Walking makes athletes of us all

Want to lose weight, get fit and be happier?
Start walking.
That's the word from those who have embraced the activity, saying that the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other has changed their lives.
"I'm a completely different person than I was five years ago," says Annmarie Bruning, who's lost 40 pounds and quit smoking since being encouraged to join a walking team at work.
"I was literally coming off the couch when I took my first walking clinic," says the 39-year-old Southeast Portland resident, who recently took fifth place in her division in the Portland Marathon. "And now, I feel like I'm an athlete."
Like many fleet-of-foot Portlanders, Bruning credits Judy Heller -- the woman who taught that initial clinic -- for getting her moving.
One of the region's foremost experts on walking, the 58-year-old Heller has spent the last 25 years promoting its benefits. In doing so, she's helped turn a simple movement into a fitness revolution, one that almost anyone can join.
"I think we're all athletes," says Heller, herself a master racewalker. "We just haven't had a way to channel it."
Heller, former director of the Portland to Coast walk relay, is president of the personal training firm EroFit as well as the newly formed Wonders of Walking, a company whose sole purpose is made clear by its slogan: "Events for walkers by walkers."
"Walkers want their own events," Heller says. "They don't want them to be tied to runners' races."
First out of the gate: the Willamette Valley Relay, a two-day event scheduled for July 16-17, 2004. The 145-mile course will take participants over winding scenic back roads from Champoeg State Park to Eugene.
Heller's peers think she's on the right track.
"Judy and I are on the same page about the fact that walking is a great thing for most people to do," says Ellie Hodder, founder of the Women Walk the Marathon program, which coaches walkers for the Portland Marathon.
"Sometimes walkers apologize for 'just' walking," Hodder says. "I think that one of the nice things that Judy's trying to do with the Wonders of Walking is to take away the apology. There are a lot of people who walk because they flat-out love it, and we all know that the exercise you'll do is the one that you enjoy."

'I am competitive'

Professional disillusionment led Heller to her current career.
"I moved into the fitness field when I saw the direction that the health care industry was going in," says the former medical researcher. "It became clear that people would have to become advocates for their own health."
Heller wasn't always a jock. Like many women of her era, she wasn't athletic in high school.
"No girl wanted to sweat then," says Heller, who lives in Northeast Portland with her husband, Dave Heller.
While living in Eugene in the late '70s, a friend suggested she enter a race walk.
"I was nervous on the way to the race, so I kept saying to myself, 'I am competitive, I am competitive,' " she recalls with a smile. "After that race, I was hooked."
Walking has done more for Heller than fuel her competitive fire; it's also helped her avoid what many women her age consider a necessary evil: hormone replacement therapy. "I just take calcium, an antioxidant and a multiple vitamin each day," says the mother of two grown sons.

Slow and sure is good for you

Not only did the tortoise beat the hare, he probably dropped more weight in the process.
"Studies show that racewalking burns more calories than running," says Heller, explaining that more muscles are consistently engaged while walking than while running. "Running is more like a series of small leaps."
Because of the lessened impact, injuries are much less likely among walkers. "The biggest risk in walking is from repetition of movement, which is why it's important to cross-train," Heller says. "Mix it up by adding swimming, running or biking so that you're working other muscle groups."
Because proper footwear is an essential part of injury prevention, Heller recommends buying walking shoes at a store that specializes in fitness shoes.
"I tell my clients to look for the 'three F's' in shoes," she says. "Find shoes that have a good fit; are flat, because you want a heel-to-toe rolling motion; and are flexible. You should be able to fold a shoe as you hold it one hand."
Few activities can boast the benefits of walking. According to the 20-year-long Nurses' Health Study, walking dramatically reduces the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes, while warding off osteoporosis and arthritis.
Jayne Lancaster, 46, has arthritis and a type A personality. Both led her to join Joints in Motion, the National Arthritis Foundation's marathon-training program that Heller teaches for walkers.
"I started walking at 44," says Lancaster, a West Linn resident. "The change was unbelievable -- the pounds fell off, and I'd never been so fit."
Now, she also runs and is prepping to run her second Boston Marathon. She relies on Heller to keep her healthy.
"Judy is very conservative about overstressing the body," says Lancaster, who includes walking in her cross-training. "She'll even tell me to eat more when I'm looking too thin!"
Less energetic individuals will be pleased to learn that an effective walking program need not dominate one's life.
"Walking for 45 minutes at a 15 minute-per-mile pace at least five times per week is a good goal to shoot for," says Heller, who charges $60 for a private coaching session and as little as $7 per participant for a group walking class.

City's a step ahead

The experts agree: The Rose City is an excellent place to lace up and go, regardless of one's speed.
"Portland is considered one of the best cities to walk a marathon in," Heller says. Hodder, who lives in Southeast Portland, agrees:
"Portland is a great walking town; we almost never have the kind of weather that makes it impossible to get outside."
City planners have been mindful of walkers in their work, Hodder says. "Without a doubt, it's one of the most walker-friendly places in the world."
And walkers are a friendly group, as the enthusiasts will tell you.
"Walking is something you can do socially and chat, or something you can do aerobically and really get a good workout," Bruning says.
Heller echoes that sentiment with her signature enthusiasm:
"It's all about moving and having fun."

Contact Jill Spitznass at- jspitznass@portlandtribune.com .