john gault
01-08-2011, 12:43
I've always wanted to take up running, but never really could get into it. The reason was because I always thought of running as the ultimate cardio/overall body activity, but I just never felt natural when I ran and I also was starting to get fat, much like all people do as they age; before my hike in 2006 I was really starting to ballon up.
That was the whole idea behind my thru-hike -- A complete body overhaul and to restart my approach to physical activity to maintain a healthy body.
My thinking was, when you look at the mechanics of hiking up hill vs. walking on the flats it seems as though it is much like running. It seems as though you must push off the same way while hiking up hill as you do when running, whereas when walking on flat land you're placing a foot down and then you kind of pull forward using totally different muscles. Is this right?
At any rate it worked. Soon after my thru-hike I started running and still am to this day and consider myself an avid runner. It was the easiest transition I ever made to a new physical activity. So was I on to something or did I just give-in and start running?
BTW, this is me in 2006. Look at all them rolls and that puggy face...Never again:D
That was the whole idea behind my thru-hike -- A complete body overhaul and to restart my approach to physical activity to maintain a healthy body.
My thinking was, when you look at the mechanics of hiking up hill vs. walking on the flats it seems as though it is much like running. It seems as though you must push off the same way while hiking up hill as you do when running, whereas when walking on flat land you're placing a foot down and then you kind of pull forward using totally different muscles. Is this right?
At any rate it worked. Soon after my thru-hike I started running and still am to this day and consider myself an avid runner. It was the easiest transition I ever made to a new physical activity. So was I on to something or did I just give-in and start running?
BTW, this is me in 2006. Look at all them rolls and that puggy face...Never again:D