When I was younger, I could run for hours. Mile after mile, I would push myself to the limit. But now, as an adult, I find Running simply too difficult. Walking comes easily to me, but my body rebels when I try to run. What’s going on? Why can’t I run like I used to? As it turns out, there are several reasons why walking comes more naturally than running. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.

Why Can I Walk But Not Run?

There are many reasons that we walk before we run:

• Walking is one of the easiest exercises we can perform and does not require a lot of energy to do it.
• We can walk even if we have various running injuries.
• We can also walk even if we are overweight.
• Walking causes no strain on our ligaments, even on pavements.
• People can’t run if they are very out of shape and haven’t exercised in years.
• Maybe have a bad knee which makes running impossible
• Suffer from asthma flares up if they run.
• Temperatures can stop people from running if its too hot or cold
• If raining heavily, some runners won’t go out in the rain
• Surfaces can be too hard, especially pavements.

I will now look at these in more detail.

Walking is Easy

Walking is the easiest exercise that we can perform. We don’t need any gear other than a pair of runners. We do not require much energy to walk slowly, but if we walk quickly, we will expend more energy.  Walking will help us to become healthier. Brisk walking can help us to build stamina, burn calories and help make our hearts healthier.

Walking If Overweight

If you are overweight, walking is a great way to start getting active. Walking is a low-impact exercise that can help you lose weight and improve your overall health, whereas running is very hard when you are overweight. The more overweight you are, the harder it is to run.. It is also a good way to start getting used to being more active. When you walk, make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes.

Walking causes no strain on Ligaments

This is because when you walk, your feet are in contact with the ground longer than when you run. This means that the forces exerted on your ligaments are lower when you walk than when you run, causing less long-term damage. A lot of runners suffer ligament injuries when they run.

Out Of Shape

People can’t run if they are very out of shape and haven’t exercised in years. If you want to be able to run, you need to start by slowly adding some light exercise, such as walking, to your routine. Over time, your body will get used to the new activity, and you might be able to try a start-to-run program.

Bad Knee

A bad knee can make running impossible. If you are in pain and your knee is swelling up while trying to run, you will have no choice other than stop running and maybe try a program to help strengthen your injured knee. Even if you suffer from a knee injury, walking is still possible.

Asthma

Running can be nearly impossible if you suffer from severe asthma, even trying to inhale. Weather conditions plus asthma can also cause serious asthma flare-ups. If you suffer from Asthma, it can make it nearly impossible to breathe when trying to run. It is definitely easier to walk if you suffer from asthma as we are putting less stress on our bodies.

Temperatures

If the weather is too hot, it can be very hard to think about going running. Also, if the weather is too cold or the ground is icy, you may not be able to run. Even if you can run, you may have to adjust the time and pace you run depending on the weather. No matter the weather, it is still possible to walk, whether hot or cold.

Heavy Rain

Many runners, including me, refuse to go running if it is raining too heavily, as I know when I get wet, I get really cold, making it impossible for me to run.

Hard Surfaces

Some surfaces are very hard if we are continuously running on them. When a person is trying to start to run, they should run on either grass or a track. If these surfaces are not an option, we should run on tarmac roads rather than concrete. There is no bounce in concrete, so it is very hard on our joints. In comparison, if we are walking, we can walk on any surface.

Final Thoughts

We have now looked at the reasons why we find it easier to walk than to run. For each person, the reason varies as it depends on the person’s weight, health, and the likelihood of injury. I hope you now understand all these reasons.  Please comment below if there are other reasons you walk and can’t run.

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