It seems like everyone is talking about the benefits of walking. Not only is it good exercise, it’s easy to master without too much practice or expense. You don’t need much equipment, just a comfortable pair of shoes – and maybe some sunscreen and sunglasses. There’s less chance of injury compared to other sports, and there aren’t any court or greens fees. You can do it at work on your lunch hour, you can do it at the gym on the treadmill, or you can step right outside your front door and just start walking around your neighborhood.

But after a while it can get downright boring just walking around town and we won’t even discuss how dull walking on the treadmill can be. When you get tired of looking at the same houses block after block and you feel like you’ve worn a groove into your treadmill, where can you go to put a little more visual excitement into your walks?

The American Volkssport Association, or AVA, has a solution to this problem. Through a network of over 350 Volkssport clubs across the nation, the AVA has established over 3,000 events in the United States each year. Volkssporting started in Germany, and roughly translated, means “sport for people” – just your average sort of people, not necessarily outstanding athletes. The International Federation of Popular Sports, or IVV (Internationaler Volkssportverband), is the governing body of volkssport, with approximately 25 member countries with local associations, including the AVA in the United States.

Volkssport is meant to be an activity that can be done by the whole family – and for many of the events, you can bring your dog, too. Volkssport is not a “race” – it’s a non-competitive walk, usually 10K (about 6 miles). The emphasis is not on who can walk the farthest or fastest, but on getting out and getting some exercise with your friends and family. Many of the walks are “stroller friendly”, so even the smallest members of the family can join in. Most of the events are walks, but there are some swimming and biking events included under the umbrella term of “volkssport”.

You can do the walks for free – or you can participate in the IVV Achievement Awards Program, in which you pay a small fee per event and keep track of all your miles in logbooks. These logbooks record distance and/or events – so you can work towards personal goals in either or both of these categories. When you have filled in an entire logbook, you can mail it to AVA headquarters for recognition in the form of certificates and pins. For those who like to set more goals for themselves, the AVA offers additional programs of walks that have awards, such as a Walking the 50 States and State Capitols programs, the National Heritage Series and a mentoring program for younger walkers.

Ten to fourteen kilometer walks have been laid out in every state in the nation, including every state capital and Washington, DC. Each walk has specific directions on which streets or paths to take and usually include maps and historical information. Most of the walks have been created so as to show off the best parts of the towns they are in, or in park or preserve areas. You can walk at a fast pace and finish in a couple of hours, or you can take your time and stop for lunch, or visit museums and historical sites that you may see along the way.

One group of walkers that I met in Annapolis took a break from their walk to sail across the Chesapeake Bay to St. Michaels. On their return, they finished up their walk just in time for a crab dinner. Many volkssporters pack a picnic lunch, especially when the volkssmarch is in a park or other greenspace. Some of the “regular” events sponsored by AVA clubs have hot food available – one of my favorite is the walk in Lovettsville, VA for Oktoberfest, where there’s usually knockwurst, kraut and German beer available for sale – a great way to finish up your exercise.

When you keep track of your walks in logbooks, you walk “for credit”, and you pay a fee of approximately $3 per event. This allows you to stamp your logbook and record your walk in all of your allowable books. For example, when I walk a state capital, I can log it in my distance, event, State Capital and State logbooks for one price. There are some rules about how often you can record the same walk, and these rules are explained in the front cover of each logbook. Logbooks are sold at “regular events”, or by mail from the AVA.

Can’t wait to get started? Check out the New Walker’s Packet. For as little as $6, you get your first distance and events books (worth $5 each), three coupons for free credit at three events ($9 value), a coupon for a free issue of The American Wanderer (publication of the AVA), and 10% off your first purchase from AVA specialties. The kits are available by mail from the AVA (Texas residents add 8.25% for tax), or from local clubs.

I’ve been walking my way through the 51 Capitol program (this includes Washington, DC), and I’ve discovered many beautiful places along the way. I’ve visited about 15 state capitals so far, from Maine to North Carolina. I’ve met many interesting folks on my walks, and learned a lot about each state I visited. The Sheriff in Montpelier, Vermont gave me a personalized tour of Vermont’s capital building, and Lexington, Kentucky has an especially beautiful capitol building and grounds. Just recently I walked Providence, Rhode Island, and was pleasantly surprised at how the city had improved its downtown area.

So where else are these walks? There are more than 50 walks in Maryland, more than 30 walks in Pennsylvania and more than 10 walks in West Virginia. These year-round events are sponsored by individual clubs – as well as other regular events. In Maryland, the Maryland Volkssport Association sponsors a set of four walks along the C&O canal Towpath, and the Piedmont Pacers have walks in Thurmont, Oakland and Frederick. In Pennsylvania, the Altoona-Johnstown Summit Striders have a walk in Bedford, and the Nittany Nomads have walks in Bellefonte and State College. There is also a walk in Harper’s Ferry, sponsored by the Riverfront Ramblers.

There’s plenty of history hidden in all sorts of corners of our country, and many battlefields have walks. Gettysburg, Manassas and Harper’s Ferry all have volksmarches that include information about the history of the area. These walks are a great way to teach your children about history in a more hands-on way – actually walking on the land that the soldiers crossed on their way to battle is much more interesting that reading lines in a textbook. Many Americans have never visited their state capitol – I have yet to see a capitol building that is not visually appealing, and I’ve learned more about state history than I ever did in school.

The AVA web site has information about rules and regulations, and a list of walks and clubs available in your area. Events are classified as “year-round”, or “regular”. A year-round event is available most days of the year – walkers information is usually kept in a box at a starting point, which is frequently a restaurant, hotel or store. Regular events are usually held at specified locations on weekends, and manned by AVA club members. You can find information on some regular events on the AVA website, or by contacting a local club. Information on year-round events can be found in the “Starting Point” – a publication of the AVA.

It’s easy to check out a volksmarch – remember, it’s free until you get the urge to start logging your miles and events. Let someone else do the groundwork for you, and take a leisurely tour of a park or city nearby. Sure, it’s “good for you”, but it’s a lot of fun, too, and you can really impress your friends when you tell them you’re into Volkssport.

For More Information:
American Volkssport Association
1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101
Universal City, TX 78148
(210) 659-2112
Information Line:
1-800-830-WALK
www.ava.org