Kiawah’s marathon is very “walker-friendly”. The time limit to complete the full marathon was 8 hours. I knew I could beat that since I walk a mile in no more than 15 minutes. I could finish the half-marathon in 3 hours, 15 minutes or so, less if I jogged just a little.

So in August, 16 weeks out from the big day, I began training in earnest. I registered for the 16 week course where Wendy e-mails the “walking assignments” for each week. I was at the minimum level of competence for Week 1, which was to walk 4 miles a time for 4 days a week. There are three short walks each week which start at 3 miles and work their way up to 4. The one day a week is the long walk. It starts at 4, climbs quickly to 7, then slowly builds up from there to 10. You then go back and forth down and up from 8 (taper weeks) until four weeks before the big day. Four weeks before the event, you do your “trial run” and do the full 13.1. Then you cut back to 6 to rest up for the big day.

I was excited when 16 weeks out arrived and I began the training. My walking week was from Saturday to Friday and I would usually go Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday to conflict little with work and space the walks out over the week. The short walks I would usually do in my subdivision which has sidewalks. Two laps around the street measured to be one mile. The long walks I would go to different places. Sometimes, I would go to the beach or maybe a state park. I settled in on a walking-biking trail close to my home which had mile markers to do my long walks. I purchased a pedometer which kept track of my steps and mileage and that kept me motivated. I was so set on my goal of December that I never missed a walk.

Since I was exercising, I began eating right. As a result, I began to lose the weight, very fast at first, (1/2 a pound a day or so), then much slower. But I kept marching down to my 175. I had not quite reached it by the marathon, but I was surely on the right track.

The big day arrived and I knew I was ready. I bettered my desired time in August by 30 minutes, finishing in 2 hours, 45 minutes. I received my medal and my inspiration was now reality. I knew I could do it and I went out and did it. In middle December, I reached the 175. What a glorious day! After ten years, I was finally back there. I had traveled back in time to a healthier me.

I became so hooked on the walking, I did two more half-marathons in Georgia and Alabama in February. I did a trail half-marathon just last week. I wanted to stay in training and have the inspiration to keep walking when I did not feel like it. The motivation has stuck since I have the inspiration of finishing another half-marathon. After much thinking about it, I am going back to Kiawah in December. This time, I will do the full 26.2 mile marathon. My goal is 6 hours and I know I can make it.

Is walking (half) marathons the thing for you? Maybe, maybe not. You just need to find your motivation and inspiration. I am glad I found mine and I hope my story helps you find yours.