CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! You have signed up for a marathon. (Noted: a marathon is an running event which is the distance of 42.195 kilometres, 26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards to be exact...nothing LESS. There is something called a Half Marathon.) Or perhaps you have decided to lace up your shoes, go outside and move. Either way, that is awesome (and wishing I could use the party explosion emojis here to express how excited I really am for you)!
BUT...let's define and understand what we are really doing here.
1. I want to be very clear, that the longer the distance does not make a better athlete. There are different types of athletes.
2. Everyone has different goals - so establish what your real goals are.
3. Which gets me to the reason I am writing this...
are you a runner?
or are you a walker...and a damn good one
There is a big difference between the two
You can become a very fast walker. In fact, check out these world records of speed walking...I can't even run that!
20km: 1:16:36 by Japanese Racewalker, Yusuke Suzuki
50km: imagine running a 50km this fast, let alone, WALK it! 3:32:33 from Frenchman, Yohann Diniz
Again, I ask: Are you a runner or a walker? No shame in walking...look how amazing these athletes are! Own it, if that is what you are. But if you are a walker and wish to be a runner...a runner who as aspirations of longer and longer distances, try addressing your biomechanics at much shorter distances.
It is like going from a chunky shoe and dropping to a minimal one; it takes time. One needs to develop strength, mobility and understand movement before increasing volume of distance. And if you wish to keep walking...keep on walking! It is a great form of exercise.
Either way, I hope you now know and understand the difference between how these two movements are defined.