let's get walking over 50

I have been walking but for this whole summer I have been having a lot of leg cramps so I stopped. I started a new program that is supose to get me going with using heart rate target. I started the beginners and I seem to have trouble keeping with in the target. it's the low # If I keep the pace up so I get the .75 of a mile in 15 minutes my heart rate is under the 89. what happening does anyone have an Idea. also I am one to these people that on matter how hard i exersize I don't sweat I just get light head. any tips.

I guess there is no one at this sight who is just trying to get on a walking program to get healthier at 50.

 Well, I ain't over 50, but I was in really, really bad shape when I started walking last year.

 It took me until this spring to get into enough of a shape that I wanted to do any exercise besides walking. One great way to really get your heart rate up without having to push yourself to the point where you're running is to walk uphill - a few hundred feet of elevation will have your heart beating like anything.

 If you've got any hills or mountains near you, it could be worth a try walking up them - you don't have to walk nearly the same distance to get a good workout.

Thank you melkor for your reply. We have slightly hills around me . My drive way goes up. and then down again but not hills like mountians. In other words it is not flat walking. Hills will bring it up. thats great news . This program I am on is the first week I am to do 5min warm-up walk for 15min with my heart rate in the zone and 5 min cool down three times a week . the second week is same warm up 20 minwalk and 5 min cool down. this is the first time I have taken my pulse to see where it is at.If you have any more tips for me I would be thanks ful. I am 59 years nest month and at 205 pound and am desperate to get in reasonable shape for my age. And I love to walk.

Linda

 As long as the ground is sloping upwards it's going to give you an elevated heart rate - it's not neccesary or really desireable to start out with mountains.

 Unless you want to copy my example and spend three days with legs that are so sore they don't bend at the knees, that is - my walking career could have ended right there if I wasn't a bit ..uh, strange... that way.

When just starting out it's probably a lot smarter to go with a very gentle slope at first , nothing that can be characterized as a mountain. If you can find a stretch of road that slopes up for about two miles that should be just about perfect for your starting walks - I think you won't run out of road until the end of the first month of training, and meanwhile you can see yourself getting in better shape every time you do this by getting closer to the end of the road every workout.

 Last year when I started out there was a particular section of a mountain slope I timed myself going up - took me 1 hour 20 minutes. This year, almost exactly one year later, it took me 23 minutes going up the same stretch. If you just start walking and keep at it, you can do the same thing or better.

Hi Linda, I'm 51 years old and I've been walking on my treadmill for 10 years, but this year, I started walking outside and I love it!!!! I normally walk 5-8 miles per day but that time will be shorter since its getting dark earlier. I've decided to walk at my place of work because they have pole lights. The park I walk in has a lot of slopes and I used to struggle with breathing, but not anymore. My only problem I've had is with my toes. I think it was my shoes. Also, I was getting a lot of charlie horses, but I found out that was because I wasn't stretching. So, you can ask this "old gal" anything and I'll be happy to help. Good Luck!