As I discussed in detail in a previous blog post, Running Is A Really Bad Idea For Most Runners, humans were born to walk, lift heavy things, sprint, and play. We populated the world by walking (not running) and we avoided death by sprinting. Yes, of course we were also born to run. A little. Once in a while. But only as a result of lots of walking and a little sprinting. And carrying weights, and squatting, and climbing. Life trained us to be able to run occasionally…not daily. Running just for the sake of running would have been evolutionary suicide to our ancestors.
Note: I dismantle the widely misinterpreted “endurance hunter” theory early in Born To Walk. We did not rise to the top of the food chain by outlasting the great beasts over miles and miles of African savannah. Rather, we used our magnificent human brains to outsmart our prey while engaging in a combination of walking, tracking, sprinting, hiding, waiting, tracking, and jogging.
Furthermore, the fact that we can run doesn’t mean we should run daily and/or metronomically. Just as the fact that we can deadlift twice our bodyweight once in a while doesn’t mean it’s better for us if we do it daily. Throughout Born To Walk, I provide rationale and inspiration to convince you that walking is a better choice. I would argue that only around two percent of the total running community is genetically suited to running long distances on a regular basis without courting injury and illness. This too bears out in research, as only around two percent of global marathon finishers run faster than three hours. In the early days of the running boom, three hours was the cutoff point to call yourself a runner instead of a jogger. If only two percent of highly devoted endurance runners are really genetically suited for endurance excellence, this means only the smallest fraction of the population at large should even consider running as a fitness endeavor. Global estimates suggest that around 12 million people globally have completed a marathon–that’s 0.15% of the total population of 8.2 billion.
With very few exceptions, most of us would be much better served (fitter, leaner, healthier and much happier) running far less and, instead, developing our walking skills. For anyone other than a genetically gifted, truly competitive athlete, there is no good reason to run! There is no health benefit available from running that you can’t get in a similar or better (and less injury-prone) form from a host of other activities. Our ancestors walked 20,000 steps a day. They certainly didn’t run more than a few miles a week, if that.
If you would like permission to run, consider optimizing your approach so you don’t become another statistic of overuse injury, failed weight loss efforts, burnout, and eventually attrition. Instead, make walking the centerpiece of your cardiovascular exercise program. Remember, the world’s greatest endurance runners, like 1:59 marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, run the majority of the training miles at a comfortable pace. Detailed analysis of Kipchoge’s training logs reveals that he runs 83% of his weekly mileage in Zone 1–not the highly touted Zone 2, but the very comfortable and often overlooked Zone 1. Now, because Kipchoge is the GOAT of marathon racing, his Zone 1 pace is between 6:26 and 8:03/mile at high elevation. For you and I and the rest of the world’s mere mortals, Zone 1 typically is a medium-to-brisk walk. If you are a super-fit, highly competent runner, maybe Zone 1 is a light jog.
Besides being the centerpiece of lifelong functional fitness and even endurance competency, walking is the best way to build musculoskeletal resiliency with minimal risk of injury. In particular, walking in Peluvas allows for full foot functionality and range of motion, getting your feet stronger with every step. When you do decide to run–and you’ll probably do so in elevated, cushioned shoes like most runners–your feet will be better adapted to handle the potential drawbacks of cushioned shoes. The concepts shared here are discussed in further detail in Born To Walk, and you get get yourself a signed copy along with your shoe order at Peluva.com