It will take time to prepare for The Weekend, but with the proper training anyone can walk 60km. We want to share our Suggested Training Guidelines with you. This guide is an ideal plan that you can follow as far out as twenty four weeks before the event.  If this plan doesn't fit into your schedule, please don't get discouraged! Just do as much as you can and do it consistently.

Select Suggested Training Guidelines to print your guide and start walking today! 

Stretching regularly before and after your training walks and workouts will help you attain and maintain flexibility. This will have tremendous payoffs for you during The Walk - muscle pain, stiffness, injuries, and fatigue will all be lessened.

Click here to see the stretches that should be incorporated into your weekly training schedule.

• Join an official Weekend Training Walk. You can find a listing of Training Walks in your area by visiting the online Training Walk Calendar, or by calling us at . Walking in a Training Walk or team is safer than walking alone.
• Avoid isolated areas. Stick to well-lit, well-traveled paths.
• If you’re walking at night, wear bright, light-coloured clothing and put reflective tape on your jacket and shoes.
• Before you leave, let someone know where you are going and when you’ll return.
• Bring your ID and mobile phone.
• Don’t wear jewelry or bring any valuable items.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your walk. Drink every 15 minutes. If you’re walking for more than an hour or two, bring snacks to eat along the way.
• Stretch before, during, and after your walk.

You may feel like you have no time to train, and that’s understandable. But if you take a moment to look at your schedule, you may find blocks of training time you hadn’t considered before. Try walking before work, or taking a short stroll on your lunch hour. Walk to the store instead of driving. Set aside portions of your weekend to train. Walking with a team or another Walker is a great way to keep motivated. You can push each other through those final kilometres, and keep each other company along the way.

In order to build endurance, you may want to try interval training. Just start out walking slowly. Pick up your pace to a brisk walk for a minute, then return to your original pace for a few minutes. Then repeat the cycle. Ideally, your goal is to work up to a consistent pace of about 5km per hour or faster.

Other types of exercise like running, bicycling, stair stepping, skating, and skiing will help you strengthen your walking muscles. In the winter months, your training may be confined to the gym or a treadmill. But remember that in order to be fully prepared for The Weekend, you must train outside, on foot, using similar shoes and equipment to what you will have on the event. And don’t forget to work some hills into your walks they can be much more demanding than flat terrain.

If the weather outside isn’t ideal, you should not derail your training regimen. Make sure you’re wearing warm layers before you head outside. Wear synthetic fabrics, since cotton tends to absorb moisture and chill you. In the rain or snow, wear a waterproof outer layer with secure closures around your neck and wrists.

You should take at least one day off per week to rest and recover. Don’t get so enthusiastic about training that you injure yourself before the event begins. Pace yourself. When you’re walking with others, don’t force yourself to walk faster than your ability. Take your time, and work slowly up to increased distances and faster paces.