Run-walk-run: method or madness?

[Bare Lee]

Hey, I've ended up walking home at the end of my last two runs, and that got me to thinking about Jeff Galloway's walk breaks training protocol, whereby he prescribes a certain frequency and length of walking breaks according to your running pace (http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/walk_breaks.html):

Has anyone tried it over a significant length of time, and if so, how did it go?

Did your rate of improvement improve?

Were you more successful at avoiding fatigue, overuse, or injury?

Did you feel silly walking in the middle of a good run and getting out of the 'zone'?

Do real runners walk?

 

[ChasingShadows]

After a couple of failed attempts to start running, a run-walk program (I think similar to the couch to 5k thing?) did properly turn me into a runner, but once I could cover the distance I wanted & do it five days a week I just found it really frustrating & gave up the walking bits. I used it briefly when I started barefooting, though in a fairly unstructured way & again when I was easing back in after breaking my toe. Found it dead frustrating those times too, but knew I didn't have much choice. Oh, and yes, I did feel silly, but that doesn't mean you will.
Real runners do whatever we want

 

[barefootandagile]

Lee,

""""""""Has anyone tried it over a significant length of time, and if so, how did it go?"""""""""

Followed a walk run program with a group recently for about 8 weeks. The goal for the group was to build their running fitness and skill to run a 5km race distance.

""""""Did your rate of improvement improve?"'"""

I was already skilled at both walking and running, so I merely was successful at doing them both again.

"""""""""Were you more successful at avoiding fatigue, overuse, or injury?"""""""

I had about the same success. Some of the others in the group were fairly successful but it didn't prevent some from getting overuse aches and pains.

""""""""""""Did you feel silly walking in the middle of a good run and getting out of the 'zone'?"""""""

Not at all

"""""""""""""Do real runners walk?""""""""

My guess is that most real runners do find walking to be their preferred method of transportation over wheel chair, crutches, etc..... I have not seen any scientific research on the topic though.....

 

[AnneTanne]

Like ChasingShadows, I used something C25K-like to start running (Start to Run, a program developed by the Belgian runner Mieke Boeckx), and I'm using the same program now to transition to barefoot running.
Once I could run at least 5K, I tried to do something Jeff-Galloway-like, but I found it just frustrating. I must say that I preferred Maffetone's low HR approach.

 

[NickW]

I always feel like i failed myself when I walk unless I am doing a specific interval training for speed. I hate walking in the middle of runs as I find it difficult to get back into the groove and just struggle for quite a while getting back up to pace.

 

[Lomad]

I prefer a walk-run-walk approach. it's similar to what you propose, except opposite.

In all seriousness, I think the run/walk approach is fine. Intervals are often recommended as a tool for building fitness, right? I don't see this any differently.

At least not for other people. I'm like Nick; if i walk I get P.O'd and feel like I've failed in that run (I am getting better about this, but I'm goal/performance driven so chinks in my armor are utterly annoying). It does motivate me to pace better or fuel better or whatever else i think i need to do based on my post-mortem analysis.

 

[migangelo]

i do a run-walk method. you know it as the maf method.

 

[BFwillie_g]

I suggested taking regular walk breaks to a friend of mine who has been a typical frustrated runner for a long time - always getting one injury or another, mainly knee issue. He didn't want to at first, because of the ego thing, but now he's doing it and having great success. He thanked me and says it's changed his life around. (yep, I tried and tried to convince him to get out of the orthopedic boots but he just can't overcome the thought that running shoes have to be big puffy things with loads of bells and whistles ... maybe he'll try it someday)

 

[Sid]

Hal Higdon indicates that run-walk is okay.
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51137/Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

I've read one opinion that the biomechanics of walking is significantly different than running and that to train for running that one must run. I don't walk, but I jog really slowly when I need a break.

I've changed up my exercise regimen, and distance is not a priority for me at this time, so I don't run to the point of needing breaks. I'm taking page out of Bare Lee's method and alternating cardio and strength training. So far, so good!

 

[Bare Lee]

but once I could cover the distance I wanted & do it five days a week I just found it really frustrating & gave up the walking bits.

