Is walking REALLY that helpful? (Page 2)

I'll beat the dead horse.  If that bit of walking is all the movement they do, god bless them.  Walking is hard for lots of people.  I can attest to the fact that you can train in your HR zones by just walking, if you are not already fit.  The other benefits of the old couples, or any couples walking for however long, is just that, spending time with each other, just talking.  Too often we don't take the time to just talk about whatever.

Ok, i've stopped beating the horse.  Can someone get a chainsaw so we can get it out of Dean Wormers office.......

just thought i'd add my 2 cents worth - my mom has two new hips and can now walk the block she knows she is slow but i am so damned proud of her. six months ago she couldn't even walk down the garden because her hips wer so knackered. she wasn't even allowed to swim.

slower walks with my dad may not generate as much of a high h/r for her but they get them out the house and that's a good thing. also walks round the block stop my dad doing stupid things like trying to do kung fu for the first time aged 63 and getting a hernia

 In 2003 I was one of those people walking 2.0 mph and hanging on for dear life. I'm sure there were people looking askance at me judging. What they didn't know is that I had just been through three major surgeries for a pancreatic tumor, had multiple complications, and was working my way back to fitness ten minutes at a time.

We don't know why people are out doing what they are doing. For some they may be just starting an exercise program. It may be a time that they spend together. It may be all they can do...you don't know if that person is infirm, arthritic, overcoming an injury, or what. That same person may be running a marathon in two years (that was me). I'm just happy for them that they are out there.

My husband bikes with me while I do my long runs and sometimes people make fun of him thinking he can't keep up. He can, he just prefers to bike. He's run a marathon, but doesn't choose to do another one. (I'll talk him into it...) He bikes long rides with me, and stands and watches over me on open water swims. The assumption might very well be that he is not a driven person. He is. He is just not driven in the same manner I am. He is in shape and enjoys exercise, but does not want to compete in endurance events.

You do what you do for your reasons. I do what I do for mine. The man in the pale blue slacks does what he does for his reasons. I think live and let live and pray that someday you'll still be out walking with the woman you love carrying a stick for balance or dogs or whatever when you are of a ripe old age.