The Power Of Walking

Walking Is Not Something To Be Taken For Granted, It Has Amazing Health Benefits

(CBS)  This story originally aired on Jan. 21, 2007.

Walking is just so natural, so ordinary, so instinctual, even a baby can do it. But there's walking and then there is Scott Williamson's kind of walking.

To call him a "walker" would be like calling Luciano Pavoratti a crooner or Michael Jordan a mere ballplayer. Williamson is a walker extraordinaire. He is what is called a yoyo.

"That phrase is used because I'm starting in Mexico, hiking northbound to Canada and turning around and headed all the way back, so it's mimicking the motion of a yoyo," he told Sunday Morning correspondent Bill Whitaker.

Williamson hiked 5,310 miles from Mexico to Canada and back, traversing the wild and wondrous Pacific Crest Trail, the West Coast cousin of the shorter, more famous Appalachian Trail in the east. In the small but growing world of long-distance hiking, Scott Williamson is a rock star.

"The trail's over 2,500 miles long, but it's only about a foot and a half wide," he said. "So it's a very small community of people who know about me."

He started his trek at the Mexican border May 22, 2006 and hiked 191 days — more than six million steps — over mountain peaks, across raging rivers, through three states, wearing out 13 pair of shoes.

"I average 500 miles per pair," he said.

Williamson is the only person to do a yoyo before; he completed his first one in 2004. Filmmakers caught up with him at various points along the way of his second trip and are shooting a documentary, "Tell It On the Mountain," which will be released this spring. They also gave him a camera to capture his extraordinary solo journey. Along the way, he encounters not only jaw-dropping beauty, but also snakes, scorpions, bears and bugs.

"I like to say it's the greatest unplanned adventure you'll ever have," Williamson said. "I think just the adventure of it brings me out here and the challenge to push myself 5,300 miles. Your body gets into incredible shape."

Who doesn't want an incredible body, especially these early days of the New Year when almost everyone wants to trim that holiday fat? But New Year's resolutions often melt away before the pounds do.

"It would be nice if we could get motivation from this man who walked 5,000 miles, but somebody's going to look at that and say, 'My god, I can't do something like that.' But you don't have to," Bob Girandola, a professor of exercise science at the University of Southern California, said. "They only have to do a fraction of that."

Girandola teaches, and some might even say he preaches, the gospel of walking. He put Whitaker on a treadmill at a steady pace of three miles per hour — about the pace Scott Williamson walked. It builds up your heart and burns calories. It can even boost your brain power.

The health benefits of walking increase exponentially the steeper the climb. But for most Americans, the only thing on the rise is their size. The average American adult weighs 25 pounds more today than in 1960. Two out of every three adults are overweight or obese.

[stroke2006-2009]

I had a stroke on Nov 11, 2006. It was caused by a hole in by heart. I was very lucky that I can use my legs and arms (and hands). It mainly affected my writing and speaking. I have only been able to write in about the last week. I have been walking at least one mile a day for 5 days each week. I think that the walking has helped.
Russell J.

[plane51]

Walking at a fairly fast pace can definately improve your life.Improvements in cardiovascular and weight problems can be drasticly improved.

[nonnietob]

Glad to see you doing a piece on walking and the benefits. But you missed the boat big time on this piece. Do you have any idea how many day hikes are available on the Trail, how many use the trail on a yearly basis. This is an opportunity lost, you had a captive audience to promote one of our most precious pieces of earth. You could have kept your focus on Scott, but how about all the day hikes on the trail and the fact that thousands flock to it yearly from all around the world. What about those who do the trail work on their vacations and holidays or retirement so that Scott was able to yo-yo yet again!!
Shame on you for just brushing off the trail and all it has to offer even the most unexperience hiker!!!
Brenda Murray
Auburn California

[darrellvmc]

Shame on YOU, Brenda, for your caustic comments! The trail Scott picked for his hiking was incidental. The story is not about the trail he picked, it's about the accomplishment, the experience and the greater meaning for all of us--finding quality of life and extending it. The important thing is the hiking. I do trail construction and maintenance, too, but I don't expect to be listed in the credits like at the end of a movie whenever someone makes use of the trail. A trail is not something to be worshipped, it's a means to an end. It's just a route. The people who establish and maintain that route are the subject for another story.

