Ray's original events in High School and College were cross country and distance events in track. Back when road racing was getting popular in the early 70's, Ray ran everything from 5Ks to marathons, simply because there were so few races at that time. Although the races were good for conditioning, Ray felt he was too large to be competitive as a long distance runner. Ray wanted to compete with someone of his own body size, rather than the typical skinny runner.
That's where race walking entered the picture. Ray was always fascinated by race walking, but just didn't know much about it. His intrigue however led him to the realization that race walkers don't have to be 'skinny' to be fast. Conditioning alone does not improve a race walker's time-becoming more efficient with your walking technique is just as important. Race walkers rely heavily on the power of their upper body, and can use their larger size as a benefit to race walking.
Ray completed his first race walk in 1978 at age 28. Although he didn't do very well in that first race, he persevered and eventually shifted his running focus to full-time race walking in 1980. At first he had to travel extensively to compete in race walking events, but a move to New Jersey in 1982 changed all of that. Race walking was more popular in New Jersey, and Ray could pick from two or three races each weekend, all within an hour drive of his home.
By 1983, Ray started to qualify for national races. 1984 was even better. Ray won his first national championship, set an American record, qualified for the Olympic Trials, and made the US National Race Walking team. In 1985 he broke the 1-mile outdoor American walking record. Ray stayed on the US National Team for 8 years, and went on to two more Olympic trials. At the last trial in 1992 at age 41, Ray's 4th place finish was not enough to secure the coveted three spots on the Olympic team. But it did award him the honor of being the highest placing masters athlete at the trials.
Wow! What an impressive career. Ray says he wonders what could have happened if he had been more serious about race walking at his peak athletic age in his late twenties. Moving back to Virginia in 1998, Ray still competes on a national level, and hasn't yet lost an age group award in head to head competition. Even in his forties, Ray was still setting PRs. But he wonders how long that will last now that he is over 50 and getting 'old'. (He said that, not me.)
Although he'd rather use ALL of his spare time for racing, Ray also teaches walking clinics at hospitals, wellness centers, and YMCAs. They are designed to teach people efficient walking techniques and promote the sport of race walking. Although advertised as 'Fitness Walking' clinics, Ray says that the name is simply a matter of marketing. People think you have to be a serious athlete to be a race walker. However, fitness walking and race walking is like the difference between jogging and running. The true difference is simply a matter of perception.
He remains supportive of the Shore Athletic Club in New Jersey and is the Race Walk Chairman for US Track and Field Virginia. He does a great deal of work on the national level to support race walking, including being an event manager for the US National Senior Olympics held every two years. This year, the event was held in Virginia Beach. He managed the walking events, which included a 1500 meter track course, and a 5K road course completed in 1K loops. Race walks are typically run in loops so that judges can be stationed at regular intervals throughout the course to watch for proper technique. This is something that Ray wants to bring to Virginia-more events with certified race walking judges and official times.
Ray joined the Colonial Road Runners because we are supportive of walkers, even allowing walkers to compete for the Grand Prix award. Ray wants to expose more people to the sport of race walking, and shift perception such that walkers are viewed as serious, competitive athletes. He says that people are amazed at how fast a race walker can go. Did you know that the longest track and field distance in the Olympics is a 50K race walk? The typical finishing time is in the 3:50 range, which equates to a 7- minute mile pace!
Ray would like to see more runners try race walking, as some body types are just better suited for walking than running. Because walking utilizes more of the upper body muscles, one can actually burn more calories while race walking. The long- term physical effect is that walking is easier on your body and results in less injury. As a result, Ray believes that his competitive career in race walking will last much longer than if he had remained a runner.
For the die-hard runners, Ray says to try walking as a cross-training activity. A fast pace and use of the upper body will result in your heart rate being just as high, if not higher, when you are walking as compared to running. Race walking is especially good for ultra runners. They can benefit from alternating between running and walking, because as you increase your distance, you decrease the percentage difference between your running and walking times.
With race walking, Ray says that the training regimen, nutrition, and cross training are very similar to running. One can still include intervals, speed work, and tempo 'walks'. Even better, you can forget about hills because it is difficult to maintain the proper walking technique. Your diet can remain in tact as you are still supporting an endurance sport. Ray's cross training activities include strength training, cycling, and deep water walking with a vest to increase mileage with reduced stress on the joints. Sound familiar? One more reason for us to give race walking a chance.
Rays words of Inspiration:
Don't worry about other people's times.
Just compete against yourself and stay in the race.
Please contact Ray if you would like to attend one of his walking clinics or help promote race walking in Virginia.
rfunkhouser@rivnet.net or 804-438-6192
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