The Walking King

 

Until the last four months of her life, my mother walked everywhere. At the age of 77, she was still conquering both hills and valleys as she “hoofed it” to town and back. In the early ’50s my impatient father gave her a brief driving lesson which consisted of one trip around the horse track at the fairgrounds. After putting up with about three minutes' worth of Dad’s nagging and criticism, Mom declared that she would never again get behind the wheel, so she continued to walk.

Perhaps because of Mom’s influence,  I walk at least a half hour every day. About twenty years ago my cousin Rick and I trained for several weeks so that we could make a 55-mile journey on foot to the state’s biggest city. The first half of that trip covered hilly terrain, but we were in great shape. However, we awakened the next morning to discover painful blisters on our feet. Needless to say, the second half of the trip took quite a bit longer than the first half, but we were determined to finish even if we had to crawl.

But my family and I are mere amateurs in the field of walking when compared to one Edward Payson Weston. Born in 1839, he perhaps more than any other person ignited a long-distance walking craze.

IN 1860, Weston lost a bet when Abraham Lincoln was elected president. As a result, he had to walk from Boston to Washington, D. C. to attend the presidential inauguration. He covered the almost five hundred-mile trip in under ten and a half days, arriving late for the inauguration but in time to attend the inaugural ball.

Turning professional, he won a $10,000 prize in 1867 for a walk of over 1,200 miles from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois. This took 26 days. He and rival walkers were considered heroes, much as football and basketball players are today.

Usually he would eat while he walked, and he would take brief naps along the route. Sometimes friendly folks would invite him in for a meal and give him a roof over his head while he slept.

In 1869 he covered more than 1,000 miles through snowy New England in 30 days. He spent several years in Europe. IN 1876 he defeated the English race walking champion in a 24-hour, 115-mile competition. The Englishman quit after 65.6 miles, which he covered in 14 hours. Weston, however, continued for the full 24 hours, covering almost 110 miles. He was victorious once again in 1879 when he won a 550-mile race against “Blower” Brown, the British champion.

In 1906, he traveled over 100 miles, from Philadelphia to New York, in less than 24 hours. In 1907, although nearing the age of 70, he once again completed the Portland-to-Chicago trip, beating his old time by more than 24 hours. His last major walk, from New York City to Minneapolis, was covered in 51 days.

Even in old age, Weston continued to urge people to walk for the health benefits that it accrued. He believed that automobiles were making people fat and lazy.

Ironically, in 1927 Weston was hit by a New York City taxicab, and as a result was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. His long life ended in 1929.

Weston is correct; most Americans do need more exercise, and walking is a cheap and fun way to get it. Thank goodness, however, one doesn’t need to walk from Portland to Chicago to reap the health benefits.