[doczott-2009]

This piece has inspired me to plan a walk-thru. My son and I sat down last night and started preliminary planning. My son is 14 (8th grade) and we are very close. I grew up in a family with a very distant father. We still don't talk about much more than the weather when we are together. It is a sad thing.

I decided 14 years ago when my baby boy was born that I'd never let this happen to him. We do a lot of camping and hiking in the Cascades where we live. But, never in a million years did I ever consider taking a hike this long. We are planning to do 1/4 of the trail for each of the next 4 summers and then, if we can, we are going to attempt the entire trail the summer before he goes off to college. While 10 hours of walking at 3 mph per day seems daunting now, I'm sure that we can achieve this goal if we carefully plan and train hard.

Even if we don't tackle the entire trail in one season, I think we will have a lifetime of things to talk about! Thanks for the inspirational story!

David

[str8lace]

I have been an avid walker for years. I would like to walk more, but alas, I must work to live. I found it odd that nothing was mentioned about how this person supports himself. This is another example of how this show caters to the wealthy! I could do alot of things if I had the money. Those of us who struggle to stay fit and pay the bills, are the ones who should be admired.

[fridak-2009]

STR8LACE, with all due respect, I work for a living also. I was able to take a month this year to do a 500 mile hike with my brother (who also took off work). We hiked The Colorado Trail, and met scores of others doing the same thing. If it were important enough to you, you would do it.....

[fidgit2]

I agree with the comments about balance in these stories - how does one accomplish this feat and also be employed and self-supporting?
The accomplishment is great - but even better with a full time job!

[richdiet]

I started walking 10,000 steps a day in January 2007. It was the best thing I've ever done. I'm overweight and have tried many diets over the years and always ending up quitting. Now I just try to eat less and get my 10,000 steps each day. I have only missed a few days where I didn't make my mark (even in rain/snow). I don't beat myself up if I don't make the 10,000 one day, but instead try to do more the next day to make it up. Last month my average number of steps per day was 14,000+(more than 7 miles). I've lost a fair amount of weight (still hope to lose more) and my blood pressure has dropped. All in all I feel great and intend to do this the rest of my life. I highly recommend walking to everyone. It's something we all can do and once you establish it as part of your routine, it's not hard. I do two (2 mile) walks per day, sometimes three. And I'm able to make my goal that way. The neat thing about it is that my daughter has also been doing it since January and I'm responsible for about three other friends doing it. Just start slowly and work your way up. Any walking is better than none. Good luck to all who try!

[rockymtnram]

I am preparing to go on a long run from Bonham, TX to Copper Harbor, MI. I have been a long distance runner my entire adult life and have run primarily mountain/high altitude marathons such as Pikes Peak, Mt. Evans, and Peak to Peak. I would greatly appreciate being able to correspond with Scott to gain from his experience. It was very fortuitous turning on the TV to Scott's segment Sunday morning. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Rick M

[engrint]

I watched this segment on CBS Sunday Morning (aired: 8/12/07) and felt compelled to write in. My brother, Lawton Grinter, is also a long distance hiker. He is actually a 'Triple Crown' hiker which means he has thru-hiked the three longest trails in the United States - the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail. In total, he has walked almost 10,000 miles to date. He has produced a documentary entitled 'The Walkumentary' (walkumentary.blogspot.com) about his CDT hike, which occured in 2006, and has recently been interviewed by a national publication regarding his travels. If CBS is ever interested in doing another segment on long distance hiking, Lawton would be an excellent interviewee. Sincerely, N. Grinter