullet - and I just need to "walk faster to walk faster" ?

Thanks in Advance
Mike "wannabe a fast racewalker" Madigan
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Hi Mike,

I'm also a lurker on this dicussion board but your comment brought me out of the woodwork:

> I just made a personnel goal of breaking 10 minutes per mile for a
> road 5K. 31:01 at 52 years old and 4 years of racewalking. Endurance
> athlete for 40 years-ex-runner - too many knee surgeries.

I'm also 52 but have been racewalking for less than a year. I turned to racewalking after injuring my knees running but even with the more "knee friendly" walking gait I've managed to over stress my knees whenever I broke that 10 minute per mile barrier.

> Anyway. My question for the fast folks. Was there any kind of
> specific workouts or drills that really took you to the next level
> of speed in racewalking ?

Just recently I was able to get the that "next level" without the pain. You are probably experienced enough to know about properly warming up before and stretching after every workout, that's even more important for us 50 something athletes, but here are some other tips that helped me out.

1. Take a class. I took Dave McGovern's beginners clinic but there are others too. Philip Dunn and Jeff Salvage also teach some classes.

2. Join a group. The group I joined, Southern Cal Walkers, meets every Saturday and they vary their drills so it isn't boring. One of my favorite games is trying to keep up with the fastest racewalker, even if it is only for a lap or two. Our fastest guy is Pedro Santoni and just by following him around the track I've gone faster than I ever dreamed--short sprints close to a 6 minute mile pace.

3. Get a good running watch. Something that can give you constant feedback of your heart rate and pace is very helpful. I just got a Polar RS800sd and it gives real time information about cadence and stride length along with speed and distance. Although I haven't figured it out yet, it can also send alarms if you are above or below a set pace or heart rate--probably not legal in a race but very useful for workouts.

> ...That technique has more effect on speed then being in shape.

That brings up the next tip:

4. Concentrate on technique before speed. That's what messed up my knees, I wanted to go faster with poor technique and pounded the heck out of my knees. Racewalking should be a smooth and flowing movement. In fact it wasn't running but bad running technique caused my knee problems in the first place.

> Am I just dreaming about a silver
> bullet - and I just need to "walk faster to walk faster" ?

One last tip along those lines--at least for me there was a silver bullet:

5. Strength training. I do a quick set of 30 reps for each exercise. When I injured my knees I was referred to Dr. Robert Klapper who authored a couple of books, Heal Your Knees and Heal Your Hips, and instead of prescribing rest for orthopedic patients he emphasises strength and mobility exercises. I got a simple bench with a leg extension, leg curl attachement, some some ankle weights and an elastic band and do strength training two to three times per week. And don't just do legs, abs play a big part in proper technique and saving your back.

These tips probably won't get you into the Olympic 'A' standard pace, but a 10 min/mile for a 52 year old on a 5K, 10K or even a 20K, should be a reasonable goal. By the way, at 51 Mark Green kept up an 8:55 mile pace for 50K, but that's a master's record.

--Dan