That's kind of what I did a week or two ago when running eight miles. In the middle of it, on a bridge over the Mississippi, I stopped to stretch using a 4-to-5-foot-high handrail/suicide prevention barrier, then walked 100 feet or so, then ran some more. Really refreshed me . But I don't think I could do the continuous run-walk-run interval method recommended by Galloway, or even the walk-run-walk approach unrecommended by Lomad, unless perhaps I was doing a marathon without sufficient preparation, or attempting to increase distance on my long and slow (steady pace) run. The whole point of running a certain distance seems to be to see if you can run that whole distance . When I've had to stop to walk on the last few runs, it definitely got me out of my zone , and made it hard to start running again , like Nick and Lomad said, but then, those stops weren't intentional or planned; I had to stop because my left knee was feeling strained , so I guess it's not the same method . But I am thinking of using this method as therapy while my knee recovers . Yesterday I could only run 1.5 miles before it acted up . I read an article that said not to stop running while working through ITBS, but rather to continue to run up to the distance where you start to feel it and then stop . So if 1.5 to 2 miles is my current limit, perhaps I could consider walking a bit after every .5 miles or so and see if I can progressively squeeze out an extra .5 to 1 mile of running until I'm back to running 5-6 miles comfortably, and then start increasing the distance again, but more gradually this time, like just one mile per month, instead of five within three weeks , and perhaps schedule in a few walk breaks until the new max distance gets comfortable . (P.S., how's my use of emoticons?)

 

[barefootandagile]

Lee,

Could you elaborate on what aspects of "the zone" you lose when walking and then running? Since walking and running are performed via same technique for me I can go back and forth quite easily.

 

[AnneTanne]

(P.S., how's my use of emoticons?)

Giving me the same feeling as a run/walk/run approach: breaking my pace...

 

[Bare Lee]

Hal Higdon indicates that run-walk is okay.
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51137/Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

That seems like a pretty fast progression for a 'novice' program. Getting up to 18 miles in three months? I'll be happy if I can do that after a whole year!

I've read one opinion that the biomechanics of walking is significantly different than running and that to train for running that one must run. I don't walk, but I jog really slowly when I need a break.

Yah, the biomechanics of walking are really different--they're separate gaits. That's why I can walk just fine after my knee starts acting up.

I've changed up my exercise regimen, and distance is not a priority for me at this time, so I don't run to the point of needing breaks. I'm taking page out of Bare Lee's method and alternating cardio and strength training. So far, so good!

I wish I could follow my own advice! The strength training is going well these days too. I think part of what happened Wednesday when I tweaked my left knee--beside the fact that I tried to do 10 miles two days after a 7-mile run--is that I did squats for the first time the day before, on Tuesday. I've never liked squats, and I've often wondered if it's really such a good idea to bend your knee like that while bearing extra weight. Then I read yesterday that the first thing not to do if you have ITBS is squats! I normally just do deadlifts, power cleans, and bent over rows for my lower back, and I'm going back to that.

 

[Bare Lee]

Lee,

Could you elaborate on what aspects of "the zone" you lose when walking and then running? Since walking and running are performed via same technique for me I can go back and forth quite easily.

When the running is going well, I get in a certain rhythm, and my mind begins resonating with the cosmos. When I walk, I can still get in a rhythm, but the resonating frequency must be different, albeit no less pleasurable. More power to you if you can maintain a consistent resonance, whether running or walking. Perhaps this is because you have a consistent cadence? Do you sleep or sit at 180 spm too?

 

[Bare Lee]

Giving me the same feeling as a run/walk/run approach: breaking my pace...

Ha! I like your pick-up of the iconic index.

 

[Last Place Jason]

If run run far enough, run/walk strategies suddenly make a lot more sense.

 

[barefootandagile]

When the running is going well, I get a certain rhythm, and my mind begins resonating with the cosmos. When I walk, the resonating frequency must be different, but perhaps no less pleasurable. More power to you if you can maintain a consistent resonance, whether running or walking. Perhaps this is because you have a consistent cadence? Do you sleep or sit at 180 spm too?

I do sleep barefoot and possible do other bedroom activities with a 180 cadence

 

[jldeleon]

I walk whenever I feel like I need to walk, I walk. What generally indicates that walking is necessary, is my level of exertion -which varies with a lot of things- primarily how well rested I am, how steep the hill is, etc. The few times I have tried running all the way through my routes, I have paid the price, either by wearing myself out before I could finish, or straining muscles. As for building up distance/speed? Don't know, cuz I don't track that stuff.

 

[Jaybird]

That seems like a pretty fast progression for a 'novice' program. Getting up to 18 miles in three months? I'll be happy if I can do that after a whole year!

LOL, ya, that's like the Portland Fit schedule that I was on... maybe it works ok for some but my body
clearly was not gonna go along with it

Better to be running less but still running than getting all fanatical and ending up injured and unable to
run at all. Maybe next year a marathon will be doable, will see when the time comes.

 

[Jaybird]

I do sleep barefoot and possible do other bedroom activities with a 180 cadence

Oh now that's just TMI, I suppose you keep a metronome handy?