The Long Walk

[-Animal]

I’m reading The Long Walk by Bachman/King, sort of appropriate for what I’m about to do, and was thinking it would make a great contest. Removing the death part, adding some rules to make it more civilized, and making it an elimination endurance contest. Say 1,000 contestants pay $100 each to enter and the last one walking gets the cash.

For those of you who never read the book- 100 contestants enter a walking contest where if you drop below 4mph you are warned, if you go below 4mph you are warned again. You get 3 warnings on the 4th time you drop below 4mph you are shot dead. If you walk an hour without getting a warning you loose a warning. The last one walking wins the prize. (Basically whatever you want.)

How long do you think you could walk?

[Storm]

I'd be dead pretty quick. 4mph is like running for me.

[max patch]

Assuming that one has to walk or hike -- running or jogging is not permitted -- i can dayhike at a 15 min mile pace for 5 miles. (1 hr 15 minutes.) After that I slow down.

[MuddyWaters]

About 60% of the finishers in the Western States 100 average less than 4mph, so Id agree yes its essentially running, and few people could make it very far at that pace.

[Papa D]

This depends on the terrain - are we talking walking down a road - no problem. When I'm in really good trail shape, I can do 20 miles in 5 hours on most of the AT - especially where the trail is a little "soft" - (i.e. Shenandoah). I can also run a 4 hour marathon (give or take 10 minutes) it is not really realistic for me to hold that pace for more than a 20 mile day on harder parts of the AT - especially somewhere like Southern Maine or big / down parts of the trail in parts of NC and TN - there, I'd guess I'd be dodging bullets.

[Sierra Echo]

"The death part" was what made the story so good.

[Rusty Nail]

If it were 4mph or die I think I would not give up very easily, you know the whole self-preservation thing.Take away the gun and its all about the money, well then your greed has to overcome your pain. I would probably just trip others until I was the last one standing. Call it the Mad Max strategy.

[BlakeGrice]

if its walk 4 mph or die, I'd never drop below the 4. Period. I have small kids- I'd walk however fast it took me to stay alive. Sounds like a good book!

[fiddlehead]

I read that book years ago and often think of it during my runs and uphill walks.

I used to be able to maintain a 4mph pace but I doubt it anymore.
Maybe for 4 or 5 miles at best.

[Bronk]

I spent 2 days in a tent outside Erwin reading that book..