Walk Chair Corner

By Eleanor Mariani

Training Today = A Better Walk Day!

The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation Walk for a Cure is more than a single day in October—it's a journey that begins with training. Every training walk helps build your endurance, strengthens your muscles, and gives you the opportunity to discover what works best for you before Walk Day arrives. 

Remember: never try anything new on Walk Day! Use your training walks to test your shoes, socks, clothing, hydration, and nutrition. Consistent training is one of the best ways to enjoy a safe, successful, and memorable experience.  

We will be holding two monitored training walks that will provide snacks and hydration:  An 18 mile in Old Saybrook on August 30, and a 20 mile walk in Mystic on September 12.  The routes are broken into 6- and 8-mile segments, for those who want to walk a shorter route. Registered walkers will receive information about these walks.

Keep Blisters from Slowing You Down

Blisters are one of the most common reasons walkers become uncomfortable during long-distance events—but they're also one of the easiest problems to prevent.

Here are a few proven tips:

• Buy your walking shoes about a half-size larger than your everyday shoes. Your feet naturally swell during long walks, and the extra room helps reduce pressure and friction on your toes.
• Break in your shoes well before Walk Day. Never wear brand-new shoes for a long event.
• Choose moisture-wicking socks instead of cotton. Dry feet are much less likely to blister.
• If you know where you usually get blisters, protect those "hot spots" with blister tape or moleskin before you begin your walk.
• Pay attention to your feet. If you start to feel rubbing or a "hot spot," stop and address it immediately. A two-minute stop can prevent a painful blister later. Visit our nursing staff at one of our 9 Pit Stops.
• Keep your toenails trimmed to reduce pressure inside your shoes on long walks.

Most importantly, listen to your body. Increase your mileage gradually, stay hydrated, fuel yourself with healthy snacks during longer walks, and enjoy the camaraderie of our organized training walks. Every mile you train now makes Walk Day more enjoyable.

Rest assured that if you do develop blisters or have a medical issue on Walk Day, we have nursing staff at each Pit Stop that can help you out – just make sure to train so you can keep a 14 – 20 minute mile pace to ensure the Pit Stops are open when you need them. Additionally, bicyclists will be covering the walk route, and a vehicle will be available that can take you to the next Pit Stop if you do need assistance. 

We hope to see you on the training route.  With preparation, we'll be ready on October 3rd to make every step count in the fight against breast cancer. Check out our Walker Guide  for more tips and training resources.