This week the Ecos Parkrun team have recently announced that they are launching the Walk @ Parkrun. Usually every Saturday morning people from Ballymena meet up at the Ecos Centre to run the 5K circuit together – now even more people can join in because the event has been opened up to invite walkers!
It starts at 9.30am.
Walk @ Parkrun is suitable for all ages and abilities and it’s free to take part. Here are some of the reasons why walking is en excellent pass time to encourage you to join in the weekly walk @ Parkrun.
Walking is simple, free, and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier.
Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.
You don’t have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
For other exercise ideas, check out our exercise guides.
Before you start
Any shoes or trainers that are comfortable, provide adequate support and don’t cause blisters will do.
If you’re walking to work, you could wear your usual work clothes with a comfy pair of shoes and change shoes when you get into work.
For long walks, you may want to take some water, healthy snacks, a spare top, sunscreen and a sunhat in a small backpack.
If you start going for longer walks regularly, you may want to invest in a waterproof jacket and some specialist walking shoes for more challenging routes.
How do I know if I’m walking fast enough?
A brisk walk is about 3 miles an hour, which is faster than a stroll.
One way to tell if you’re walking briskly is if you can still talk but can’t sing the words to a song. (Source)
To join in sign up online for your free barcode via the parkrun website and select #ParkWalk as your Club.