To those of you who exercise 'on the road'

[Dujon]

I know that some of our contributors undertake a running regime. I don't run but I have for the last six months or so, after a rather long hiatus, taken up brisk walks around and about my somewhat hilly terrain.

So far, so good; my cardiovascular system seems to be reasonable in that I'm no longer gasping for breath after the first fifty metres and, even on the steepest hill, I breath without discomfort through my nose rather than any other orifice.

I walk on average about five kilometres a day. Today, as an example, I have ambled 4.5 Km and expect to perambulate a couple more this afternoon.

So: A question to those of you who do this sort of physical penance; how is it possible to convince one's legs and feet to cooperate? I don't mean during the act but their reactions after the event. I find that lying in bed at night my legs seem to be hot, my toes and feet are subject to sporadic tics (which can be painful - I think some describe them as cramps) overcome only by a vigorous and counter-intuitive bending of the joints or a session somewhat equivalent to doing the 'Sugar Plum Fairy' up and down the hall.

Answers in a plain brown envelope, please.

[enfieldwhite]

It's important to warm up the muscles prior to exercise. It's equally important to warm down, too. When your muscles are 'cold' they are up to 20% shorter than after rigorous exercise.

I find it beneficial, some don't.

Heres a link to some opposing views. Hope it helps.

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/ar ... search.php

[jaffka]

Before excercise, mobilise the joints and stretch and after excercise, stretch. Simple.

[TANGODANCER]

How old are you now Duj? (you can answer that in a plain brown envelope). Reason I ask, as you get older your energy levels do drop visibly. It's a fact and I've experienced it and accept it. I approach things slightly less aggressively these days even though I've always loved excercise. Why not make the walks less "brisk " and more pleasurable? Shorten the distance and take two ambles instead of one. You could also, as some have suggested, warm down by making th last part of the walk your means of doing this. Above all, accept that age is a factor and can't be denied. Things don't recover with the same speed or sufficiency as they once did. "There was a time when I could" is a truth and something to be proud of. There is also a time when you couldn't and can't. Accepting this and acting accordingly makes for a better and more comfortable life. I know, because I was that soldier.

[BWFC_Insane]

If you are suffering from cramps after exercise, try isotonic drinks to replace salt levels and provide energy. Also try eating bananas!

[jimbo]

Do some LIGHT stretches after exercise and maybe some low intensity things to keep the joints moving such as go on an exercise bike for a couple of minutes on low resistance. Then give your legs a bit of a 'rub down' yourself. You don't have to be a professional masseuse, just enough to make you feel a bit better.

[LeeRoyBrown]

I am one of them crazy folk who loves running long distances!!

Eating properly before and after your exercise is important. Isotonic sport drinks are very good for hydration and salt levels as someone has already suggested. Pasta and fruit are a good source of healthy carbs. Stretching after exercise is essential and warm downs could help.

Maybe have a bath after your walks and relax the muscles?

[Worthy4England]

I find a good few pints of Old Peculiar seems to help. It's not compulsory to wear a beard.

[William the White]

I walk most days for an hour or so. Weekends longer. I take a long lukewarm shower at the end. Follwed by a large glass of red wine.

[hisroyalgingerness]

warming up for the 10k quite nicely now, hoping to do it in 50 mins

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

The road is tough on somebody my age, as I discovered fairly recently when I had a stress fracture in my left tibia as a result of road/hill/mountain running, so it's probably even more so for somebody of your slightly more advanced years.

I don't suppose you would consider cycling as a low impact exercise option?

[superjohnmcginlay]

There's a lot to be said for sitting down.

[blurred]

There's a lot to be said for sitting down.

That's an awful lot of effort. Have you not considered lying down?

[superjohnmcginlay]

There's a lot to be said for sitting down.

That's an awful lot of effort. Have you not considered lying down?

Gotta keep trim somehow.

[Dujon]

Good grief! I didn't expect the sort of response which my question has elicited. Thanks to all of you.

