Meet Kevin Abing: A Competitive Walker Looking for a First-Place Overall Finish

You may have seen me out walking the trails from time to time, as I make it a point to walk 4 to 7 miles roughly 5 days per week. While I’m out there, I can be seen taking nature and landscape photography with my iPhone, which many of the photos have been featured in local photography contests, published in magazines/calendars, featured on Fox 11 News, etc. I’ve always loved walking, but it wasn’t until 2008 when someone told me I was a very fast walker, that I thought to try walking competitively.

My name is Kevin Abing, and I’m a competitive walker. The first competitive walking event I participated in was the ThedaCare Half Marathon Competitive Walk with the Community First Fox Cities Marathon Presented by Miron Construction in 2008. From that day on, I was hooked!

Kevin Abing wearing medals from ThedaCare Half Marathon Competitive Walk.

Many people don’t realize that walking competitively, is harder than running. You have to have one foot on the ground at all times, and in some races, you can’t even bend your knees. It takes practice to adhere to the competitive walking rules. I also like to do 5K and10K runs, etc. throughout the year. I have found that my training for competitive walks helps me prepare for those running events.

At 63-years-young, I have seen a lot of my fellow competitive walkers come and go, and other Wisconsin Competitive Walking events have been discontinued, but the Fox Cities Marathon continues to host its Competitive Walk Division every year, and I am proud to say that I continue to show up every year. While there are always new challenges, I think having the mindset that I can do this keeps me coming back. Well, that, and I’m very competitive by nature.

I have what I call my Wall-to-Wall Achievements in my basement. Every medal that I’ve received from all the 5Ks, 10Ks, Warrior Dashes, Tough Mudders, etc. and competitive walking events I’ve participated in are hung up across my basement, along with my race bib from each race. I have more than 60 medals, but my favorite mementos are the bibs from the Fox Cities Marathon. That is because those are the bibs that have my name on them. When I look at those bibs, I can remember how I started my racing journey and fell in love with competitive walking. I can hear the community members along the course, many of whom I’ve never met, yelling my name and cheering me on. Those cheers make all the difference when you’re getting tired and sore because all of a sudden the pain goes away and I find another spurt to get me even closer to the finish line. One of my favorite memories while competing in an event was just this last year when I met a boy on the course who was dressed as Spiderman. He linked up with me during the Ascension 5K Run/Walk, and we just happened to be running at the same pace. We crossed the finish line together. I got to give him a high five and meet his mom at the finish line as they were both grinning ear to ear. It was so neat to see his excitement about running and completing the 5K race.

Kevin Abing hanging competitive walking medals on bar in basement from ThedaCare Half Marathon Competitive Walk.

I’m coming back this year as I’m signed up for 2 races already. I am determined to take first place overall in the ThedaCare Half Marathon Competitive Walk Division. I have placed in my age group many times, and I have come in second and third overall a few times for the ThedaCare Half Marathon Competitive Walk Division, but I won’t stop until I get that first-place overall win, and for good measure, I am going to be running in the Ascension 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, just to make sure I am ready for Sunday.

While I love the community support; my family cheering me on; the excitement of the race; and my determination to get 1st place overall, what really keeps bringing me back is my competitive nature and determination to do this until I can’t. I think that is the first step to doing anything in life. You have to do it for yourself first. Once you commit to wanting to do something, nothing can stop you. It might get difficult, you might face obstacles, but as long as you keep showing up, you will see results.

I look forward to seeing each of you out on the course in September. I will be the guy ferociously walking to the finish line!