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2010-06-19 9:41 PM
in reply to: #2931467

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Subject: RE: Walk/Run
brown_dog_us - 2010-06-19 7:31 AM

I think that people who are running a 5 hour marathon are better off with the run/walk.  As the the finish time gets faster I've always thought less and less people should be run/walking and at some point you are nuts to be run/walking.

I'm starting to question this because I see well respected coaches like Bobby McGee saying he wouldn't be surprised if the winner of Kona in 10 years uses a run/walk strategy.  Keep in mind he didn't say they would run/walk.  Just that he wouldn't be surprised.  That tells me that he has seen something in his fast athletes. 

It makes sense for an elite athlete to stick with the running the marathon because everyone before them ran the marathon, but it doesn't mean that it's the best method.

Don't understand the anti-R/W bias.  Use whatever strategy gets YOU to the finish line quickest.  I did run/walk for my 1st marathon last Fall mainly 'cause I knew I was really undertrained (and slow due to lingering knee pain).  Loosely following Galloway plan of scheduled time ratio from the start helped me finish. And in the later miles I passed more than a few "pure runners" who outpaced me at the start.  After much reading I think  R/W is an interesting concept that many are too proud to use during longer events.  It's more than a simple pacing strategy.  Holding a given pace can be more comfortable R/W than just running slow.  Walk phases allow a faster run pace.  And too many seem to think that the walk phase is always super slow.  It doesn't need to be.  My walk phase is around 12-3min/mi, and many walk much faster than me.  Heck- at the marathon I did there were a few racewalkers who finished sub 3:30, and elites in that sport can ave sub-7min miles for 50k.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racewalking

Obviously R/W is of no use to Kenyans running ~2:15 hr marathons.  Galloway seems to limit R/W to those running >8min/mi, and says you don't need to include walk breaks on short training runs.  But many AG-types record some pretty respectable HM or marathon PB's after adopting a scheduled R/W race strategy.


After all it ain't how.  It's how fast.


Edited by Oldteen 2010-06-19 9:53 PM


2010-06-20 2:04 PM
in reply to: #2931090

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Subject: RE: Walk/Run
ChrisM - Gotcha.  I would agree that the fastest way to get from A to B is to run it.  But you have to be trained to run it    I think people might be saying "right now with my fitness level it's fast to R/W". 


I'd just adjust that a little bit.

Assuming an infinite amount of time (or close to it) to train, then the fastest way to get to point A to B is to run it.  But with only limited amounts of time to train, then it may be _faster_ to add walking breaks as you run from point A to B.

But really, it might even bit a bit more complex than that, as with ultramarathons, I think even the elite athletes take walking breaks.  So, perhaps it's this:

When you don't have the training time or natural ability to run your target distance at sub ~8min/mi, then adding walking breaks to your training and race strategy may help you to achieve your maximum performance. 
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