Perhaps I'd best come clean as to why I've taken up this paltry bit of exercise. I'm 65 years of age (which will answer a couple of your questions), I smoke and I drink (both to excess). I don't eat regularly - usually once a day, but I do eat the 'right things' when I finally succumb to hunger. I could lose a few kilograms of mass from around my waist but not from anywhere else.

In other words I'm ashamed of what I have allowed myself to become. As one of our more venerable friends has mentioned 'I used to be able to . . . ' is very much a part of this renaissance. I will bow down to age when it becomes an imperative, but not before.

On the subjects of warming up and cooling down I am ambivalent. That doesn't mean that I think that they are wrong as it is more that I'm not undertaking severe (or even 'high impact') activities. To put that statement into perspective I, on average, do the 4.5 Km trundle at the rather sedate rate of 6 Km/hr (for those of you too tired to work it out that means about 10 minutes per Kilometre or 45 minutes for the round trip). I suspect that a marathon podium is well beyond my reach.

Taking your various comments and swirling them around in the conscious part of my brain leads me to the conclusion that I need to be a wee bit more alert to my diet. Should such a variation of intake exclude the imbibing of the odd litre or so of white wine per diem then I will put up with the minor inconvenience of curled up toes.

[Traf]

Exercising and eating healthily doesn't make you live longer.

It just feels like longer.

[Dujon]

Exercising and eating healthily doesn't make you live longer.

It just feels like longer.

Ah, Traf, I wonder whether you know?

[BWFC_Insane]

Good grief! I didn't expect the sort of response which my question has elicited. Thanks to all of you.

Perhaps I'd best come clean as to why I've taken up this paltry bit of exercise. I'm 65 years of age (which will answer a couple of your questions), I smoke and I drink (both to excess). I don't eat regularly - usually once a day, but I do eat the 'right things' when I finally succumb to hunger. I could lose a few kilograms of mass from around my waist but not from anywhere else.

In other words I'm ashamed of what I have allowed myself to become. As one of our more venerable friends has mentioned 'I used to be able to . . . ' is very much a part of this renaissance. I will bow down to age when it becomes an imperative, but not before.

On the subjects of warming up and cooling down I am ambivalent. That doesn't mean that I think that they are wrong as it is more that I'm not undertaking severe (or even 'high impact') activities. To put that statement into perspective I, on average, do the 4.5 Km trundle at the rather sedate rate of 6 Km/hr (for those of you too tired to work it out that means about 10 minutes per Kilometre or 45 minutes for the round trip). I suspect that a marathon podium is well beyond my reach.

Taking your various comments and swirling them around in the conscious part of my brain leads me to the conclusion that I need to be a wee bit more alert to my diet. Should such a variation of intake exclude the imbibing of the odd litre or so of white wine per diem then I will put up with the minor inconvenience of curled up toes.

Just try isotonic drinks during and after exercise and bananas. That will help stop the cramps.

Also some people swear by warm milk after exercise, claiming it helps muscles recover.

But deffo try the isotonic drinks as thats what they do, stop the cramps after exercise!

[TANGODANCER]

I will bow down to age when it becomes an imperative, but not before.

Hey, I'm sure not advocating bowing to it mate, I'm seventy in September and still work full time and travel to Manchester every day to do it. I get walk, bus, walk, train, walk to work, and in reverse going home. My job is 30% physical and 70% office but I still use up some shoe leather in a year. No indeed, don't give in to age, just acknowlege its presence and accept that things need toning down some. As long as you can keep putting one foot in front of the other, you'll get by.

[jaffka]

Hey, I'm sure not advocating bowing to it mate, I'm seventy in September and still work full time and travel to Manchester every day to do it. I get walk, bus, walk, train, walk to work, and in reverse going home. My job is 30% physical and 70% office but I still use up some shoe leather in a year. No indeed, don't give in to age, just acknowlege its presence and accept that things need toning down some. As long as you can keep putting one foot in front of the other, you'll get by.

Is this you at work in Manchester?