A few months ago, I read an article about a method of running that advocates taking regular walk breaks throughout your run. It claimed that consistent walk breaks during your run gives your running muscles a break and enables you to finish stronger, as opposed to trailing off at the end.
Pridefully, I was uninterested. I mean, walk breaks? Really? I had come to believe that any amount of walking would cancel out the entire run. But I continued to research it, and read account after account of people who not only swore by it, but claimed that this method actually enabled them to run faster overall.
So I swallowed my pride and tried it. I ran a 4/1 cycle (run four minutes, walk one, run four, walk one, and so on). And…
I freaking loved it. For two main reasons:
1. I really did run faster overall – even on runs as “short” as 3 miles. That consistent rest really did help me push it a bit more during those four-minute spurts.
2. Mentally, running becomes much less daunting. It allows me to break up my run into a bunch of 4-minute mini runs. Some will be good, some will be bad. But knowing I have that break coming up almost completely eliminates that mental battle I was so used to having.
Look, I know this isn’t for everyone. But for many of you Reluctant Runners out there, it could revolutionize the entire running experience for you. It did for me.
For more details and insights from the person who created this method, read this.
Any questions?
Do any of you already do this?
This is how I am learning to run! I currently run for 2 minutes then walk for 3. Next week I up it to run for 3 minutes and walk for 2, etc. It has made the process of running much less overwhelming.
When I ran a marathon earlier this year, a super old guy used this method and beat me. It killed me. I’d keep passing him while he was walking but then a few minutes later he’d blow by me with fresh legs and I was confused and envious and angry- mainly because he was old and I hate losing to old people.
Katie, I can relate to that. I ran cross country my senior year of high-school and I got beat by a kid with severe asthma that explained to me that he was only running for the scholarship money.
There’s so much shame in running.
Agreed. So much shame!
I am definitely a run-walk-run advocate. Would have never dreamed of running more than a 5K before. Now I’m running my 1st half marathon in October, and planning for a full in Feb. Running a 3/1 ratio (actually 90/30), I take close to a full minute off my mile pace on a 3 mile run, plus, my recovery time after long runs (over 10 miles) is much shorter.
Jeff Galloway is the man!
I run walk, and have been doing so since Jan 1. I have seen my running pace improve (to 7:45/mi) and been able to sustain longer and longer durations of said pace. With walk breaks in between. Goal is to do a half, in Oct, at no worse than 9:00/mi overall pace. On track!
Dang. That’s fast.
ive never tried the run-walk but probably should bc im pretty slow at the run-run. last year in the athens half, i kept hearing this obnoxious person behind us with an alarm on his watch that went off every couple of minutes to alert him to walk.. i was annoyed until he came up beside us and it was jeff galloway with some older lady that i assume he was training and staying with… knowing he could mop the floor with me at any moment made the sound not quite so annoying.
How was the Athens Half? I have a few friends talking about doing it. I’ll be way slow with it, but I’m intrigued by it.
it was really fun…its cool to run through athens and the course was great except for the last mile was pretty much all uphill which about killed me. id def run it again though.
Awesome!!!!!! Glad it helped! I swear by the Galloway method.
Randy
And thank you for introducing me to it!
That’s strange, my track coaches always said that method was bad for you. But then again, they didn’t always know what they were talking about. I too, shall try this method…
when “racing” off-road ultras i don’t follow a timed pattern for running / walking, but any time i can’t see the top of a hill i walk. i doubt i’d finish otherwise.
This is exactly how I started running last year. When doing it that way it seemed to make my run go by much faster because of the sets of “mini-runs”. When I finally got up to the point where I can run for 30+ minutes uninterrupted I was sort bored and went back to a run-walk and just focused on pushing a lot harder during the run portion.
Yes, sometimes I’ll sprint the last 20-60 seconds of the 4 minutes since I know I’m getting a break. Helps to add interval training which improves your overall speed as well. Running is so incredibly mental. Wish I could understand folks who say they do their best thinking while running. All I can think about is how long until I can STOP running!!
For most of my life, I hated running. Despised, loathed, couldn’t stand running. I guess I thought that if I took any break at all in my scheduled run, I had failed for the day. When I finally caved and signed up to run a half-marathon, the team I trained with introduced me to the run-walk method and it was awesome. It helped me actually start to enjoy running longer distances(ok, maybe enjoy is too strong of a word…not hate would be better). I would absolutely recommend this method…it’s great especially for beginning runners!
