Run/walk interval question...

I know several people who use the run 10 min/walk 1 min routine and it helps them a lot. I have one running partner who likes to take "wimpy walk breaks" (that's what he calls them). We tend to run fast at a relatively fast pace for 2 miles or so, and then we'll walk a couple of blocks before running again. I usually feel really strong after the walk break and I'm able to maintain a faster pace while we're running.

If you are running for fat loss, I have read many articles that recommend "interval training"---running/walking at different speeds (supposed to stimulate your metabolism or something like that). Also, there's a lot of articles that recommend varying the pace throughout your workout. Otherwise you get in a rut and never get any faster.

I have been run/walking for a couple of months now and it's working great. When I first started I would walk about 7 laps around the track and run 1. I'm now up to about 50/50. My usual workout is walk 2 laps for warmup, followed by jogging for a mile and a half (or about 15 minutes) then walking a couple of cool down laps. Occasionally, after the long run I'll walk a lap, then jog another lap at a fast pace (about a 2 minute quarter). I've lost ten pounds and my distance and endurance is getting a lot better.

I do the run/walk method. For me, it's invaluable at getting me to do longer distances. It might be mostly a mind game. But when I start getting tired, it's easier to think about running for 4 more minutes and then I get to walk than it is to think about running 4 more miles. I'm pretty slow to start with, and I'm just getting started with this running thing. I do 4 run/ 1 walk and it has not slowed down my overall pace significantly. I feel like I run stronger during those 4 minutes than if I tried to run continuosly.

Both Galloway and Higdon recommend walk breaks - for faster runners the "walk" may be just slower run intervals to give your muscles a quick break from the constant running motion.

I find it very effective, but then I'm slow

The walk/run method may be a useful tool for a beginner increasing endurance.

Be careful, however, as most athletes run their basic endurance training at a pace that is too fast. Using walk breaks to allow yourself to run too fast will retard your progress, not help it. Don't try to train speed and endurance at the same time - do your endurance training at a VERY SLOW pace.

Ken

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I teach an outdoor power walking class (don't laugh!) and we do run intervals.  I think the reason this works for run training is all based on heart rate.  If you kept running and your hr stayed high, you'd be anaerobic.  But, if you add in walking intervals, it kind of keeps your hr in more of a training zone.  My advice would be to move from the walking intervals to a s-l-o-w, shuffling jog interval.....keep it in a manageable hr zone. 

I use run/walk intervals to build up to "real" running. I have half hour workouts, which started as run 2 min/walk 4, and now I'm at run 5 min/walk 2.5. I find it very helpful, because I can actually get my thirty minute workout in and not be thrashed at the end from pushing too hard. I also find that taking the walking breaks is good with HR training. Because I'm fairly slow, any intervals HR training I do involves lots of walking. I don't know, I think walking serves a good purpose. Human beings are biomechanically NOT designed to run, but are designed to walk. That is, we can walk almost forever, but have to train ourselves to run. Why not fall back into walking a bit?

I'm a believer....this is coming from a non-runner here. Before I started using walk breaks, my longest run was about 30 mins...Now, I'm planning a 10 mile run this Saturday! It's amazing. Walking for a minute every 10 minutes works wonders for me. It allows my HR to come down a bit, it gives my legs a rest, and it helps me get through the run- I break up the long run into 10 minute intervals- so that way I'm just thinking- ok, get through 10 minutes and we'll walk for 1 minute. It might sound stupid, but it works for me!

The run/walk is how I got back into running. It took me swallowing a huge slice of humble pie. I have never needed to walk while running, and I always saw that as a sign of inexperience or something. However, I am a huge proponent of it now. I can do long runs at decent paces now, but depending on the workout, I still may walk a little. If I do a really intense tempo run, for example, I will walk part of the recovery.

I'm a huge fan . . . I just started exercising 2.5 years ago and couldn't run around the block without thinking I was going to die. Now in the past 4 months I have done one Ironman and 2 marathons (I know -- not really a good idea). My first marathon was 6 weeks after my IM and I foolishly thought that I could run the whole thing. I went out at a good clip and felt fantastic for the first 16 miles. Had my fastest half marathon time. Then I died. I really died. If it weren't for the kindness of two other races I would not have finished the race. My hamstrings and quads were killing me. I walked so slow those last 10 miles and I thought the end would never come. It took me at least 2 weeks to feel decent after that race.

Fast forward to my most recent marathon -- 4 days ago. My training was really off due to a broken wrist and I was looking at doing a repeat of my last race when my coach suggested that I run 10/walk 2 for the entire race. So I followed his advice and had the best 26.2 ever. It was really hard to walk after only 10 minutes, but I did it and felt excellent until mile 23. Walked a bit more for the next 2 miles and then ran it in. Post race I felt really good. Had some of the normally muscle soreness which was gone in two days. I didn't know that running a marathon could actually feel so good -- especially since going into this thing my longest run was only 12 miles. I will most certainly use a plan like this in my next Ironman. I think the key to using the Run/Walk system is having a plan and then sticking with it. While I really want to someday run an entire marathon, at least for now while I still feel like a newbie and especially when training does not go as planned, the Run/Walk is my best friend.