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The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

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Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#41
post #12

Lately I've been walking 20 km per day (~12.5 mi). Takes at least 3.5 hours. I try not to listen to any audio -- I just let my mind wander. To step it up a notch, I put on a weighted backpack (i.e. ruck). I'm typically carrying 30 lbs, sometimes 50. This raises the heart rate and roughly doubles the caloric burn. Low injury risk, too. Michael Easter's book "Comfort Crisis" has a nice chapter on rucking. I just wish i…

> Lately I've been walking 20 km per day (~12.5 mi)

This is crazy distance, keep it up.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#42

I do my best thinking while walking. I wish more people did the same.. just the basic idea of letting a thought sink in for awhile. I will say that walking and staring at your phone is NOT the same thing as walking with your thoughts alone. Hell, I don't even put headphones on anymore while walking.

I'm the same way when cycling. Solved many of the tougher problems I've faced while commuting to and from work. I have yet to take the bike out with the only intention of clearing my mind, though.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#43
post #3

https://www.applemust.com/here-is-why-apples-steve-jobs-love...

I’m sorry Steve Jobs was perfectly chiseled to deliver apple products but to take any other part of his life as inspiration is just wrong. He tried to cure his cancer with carrots and abused his daughter. we should stop idolizing him.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#44
post #40
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 20 km per day (~12.5 mi) That is some serious distance. I remember thinking I would be able to do at least 25-35 km per day, a few years ago when I walked parts of the camino de Santiago in Spain. Blisters and destroyed feet in just a few days, not ever reaching 30 km per day I think.. How long did it take you to get used to this kind of distance daily?

Does the quality of shoe matters here ?

Yes, but in my experience the quality of your socks matters much more. A single wrinkle is gonna give you a nice blister within 5km. Get nice socks and pack blister bandages. Those things are like magic.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#45
post #40
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 20 km per day (~12.5 mi) That is some serious distance. I remember thinking I would be able to do at least 25-35 km per day, a few years ago when I walked parts of the camino de Santiago in Spain. Blisters and destroyed feet in just a few days, not ever reaching 30 km per day I think.. How long did it take you to get used to this kind of distance daily?

Does the quality of shoe matters here ?

Absolutely. Not only the size, but the general shape and the technologies of the shoe. For walking/running (not hiking as the parent post is discussing) I like the Ultra Boost line of shoes with their "torsion system", breathable knit upper material, and lightweight foam outer sole. Comfiest shoes I own.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#46
post #40
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 20 km per day (~12.5 mi) That is some serious distance. I remember thinking I would be able to do at least 25-35 km per day, a few years ago when I walked parts of the camino de Santiago in Spain. Blisters and destroyed feet in just a few days, not ever reaching 30 km per day I think.. How long did it take you to get used to this kind of distance daily?

Does the quality of shoe matters here ?

I think in my experience the size of the shoe matters hugely, more than the quality. Slightly too loose or slightly too tight will lead to blisters if you do an unusual (for you) amount of walking.

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#47
post #40
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 20 km per day (~12.5 mi) That is some serious distance. I remember thinking I would be able to do at least 25-35 km per day, a few years ago when I walked parts of the camino de Santiago in Spain. Blisters and destroyed feet in just a few days, not ever reaching 30 km per day I think.. How long did it take you to get used to this kind of distance daily?

Does the quality of shoe matters here ?

Probably but it's one of many factors.

When I (not parent) went to the Camino de Santiago, I was already an experienced hiker (I could certainly walk 30kms in a day and I had done it many times) and I brought a good pair of shoes with me (that I used before without getting any blisters).

But my feet were just not ready to take 30km per day for many, many days in a row. It's one thing to do it just during weekends, doing it every day is a different beast.

Eventually it got better, but it took a while for me to get used to it (and a whole lot of Compeed plasters).

My advice for anyone who is going, would be to start gradually (maybe 10-15 km/day) and then over time go for longer and longer walks.

Edit: I totally agree with the sibling comment about socks being just as important, if not more, than shoes

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#48
post #12

Lately I've been walking 20 km per day (~12.5 mi). Takes at least 3.5 hours. I try not to listen to any audio -- I just let my mind wander. To step it up a notch, I put on a weighted backpack (i.e. ruck). I'm typically carrying 30 lbs, sometimes 50. This raises the heart rate and roughly doubles the caloric burn. Low injury risk, too. Michael Easter's book "Comfort Crisis" has a nice chapter on rucking. I just wish i…

That's a lot of time spent walking, how does a typical day look for you in terms of work?

Re: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking (2014) [pdf]

#50
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I walk 20km/day and do a 90min cardio/weights workout. No rest days. All comes down to conditioning and your baseline.

How do you have enough time for this? 20km/day is around 4 hours of walking even at above average speeds

No kids and never worked on someone else's schedule (mid 40s). I do a lot of email and conceptional work while walking so it's technically not leisure time.
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