Are you allowed to eat a doughnut each walk break?
To each his own Sam. To each his own. I prefer to wear a fanny pack full of Cheez-Its.
I met Jeff Galloway and he swears by this! This is the way he and his wife run their marathons now. It’s pure genius.
Swear by this method – if only for the mental piece of it. You can always run another 4 minutes and I choose to think about that rather than how many miles are left. I shaved 30 minutes off of a half marathon time…some was improved fitness, but some was definitely Galloway! It’s helpful to get someone to commit to training and running with you this way as the beeping watch can get a little maddening late in the race…
someone should note, though, that you should always be careful — when using this plan for running — to jog over to the far side of the road before starting your walking segment. i hear it happens really often in races that people stop to walk without thinking (being tired is a pretty good excuse) that someone might be running just behind them.
Great point. I think we might have pissed some people off at the Peachtree by abruptly stopping.
By taking walking breaks while running … I was able to return to running after I was severely injured in an accident and docs didn’t know if I would ever walk again.
I recently completed a half-marathon running 4 mins and walking 1 min. I felt great … I kept waiting to feel bad, hit the wall, etc … but it didn’t happen.
I also recently finished my fastest 5k since being injured thanks to walking breaks.
Yay for run/walk!
I, too, am a big fan of this method. I ran the ING Half last March and then the Thanksgiving Half. The ING I ran the whole thing (no walking!) after months of dedicated 4-5 times per week training. The Thanksgiving I ran with a run walk ratio of 8/2 (and then 4/1 towards the end when I was exhausted). I trained a LOT less (maybe 2-3 times a week with shorter mileage) and still managed to shave over 10 minutes off my time on a course that is very similar. I credit the improvement solely to the run/walk method. I shall never run more than 5 miles with out doing the run/walk. Then again with this summer heat I haven’t come close to a 5 mile run in quite some time.
Walking feels like giving in. If I start walking, I find it hard to pick up running again.
I usually use a 10 and 1 (run 10 minutes walk a minute) – it seems to be a pretty standard time structure as I have noticed from all the watches going off around me in my races. The last marathon I did I joined a pace group – their timing is different, but the overall purpose is the same, get you to finish faster than if you tried to slowly run the whole 26.2 miles.
I am a fan of the Galloway Method after reading Tyler’s blog earlier this year. I ran the Little Rock Marathon in March and don’t think I would have finished had I not used this method. I even turned in a PR at the half. Definitely planning on continued use of this method.
Funny thing is that I came to the site tonight hoping to see if anyone had heard of a “Galloway Method” type app for the iPhone. Anything that gives audio cues for your interval. And this was the first article on the home page. I can always count on you guys.
I’ve been using this method all summer! I’ve really enjoyed it. I like the Jeff Galloway Ultimate 5K app – I don’t know if I’m faster… but it feels great! :D
Yay for this site! It is really encouraging me – esp if I can have a donut at each walk break! :)
I did find numerous Galloway run/walk apps for iPod/iPhone – I’m using the “Couch to 5K” app and half-way there. It gives verbal and/or bell cues; I really look forward to that little bell! This site has normalized my feelings about running in a very short time. I’m ready to run again tomorrow after I thought I’d quit yesterday. Thanks, Reluctant Runners!
wow! reluctant runners.com is awesome. first i discover you make me laugh, then i find out you use the walk/run syle. we were made for eachother!
This is how I learned to run and I love it…mainly because I am the world’s slowest runner but the one of the world’s briskest walkers. The hot-shot runners in my group will dash ahead and then, because for some reason they all turn into little old ladies when they walk, I get to move up and join the group again.
So I tried it this morning. Training for 1st marathon. Ran 12 10 min miles easily 3 days ago. I feared stopping to walk wondering if I would have trouble starting again. Tried on dreadmil,ran 3 at regular pace (29 mins)walked 1 min, increased my speed a hair, ran one 9 min mile, walked 1 minute, increased speed. My 6 miles was much faster and…easy! I am a run walker. Thanks! BTW I am a 46 mom of 4. You can do it Tim.