Walking fast and training slow

An ode to the Sunday power hike, a powerful alternative to the long run.

One of the first things to go during the early days of COVID was the long Sunday run. The trails were simply too crowded on the weekend to peacefully enjoy several hours of solitude and maintain what felt like safe social distance, even in the outdoors. 

This was a bummer, because like a lot of runners, the long Sunday run had been a staple of my schedule for as long as I’d been training. Minus the hustle and bustle of school and work, Sunday was a perfect day to stretch out the miles and recover without the stress of everyday life. 

The long Sunday run wasn’t just the capper to my running week. It was also the end of my work week, and the one day without any deadlines hanging over my head. Not to be blasphemous, but as a (very) lapsed Catholic, it also occupied a place of spiritual reflection that I no longer found in attending mass regularly.

In so many ways, the long Sunday run is perfect. That’s why it’s a staple of countless running programs throughout history. 

Giving it up wasn’t easy, but then another stark COVID reality entered the picture: I no longer had a job. Suddenly, I had all the work flexibility I could handle. Even though the trails were, and continue to be, more crowded than they used to be during the week, they were practically barren compared to the weekend hordes. 

Following a bit of experimentation, I moved my long run to Friday and organized the rest of my training schedule around the shift. It took longer to get comfortable with this adjustment than you might think. After years of associating each day of the week with a specific activity, I had to retrain my brain to follow a new pattern. When you organize your life around a schedule that no longer makes sense, it can be a disorienting experience for someone like me who craves stability and structure. 

Gradually, however, things began to fall into place so that by the summer the new normal became routine. It was a positive change all around. My family no longer had to live with the specter of daddy’s long run hanging over their weekend, and I very much enjoyed waking up on Saturday knowing my big run was already in the bag. 

Sunday, however, remained a perplexing proposition. If I got up early enough, I could squeeze in an hour or so of running before the trails got crowded. That was alright, but it didn’t feel like I was making the most of my time. Sunday was still Sunday for everyone else, regardless of my training schedule. Imagine that; other people’s lives not revolving around my running. 

For the first few months, my family wondered why I was even home on Sunday mornings at all. They had built their own routines around my absence that were now disrupted. That’s when it hit me. Instead of knocking out a placeholder run, what if I went on a long hike instead? 

It would get me out of the house for an extended period of time, and allow me to work on climbing skills in a way that didn’t tax my body as much as running. Additionally, the slower pace of hiking made the influx of people easier to manage. It’s a lot easier mentally to step aside mid-step than mid-stride. That’s when the Sunday Power Hike was born. 

I wrote this piece so I could post this photo.

We should be clear that power hiking is a fancy term trail runners like to use because it sounds more badass than walking. To be sure, this is no meandering stroll through the woods. When I go out for my hike, I take on the roughest terrain and the steepest climbs I can find. I’m not trying to break any speed records, but I move with purpose. (Here’s a great power hiking overview.) 

A roadrunner friend of mine asked me if I counted the time I spent walking/hiking in my total mileage, to which I answered, ‘Hell yes.’ It all counts. The point is to get from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible, regardless of whether you’re walking, running, or crawling.

As every novice trail runner learns eventually, walking is not always a choice, and it’s definitely not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a skill that needs to be developed. The next thing they learn is they’re probably not as good at it as they think they are. 

Done right, power hiking is a serious workout. It involves navigating rocky descents and climbing steep hills via dynamic transfers of energy between muscle groups while maintaining proper form. You can learn a lot about how your body moves when you slow down long enough to pay attention. 

Power hiking provides an opportunity to train your stomach to handle calorie consumption on the move, and to experiment with different types of food. It’s also a perfect time to test out gear and get comfortable with things like trekking poles, headlamps, and hydration vests. 

Then there are the more esoteric pursuits. I can explore new trails, or stop and take a few photos without feeling like it interferes with my pace. I began to appreciate my surroundings, like the way the sun cuts through the trees or the sound of wild animals moving through the woods. (Sightings include: foxes, coyotes, fishers, and really cool owls.)

And when I was done with power hiking, my body felt strong and powerful instead of beaten up and trashed. The recovery time was minimal. I could easily get out for a tough run the following day, as if the hike was nothing more than a walk in the park. As an added bonus and a thank you for getting their Sunday space back, my family often had pancakes or waffles waiting for me when I came home

There’s one other big reason to embrace the Sunday power hike. It’s not one I like to talk about much, but I know it’s there, looming ominously in the background. My runner’s clock is ticking, and when it counts down to zero it will take my main access point to outdoor environments along with it.  

If and when the day comes that my body will no longer allow me to run, I’ll need an alternative source for nature’s cure. By getting comfortable with power hiking now, I’m mentally preparing for the day when it becomes my primary mode of outdoor exploration. 

I don’t know what my running future holds, but I’m going to hold on to this new routine. Give it a try sometime. It’s amazing what you can see when you slow down long to appreciate what’s in front of you.  

How about you? What part of your running routine has been disrupted by COVID, and have you found interesting solutions that you plan to carry forward?