schrittauftritt - walk

"Step by step" project team: Which preparations have you made for your adventure?

Sandro Willi: A basic level of fitness (you don't have to be a professional athlete!) is required. I've done several walks of a similar length and I know that I'm capable of it. Planning the route is simple in this case: just follow the Rhine and the shore of Lake Constance. The stages are: First night: Laufenburg; second night: Flurlingen; third night: Gottlieben. It's important to pack well, i.e. to have all the essentials with you but not too much (you feel every extra kilo after 50 km).

Do you wear hiking boots or trainers?

I find Nordic walking shoes most comfortable (neither too high nor too heavy).

How many breaks do you take and for how long? At what time of day do you take your breaks and what do you eat?

I only take short breaks (around 5-10 minutes every 1-2 hours). If you take too long a break, it is difficult to get going again, especially if you've already been walking for several hours. I mostly eat small sandwiches, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate and dextrose during the day (not too much). It is more important to drink regularly.

Do you sometimes listen to music while you walk?

Not often. Nature already provides you with enough things to see, hear and smell. I’m more inclined to listen to music on my way to the office or in the gym.

What motivates you more when you're walking – the path or the goal?

The path. You discover so many beautiful things when you're walking. For me, it's a contemplative, almost meditative activity. I always have good ideas when I'm walking. Walking is a relaxing pastime that puts you in a philosophical frame of mind. After a day outside in the fresh air, you feel good, contented and more strongly connected with the environment. You have much longer-lasting, more beautiful and more intense memories of journeys you have made by foot than those by car. I have vivid memories of many walks I've done over the years (especially my 100 km route along the Rhine and the Thur, which I completed together with a good friend twice in succession, walking day and night).

Are you mainly trying to achieve a fitness goal or a goal of another kind?

In terms of fitness, it's definitely a good feeling when you know that you can walk 100 km with no problem. However, sport isn't my main aim. Long-distance walks enable you to connect much more closely with your environment and with distances. They keep you and the natural environment healthy. When you’re walking, you rediscover the luxury, quality and enduring nature of taking things slowly, especially in today's world where life is often much too hectic. Today, things revolve far too much around speed – just look at mobile devices and the Internet. We unwittingly put ourselves in a state of permanent stress. This has a negative impact on the quality of our working and private lives. Walking is a great antidote to this. I often walk home from work, it's a great way of winding down and I arrive home more relaxed and with a clearer head.

Can you recommend your favourite, most attractive walking routes to the other "Step by Step" participants?

Ticino: Mergoscia, Valle Verzasca, Gambarogno; Saas Fee; Lake Constance / Appenzellerland.