Walk breaks during marathon

[HockeyKat]

I am not sure I understand how this works. Or if it is for me.
I currently can RUN and hold a 10 minute mile for at least 5 miles. Not gone beyond that yet. I am interested in learning more about run/walk. I am not really comfortable running any faster than 6-6.5mph, how would this work for me?

It's really what works for you that counts. Check out www.jeffgalloway.com if you want more info on run/walks.

I learned about run/walk from my friend that helped a bunch of us train for the Princess. She pointed me at Galloway about 4-5 weeks ago and I have learned a lot through the website, his free seminar here, and in joining up with the training program.

It isn't for everyone, though, and if you are comfortable with running straight through, that may be where you want to stay.

 

[cewait]

I am not sure I understand how this works. Or if it is for me.
I currently can RUN and hold a 10 minute mile for at least 5 miles. Not gone beyond that yet. I am interested in learning more about run/walk. I am not really comfortable running any faster than 6-6.5mph, how would this work for me?

Try this for a start. I swear you will feel awkward but to get a feel for the run walk start out with:

3 minute run at your normal comfortable pace. Then walk one minute. Your walk pace should feel brisk; though I find as groups fatigue the pace will dop to a 16-17 minute pace. At the one minute mark start running at your normal pace and continue to repeat.

This will take a watch with multiple timers to pull off for a longer distance but you can start off with a wath with a single repeating timer. For a 3:1 pace set the timer for 14 minutes. Start the timer as you run taking the first little startch easy. When the timer beeps begine your walk. Keep an eye onthe timer and when it hits 3 minutes left, run ----until it beeps.....keep repeating.

With your base you may feel liek you can go longer on the run..... increase the run time until you feel comfotable. Until you gain experience I would not run past one mile (or 10 minutes) at a time. In fact, When I train I actually run a mile, walk a minute then repeat using my Garmin's mile lap alarm as my notice. I will turn that alram off in a race and depend on mile markers if running with a more advanced group. Note that if I am with a group who is at a lower interval I use a Timex Ironman 100 lap watch. It has multiple repeating timers so it alarms at both the end of the runa dn the end of the walk.


Hope this help some.

 

[J3nn78]

Thanks for the tips. I will try it on my 5 mile run tomorrow to see how it goes for me.

It is intriguing. Right now, I have NO IDEA of what lies ahead. I only started running about 8 months ago. I am super excited and motivated to do the WDW Full and I know that I CAN. But I am also so nervous when I think about how LONG it is. I want to do this race and feel good, feel like I can enjoy myself, chat with my best friend (also doing her first full) and enjoy the experience. I worry that if I aim for just running it, I will either hit the wall, or it will become such an overwhelming challenge and mind/body game at the end that I won't enjoy it as much or be able to enjoy WDW afterwards.

 

[cewait]

.....I am also so nervous when I think about how LONG it is. I want to do this race and feel good, feel like I can enjoy myself, chat with my best friend (also doing her first full) and enjoy the experience. I worry that if I aim for just running it, I will either hit the wall, or it will become such an overwhelming challenge and mind/body game at the end that I won't enjoy it as much or be able to enjoy WDW afterwards.

The cliche here is one step at a time. We both know that is BS unless nothing else is working. The easiest thing for me is to break the race into easy pieces. For example...

For me it's goes something like Start to Start - 4 mile Loop
Start to Over pass - 2 miles
Overpass to MK Main 4.5 miles
MK Exit to Turn onto Bear Island Road 2+ miles.
Start of Bear Island to AK (in park) 2.5 miles
AK Exit to World Drive 2.5 miles
Out and back 1 mile
Exit onto World (end of out and back) to DHS Custuming tunnel) 2 miles
DHS exit to BWV < 1 mile Tracked since it is clse to end and its the distance without a crowd. The Ecpot resorts provide lots of folks yelling.
Once in Epcot 1 mile to the Choir + three hills
Once at the choir a sprint

You will figure a way to break up the race that works for you. It could be pacing behind a certain shirt that drives you through a couple miles, talking with a friend (new found or old) or just zoning out.

