Walking or running -- which is better?

The warm sunshine has really helped to pull me out of those winter doldrums, and I've thereby been able to keep up with my exercise program for the second week in a row.

It must be showing, because even middle-aged men are beginning to notice my slimmer look -- County Commissioner Ed Castleman, who also labors here at the Times-Gazette, made mention of it Thursday. Thanks Ed -- you're looking good, too.

My routine this week consisted of a mile walk on Saturday, a four-mile run Sunday, an aerobics class Monday afternoon, and upper-body strength workouts Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I took Wednesday off.

The four-mile run on Sunday was my longest run since my years in the U.S. Army more than a decade ago.

Six months ago, I would never have believed I would have worked up to four miles by now, but I have, and a lot of the credit goes to co-worker and exercise partner Sadie Fowler, who has encouraged me to continue to increase my running distance.

My shins aren't thanking her, however. I have a tendency to get shin splints, and they've been getting worse with the longer runs.

We ran outside, and pounding the pavement can be tough on the sticks. I prefer to run outside in nice weather because of the aesthetic value of it, but I've found that running on the treadmill is easier on my joints and bones.

If you know much about exercise you'll probably laugh at my lack of knowledge here, but I just recently learned from Sadie that walking burns more fat than running.

What?

I know it may sound funny to some of you, but it's true. It's not a simple equation, however, according to Cecil Adams, who addresses the question on the web site straightdope.com.

I'm not going to copy his whole column here, but here's what interested me: For a person who weighs about 154 pounds, walking at 3.1 mph (5 kph) consumes 50 calories per kilometer, whereas running at 6.2 mph (10 kph) consumes 78 calories per kilometer.

For me, however, it's hard to run faster than about 5.2 mph, and it's hard to sustain that -- and in this sense we're talking about calorie consumption rather than fat burning. I also weigh a lot more than 154 pounds!

What we really want to talk about is fat burning:

"When you begin a workout your body is metabolizing carbohydrates," Adams writes, "but as the minutes tick by you start burning fat -- at minute 50 of light exercise, you're chugging along on a 75/25 fat/carb mix. Sixty percent of your maximum aerobic capacity (reached at roughly 75 percent of maximal heart rate, which is generally calculated as 220 minus your age) is optimal for fat burning; as exercise becomes increasingly strenuous you start burning more carbs."

So to me, whose optimal heart rate is 135 according to Adams' formula, it sounds as if a brisk, sustained walk is really the best for burning fat.

Sadie wrote a story in Sunday's edition about Cindy Victory, who has lost 264 pounds by walking. That's pretty conclusive evidence that it works.

Adams goes on, however, to point out that cardiovascular fitness is the main goal of exercise, so the running and the aerobics classes are important.

I'm just trying to get a good mix.

I'm still up in the air about whether I'll run in the "Paws For a Cause" 5K on Saturday, Feb. 21, which will benefit the Spay Neuter Committee. It sure is a great cause, but I'll have to see how things shake out before committing to it. One thing's for sure, I don't think it would be as hard for me as that Christmas parade run was. It sure was cold!

Although the exercise half of the equation is going well, I've not made as much progress on the diet side of things.

Darn those Girl Scouts! I ate half a box of Tagalongs and half a box of Do-Si-Dos today. And that was on top of two pieces of Carol Spray's Succulent Strawberry Birthday Cake.

I guess I'm going to have to issue a "no sweets allowed in the newsroom" edict or learn to exercise more self control.

Which do you think will go over better with my co-workers?

-- John Philleo is editor of the Times-Gazette. He can be reached by e-mail at editor@t-g.com