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I'm training for my first 1/2 marathon and am using the run/walk schedule. No problems so far, actually quicker than expected.
The Q is why? Why when i just 'run' (use the term loosly as i would say i was more of a plodder) am i slower than when i run/walk. I did 9 miles the other day (run3/walk1 as schedule suggests)and it took me 1hr 40, when i expected it to take me just under 2hours.
So i just wondered if anyone could explain this to me.
Ta.
The Q is why? Why when i just 'run' (use the term loosly as i would say i was more of a plodder) am i slower than when i run/walk. I did 9 miles the other day (run3/walk1 as schedule suggests)and it took me 1hr 40, when i expected it to take me just under 2hours.
So i just wondered if anyone could explain this to me.
Ta.
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Comments
I suspect for me it happens because my muscles work vastly better if they have a small break in which to recover, get rid of byproducts of combustion, refuel, without extra demands being made on them.
Perhaps for many faster runners there is no need, but for me the difference in performance between muscles rested every 5 minutes and muscles not rested more than makes up for the slower walking pace.
Then again, my running pace is not so very much faster than a walk, compared with serious runners.
Best of all, using run walk, I usually complete a race or a run in reasonable good shape. That matters to me.
Do what suits you.
So say you normally do 8 minute miles. On your run/walk you run at 7.45 pace. So for the first mile you run 7.45. That’s 15 seconds in the bank. Your walk takes a minute, but you cover 182 yards at 75% of 7.45 pace. You then run the remaining 1578 yards of mile 2 at 7.45 pace, giving a total time for mile 2 of 7:56 a gain of 4 seconds. Over the remaining 8 miles you’ll gain a further 32 seconds, giving you a net gain over 10 miles of 15+4+32=51 seconds.
It’s a bit controversial, and the purists will say you should run all the way, but it’s a technique that ultra runners use quite a lot, and it’s a good way of getting through those psychological “Barriers” in training
I'm run/walking FLM but I'm looking forward to experimenting with run walking shorter distances later in the year.
But the jury is still out, as I can now hardly move! I think doing the running bits faster has made my quads (always my weak spot) even more tired, despite the walk breaks. Does any one else find this?
Fell running, i would love to be able to run all the way but i simply find it easier to take a 1 minute walking break every so often for one reason or another.
Also by doing the run/walk schedule i have found it easier and recovered quicker when doing my longer training runs.
Josie, i ran/walked Woburn 10K (walking for 1 min at every Km marker) and managed to take 2 min of my previous 10K time
Slow but Happy, is the Galloway book worth getting? What are the longest run segments in the run/walk schedules he proposes? I'm experimenting on my long runs at the moment. Did run 10, walk 1 yesterday, but I think this might be a longer run segment than Galloway recommends (but it's what Sam Murphy recommends in her book 'Run For Life'!).
I was actually slower on 10:1 than I was on 5:1 last week, but wasn't pushing myself so hard and don't feel so kn*ckerd today, thank goodness.
http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-51-55-236,FF.html?site=RunnersWorld
(Sorry, I haven't mastered links yet!)
I also bought the John Bingham book, Llana, after what you said above - I enjoyed it.
Have checked the Galloway book for maximum run segments and they are different depending on the time you hope to achieve. If, like me you want to do a marathon in under 4 hours then he suggests 40-60 seconds walking after every mile of running. For slower runners it can be one minute walking after 4-5 minutes running whilst for speedy 3 hour bods its 10-20 seconds walking after every mile. The key thing seems to be to start the walk breaks early rather than waiting until you're knackered . In Dublin we started walking at about mile 5 and walked through every mile marker - I think it takes a great deal of courage to start walking one mile into a marathon, especially somewhere like London where all the other runners will be highly irritated with you and the spectators less than impressed!
It's funny that it takes courage to walk in big races. I must admit to flicking through Galloway's book on running in Waterstone's at the weekend. He makes the point that humans aren't really MEANT to run 26 miles without stoppping, but that run/walk is more natural for us. It took me back to when I was trekking in Nepal, 8 days walk from the nearest road. Run/walk was definitely what the porters were doing, for whom being fast in their legs was their livelihood...
Not that I want to sound evangelical about this (haven't got the experience for that!), just don't see why anyone should feel ashamed of using this technique.
Thanks SBH for the other reccomendation, will check it out.
Glad its working for you. I wouldn't worry about obstructing others at London - its so crowded anyway, and there is loads of obstruction from those "runners" who start off at the front of the pack despite being 12 minute milers. Also, the first few miles are mostly downhill so lots of people go off too fast - you can trot past them as they hobble through Docklands. I'd stick to the side of the road on the walk breaks - get loaded up with sweets and oranges and exchange high fives with the best crowd support in the UK!
When you did your run/walk at Dublin did you achieve a PB? How long were your walk segments and did you start them at mile one - also what was your recovery?
I've run London twice, third time this year and both times felt fairly awful in the last six miles. In Dublin last October we took walk breaks from 5 miles because my running partner was having a panic attack and were amazed to complete the race in 4.08. I definately had more energy in the latter part of the race but did suffer from terrible hamstring cramps from about mile 20 which forced me to walk more frequently than in the previous 20 miles I have no idea whether this was because of the walking or because when I ran I was going more quickly.
The challenge now is that I have a 10k in Wakefield next Sunday. I've done 2 before, both of them in about 80 mins, "running" all the way. Now I say running loosely because at the last one there was a lad walking along the course at the same pace that I was managing!
Okay, what do you think? Here are the options I've come up with
a) run until I loose sight of all the other competitors and then run-walk (I joke not!)
b) run 10 mins and then run 4 walk 1 (easy on the brain for working out at a glance at the watch!)
c) just start as I mean to go on, hold my head high, avoid all eye contact and swallow my battered ego and run 4 walk 1 from the beginning.
C seems the very hardest to me because it seems defeatist and not doing it "properly".
ARGH!
Daniel
Did a bit of an experiment at the gym. Trying to follow the run-walk programme from Bingham to the letter, so took my HR monitor strap to wear on the treadmill. My target HR was about 145 and I did the run 3 walk 2. Well in order to keep my heart rate in the right zones I actually had to walk faster than my running sections!
???????????
Okay, does this just confirm that I am chronically unfit and overweight or has anyone got any theories? I know I walk lots but surely I'm doing something wrong?
Anyone else found this? Any advice?
presumably you're wearing your watch set to beep every 5 minutes or whatever. Make a grand gesture of looking at your watch and leave the beeper beeping - a clear statement that you are not randomly quitting early but following a cleverly designed programme with great precision..
I do this all the time.
Will try it and see what happens... At least if I get another dramatically slow time I'll be able to say that I was conducting an experiment and blame it on my training plan and race strategy etc! If I improve then it will of course be a personnal victory etc!