As far as enjoying the race. Make yourself a deal. FIrst enjoy the training. After each run make a note of how you felt, what was good and what could improve. Also, if the training run was particularly tough, make a note of what you did to get through it. By far that is an important tool in the toolbox on race day. Race day will have a few stretches where you say I can't go further. Open that tool box and pull out you personal tools accumulated through training. Maybe it's singing, talking, staring at the person in front....find one of your tools and you will get through.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

For the record, my own experience from today's 10k:

Ran about 2.5 miles (about 25 minutes) - did 30 seconds of walking. Ran another mile and a half (15 minutes) - 20 seconds of walking. Ran to the finish line. 1:01:34. Walking any longer would have destroyed my momentum.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Coach, that is an outstanding post and THANK YOU. I can put this post into my personal toolbox and keep it there safely tucked away for when I need it!!!

 

[J3nn78]

Coach-Thanks sooooo much! AWesome advice. I am printing that and putting it in my log book. Just what I needed. Breaking things down is how my mind works on any large task, so that is why I am thinking the run/walk might be the way to go, so that I can have the walk to look forward to as a break. I really like the way you broke down the WDW course too and the personal toolbox analogy. Makes it seem less overwhelming.

 

[cwnhokie]

Just wanted to add that I trained for my first 5K using the C25K plan and ran the whole thing. Then I stumbled upon Galloway and started doing run/walk intervals. I shaved 4 mins off my first 5K and had trained less days a week.

 

[3girlsfun]

I started a few months ago with C25k, and could run straight through the 5k. I started doing the Galloway method, and I feel a million times better after the race. It didn't add any time to my 5k time, not one bit!

I am adding a mile this weekend up to 4 miles, and I am excited, and I know I can do it! The intervals really make a difference.

I used my intervals during the 5k I ran last Saturday. I can tell you I finished before some of the people who ran straight through, as they lost their "wind" at the end of the race. I am not a fast runner, doesn't bother me, I would much rather enjoy my time running then spend the time stressing out about time and such.

I am going to use this method at the Wine and Dine, a local 1/2 and the Princess. I agree though, move over to the side. Even when I was walking I had a hard time trying to get around people at times.

I would just try the method to see if you like it, I think you would be surprised how great you feel after a run!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I started a few months ago with C25k, and could run straight through the 5k. I started doing the Galloway method, and I feel a million times better after the race. It didn't add any time to my 5k time, not one bit!

I am adding a mile this weekend up to 4 miles, and I am excited, and I know I can do it! The intervals really make a difference.

I used my intervals during the 5k I ran last Saturday. I can tell you I finished before some of the people who ran straight through, as they lost their "wind" at the end of the race. I am not a fast runner, doesn't bother me, I would much rather enjoy my time running then spend the time stressing out about time and such.

I am going to use this method at the Wine and Dine, a local 1/2 and the Princess. I agree though, move over to the side. Even when I was walking I had a hard time trying to get around people at times.

I would just try the method to see if you like it, I think you would be surprised how great you feel after a run!

Good luck... are you really doing the Wine & Dine half and you're just at 4 miles now?

 

[HockeyKat]

Good luck... are you really doing the Wine & Dine half and you're just at 4 miles now?

Wine and Dine is October, right?

3GirlsFun, you'll do fine. I started training for the Princess in Jan, for a March race, and I finished in 3:11. Oh, and I was between 200 and 220 lbs during my training and had never run before, and was in pretty bad shape overall.

I would recommend starting to increase your long run mileage, though. I mostly trained to walk fast during my long run/walks, with a few running intervals thrown in here and there.

You have 3 months to train, so something like 4, 5, 7, then 4, 7, 9 then 5, 9, 10, 12, 14, then taper down, maybe? The 14 is unnecessary unless you want reassurance.

I also did two shorter run/walks per week, of 2-3 miles each.


I am not the fastest person out there, but finishing toward the back is way better than not starting!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I wasn't saying she won't finish, but adding two miles a week to your long run is a lot, and shouldn't be done lightly.

 

[HockeyKat]

I wasn't saying she won't finish, but adding two miles a week to your long run is a lot, and shouldn't be done lightly.

Interesting. I am a member of a Galloway training program that has 400+ people in it. Our long runs are all done together, with pace leaders, water on the course, etc. We did 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10.

 

[3girlsfun]

So sorry to make me seem like Superwoman!!!! I am doing the Wine and Dine as a relay! I am doing the short leg, although, by the time of the relay I will be up to 9 miles in my training for the 1/2 I am doing locally before the Princess. My actual training for the local half starts on July 24th, but the program says you should be able to run 5 miles before starting the program, so I am going to be up to 5 when I start the program.

 

[3girlsfun]

I should have added, thank you for the well wishes, and encouragement!