Column: Lordy, lordy, the 10K is 40

The first Shelter Island 10K was August 9, 1980, on the same course used today. Seven hundred and twenty-six runners ran, an amazing number for an inaugural race.

Question: How does a tiny Island launch a world-class race and keep it growing for 40 years?

Answer: The three committed founders, Cliff Clark, John Kenney and John Strode were passionate runners who knew the East End needed a quality race, and their energy and spirit embody today’s race. They established the event on two principles: “A race for runners” and “Support for essential Island charities.”

If you come out on Fathers Day, Saturday, June 15, as runners, walkers, volunteers and/or spectators, you’ll see these themes still going strong.

This year, Race Director Mary Ellen Adipietro has created what organizers are calling “a race event and party.”

We can all share welcoming the expected 2,000 Shelter Island visitors. Of course, you’ll enjoy it more if you participate as a runner or walker or volunteer. Start this week. It’s never too late to start moving.

Moving: Chapter 1 — What you didn’t know about walking

Each week until race week, this column will bring ideas, support and methods for you to move more and better. This information will encourage all of us to invest in our overall health. Moving in any form is the down payment. The requirement is a willingness to do more than you’re doing today. In today’s material world, health is undervalued and yet is our most precious asset.

Each spring, as sure as the ospreys’ return, the lure of exercise comes back. (And the guilt of not exercising.) Too often our enthusiasm is short lived. Many encouraging articles are ignored, except by those already addicted. Addicted is not too strong a word but, fortunately, running is a positive addiction.

The idea is to move by your own efforts, and not in a car, bus, train, plane, etc. Walking comes first. Let’s take a closer look at what we should do. To walk, your head is always ahead of your body. Your whole body is slanted — like a picket fence, only a fence with the slats slanted and parallel instead of vertical. The faster you walk, the greater the slant. You won’t see this because the moving arms and legs distract one’s attention.

A person must lean the body forward to take a step. The forward foot is the balance point.

The push forward comes from the back foot. Interestingly, your arms are also engaged.

Watch carefully to see the arms move in reverse to the legs. The left leg goes forward, then the right arm moves back.

As we walk along, each leg takes over the job from the other leg as soon as it is placed on the ground. The relaxed leg then swings forward until it takes over. The relaxed leg is bent as it moves forward. It doesn’t straighten until it passes the knee. Seems complex because it is.

Humans learning to take their first step take a year or more. Our mammal siblings — zebras and giraffes — literally hit the ground running. Other relatives of ours, such as platypuses and bears, can hitch a ride with their mothers for a few months. None of us walk out of the delivery room.

Home work: Watch people walk. Everyone has a unique way. Pay special attention where you can see the mechanics of legs and arms moving together. Best viewing spot: Saturday mornings on Shore Road along Crescent Beach.

Next week we move on to running. Running and walking are connected, but running uses speed to deal with instability. Seeing kids spin and crash is a healthy part of learning to walk.