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It seems as though the number of racewalkers here in Austin is slowly but steadily growing. That number is still small compared to the number of runners, walkers and cyclists on our streets and trails. But we are making progress introducing new people to the sport and once people learn it, they invariably introduce others to it, so we have high hopes that we’ll all be seeing a lot more racewalking around here in the future.

Racewalking: A Great Workout With 1/3 the Impact
Racewalk in Finland


One of the beauties of racewalking is that it provides a great cardio workout, comparable to running, but with a smooth, fluid motion that imparts only about 1/3 the impact of running. Of course, some runners can continue on into their '80s with never a problem but there are others who find that their joints suffer from the pounding on streets and trails. For them, racewalking can be a great alternative.

But racewalking is different from running in that it is something that you have to learn how to do. Some people pick it up more quickly than others. If you have other racewalkers around whom you can mimic and who will give you pointers, that is a great help. It is also very beneficial, in the early stages, to have someone video your racewalking so you can see what you are doing and make corrections. But once someone does learn the racewalking technique and begins to pick up smoothness, speed and endurance, it is wonderfully fun, satisfying and, for many, highly addictive!

And, yes, your back, hips, knees, legs and feet may thank you for taking up racewalking!

Racewalking Contest
While, right now, you may see racewalkers on our Austin trails only occasionally, if you were in Europe, Asia or Latin America, that would not be the case. You would see them by the hundreds. The sport is very popular in many countries across the world. Here in the USA, while the sport is still small, we have men's and women's US Olympic Racewalk Teams and there are growing racewalking clubs in towns and cities all across the country.



There are only two rules to racewalking: one foot must be on the ground at all times and the front knee must be straight from the time the heel hits the ground until the body passes over it. The characteristic hip motion of the racewalker is caused by the walker pulling his front leg strongly backward from the hip, extending the leg behind him as his opposite leg pivots forward, which adds an extra six inches or so to each stride. Put together a fluid movement, good hip extension, a strong vault forward off the back toes, plus a lot of endurance, and the result can be surprisingly fast: world-class walkers get up to around a 6-minute mile pace.

Of course, most recreational racewalkers are not quite that speedy. Depending on level of expertise, age, conditioning and many other factors, the typical local racewalker walks at somewhere between an eight and a fourteen minute mile pace. a twelve or thirteen minute mile training pace is probably typical. If you look at video of racewalkers, recreational and otherwise (such as this video from Racewalk Planet) you will see two distinctly different styles: a more flat-footed, walking-based, fitness-oriented racewalk and an off-the-toes running-based competition-oriented version. Both are within the rules but the latter is what competitive racewalkers do. And it is what all racewalkers who strive for faster times, winning races or just getting their heart rates up to their maximum training level have to learn, eventually, if they have not started out that way.

People were racewalking in contests as long ago as the 17th century but the sport was not formalized with rules until the late 19th century. In 1908 it became an Olympic sport for men, in 1992 for women.

Developing a smooth, efficient, running-based racewalking technique that allows you to go really fast can take time. Many experienced racewalkers will tell you that they worked on their technique for years before they started to concentrate more on building strength, endurance and maximizing their speed. Of course, not every racewalker even wants to go fast or has any interest in racing; they just want to do it for fun and fitness.

Racewalking is an activity that feels wonderful once you learn a smooth, efficient technique. It's kind of like smoothly flowing down the track or trail, rather than pounding along. And for those who enjoy the training process for itself -- for its creative nature -- learning how to racewalk well, getting better and better at it over time as you work on your technique and endurance, can be very gratifying.

Olympic Racewalkers
Living here in Austin is a former Olympic racewalker, Vincent O'Sullivan, who was on the American racewalk team in the 1984 Olympics and John Knifton, who was a world-class competitor on the British racewalk team in 1970’s.

In addition, our Alberto Medina, a masters racewalker whom you may see training on the Hike & Bike Trail, racewalked in the World Masters Championships in Riccione, Italy in September 2007. Alberto walked the 10km (6.21 miles) and 20km (12.43 miles) races at 56:02 and 1:55:29, respectively. That's about a 9 minute per mile pace!

If you are new to racewalking but it is something that you think you might enjoy and benefit from, then please take a look at the Events and Links pages on this website. We have had, in the past, occasional small, informal free clinics for racewalkers. Racewalking coach Dave McGovern has been here twice recently to hold a two-day clinic and that could happen again. Or feel free to send an email to this website, to see if you can arrange a get-together with a local racewalker on the Hike & Bike Trail or elsewhere for some basic start-up instruction.

Website by Gary Davis. Armadillo Logo by Noah Davis.