Walk for one minute

[syko]

I dindn't know this.......I thought that it might help some people to know.


Remember- you only lose about 17 seconds when you walk for one minute. The amount of distance you lose on extra walking in the beginning will almost always be recovered at the end – because you kept your legs fresh.
Those who put this concept to the test almost always find that taking more frequent walk breaks doesn’t slow the overall time of long runs when the long runs are done at the correct slow pace.

 

[Padstack]

My long runs consist of 10 min run/1min walk. I feel that it keeps both my legs and my lungs fresh for the last few miles. Even with this combo, I finished last week's long run of 14 miles at 9:46/mile pace. My goal for that run was to stay close to a 9:30/mile pace while running.

 

[SAHDad]

There was an article about that in Marathon & Beyond a couple issues back. I'll see if I can find it (it's currently squirreled away in the basement, I think), but I recall that, until your running pace is a consistent 8 mph (7:30 miles), walking a minute every mile won't negatively impact your speed in a long race by a large amount.

I try not to walk during my long runs, but I know I will walk quite a bit (perhaps as much as 25% of the time) during my next race. It's planned, from the beginning, and I know it will be necessary to get me across the finish line.

 

[windwalker]

Using a modified race walking technique that I'll be glad to demonstrate at the Jan gathering can keep you from having to break stride to much but use different leg muscles to give the primary running leg muscles a break. It's easier to get back into the running grove also. Especially if you are starting to stiffen up toward the end of the Goofy.

Walking Panda

 

[VernRDH]

This is going to be my strategy for my half marathons. Run to the water stops, then walk through them. I figure it will let me rest a bit, plus its the mental aspect of I only have a little bit to run before I get a break. A friend of mine did this and ran the DL 1/2 in under 2 hours.

 

[deekaypee]

Great and useful post, Syko! You're always providing us with such good information.

I take walk breaks, too, and have found it helps me mentally and physically. And because I'm less than coordinated, walking at the water stops helps me avoid both accidents and a gatorade-soaked shirt.

 

[airtime247]

I use walking breaks in almost every run which helps me tremendously. In longer runs, I actually make much better time when I do take breaks. I usually run for 4 minutes/walk for 1 in runs longer than 5K.

Saturday night, I ran for one hour during our local Relay for Life. I ran non-stop and was exhausted by the end of the hour. I ran 7 miles at an 8:49 pace on a college track and am still a little sore. When I take my walk breaks, I'm rarely sore after races.

I recently ran a 10K over pretty hilly streets and took my usual walk breaks and finished with an 8:24 average pace, nearly half a minute better than my no-break pace from Saturday.

I also used to get injured quite a bit before reading one of Galloway's books and learning about the run/walk method. I haven't had any injuries since.

-steve

 

[tiberius]

I strongly agree with the walk "break" concept. I can stay fresher for a longer period as I run diatances. I have found that I can maintain a steady pace throughout a half marathon or longer, and even run a negative split. I also tend to pass a bunch of people in the last 1/3 of any longer race where many people failed to proerly pace themselves.

 

[SamSam]

Using a modified race walking technique that I'll be glad to demonstrate at the Jan gathering can keep you from having to break stride to much but use different leg muscles to give the primary running leg muscles a break. It's easier to get back into the running grove also. Especially if you are starting to stiffen up toward the end of the Goofy.

Walking Panda

Yay! I've watched video clips etc., of people racewalking, but for some reason I just can't put it into practice. I think actually watching someone racewalk will be very helpful.