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Walk to Run: How Frequent Strolls Could Improve Your Marathon

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Believe that walking and being a runner aren’t compatible?

Real runners don’t walk?? Right?!

Or do they! This is not about run-walk intervals. This is about adding walking to your routine.

Running along side one of the speediest men I’d ever met, I was shocked when he told me his very expensive coach ordered him to start more walking AFTER finishing long runs. Validation that all my walking is more than just free transportation! The secret to a better marathon could suprise you!

Benefits of Walking for Runners

Too many runners turn their nose up at walking, thinking it’s only something you do once you’ve slammed head first into the dreaded wall. Instead it’s time to realize you could reap some major endurance benefits from slowing down.

  • Walking builds endurance {consider it extra credit training}
  • More time on your feet during training ensures you are race ready even after the expo and site exploring on race weekend
  • One can walk much further than they can run
  • It utilizes the same muscles without the impact
  • Walking eases low back pain {an issue of many desk jockeys}
  • Walking strengthens your feet
  • Walking large hills strengthens the glutes without the heart rate raising intensity

Adding some walking to your routine might just help you run farther and faster by building leg strength, increasing lung capacity, reducing stress and burning extra calories.

“New research from the University of Texas School of Public Health studied 218 marathon and half marathon participants and found that they run almost an hour daily, but sit for seven to 10.75 hours per day.

What’s more, other studies show that even an hour or two of exercise each day does not offset the damage of sitting down the rest of your waking hours.” – Runners World

On top of that I’ve talked repeatedly in pre-run warm ups about the use of walking. It’s been shown to help you run farther in that session!

Where to add walking in your training?

  • Walk on rest days as active recovery which is both low impact and beneficial to your run
  • Add 10-20 minutes at the end of your long run which will increase the total mileage and time on your feet, but without the added injury risk of running past your limits
  • Walk to do errands, walk around the office, pace on the phone
  • Walk in place of a run when you are injured or under the weather. Double the time your run would take for the walk.
  • Walk with your friends and family over the holidays, instead of vegging out with the TV
  • Try this 30 day walking challenge to get you going
While walking takes longer, it will bestow the same endurance as running, while reducing injury risk. - learn how to do it! Click To Tweet
Love that Jeff Galloway quote! He’s a smart man, even if I’m not a run walk lover.Find out how walking more could improve your marathon time - not talking about run walk training

While the focus of this article is on pure walking, don’t think that run-walk intervals are only for newbies. You can read my complete breakdown of the Galloway Method here >>

  • It works for runners of all levels from beginners to Ironmen
  • For new runners walking breaks allows the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems to recover while building endurance.
  • For injured runners it reduces the risk of overuse and can be a great mental relief in returning to running.
  • In the summer months it allows the heart rate to drop reducing effort
  • Many a runner has BQ’ed with this method and swears it kept them injury free {as I always say there is no one right method, be open to testing what works for you}

How often do you take a walk outside your runs?

Do you enjoy slowing down sometimes?

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Posted by amanda Categories: Marathon, marathon training, running coach

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jen @ Pretty Little Grub says

    November 24, 2016 at 7:44 am

    Adding the extended walk to your long run is a great idea. I try to walk on my lunch break for about 20 minutes. I like it as a stress reliever.

    • amanda says

      November 28, 2016 at 8:01 am

      I totally agree, I love my walks. They are a different kind of relief than what i get from my runs!

  2. Pippa says

    November 27, 2016 at 4:55 am

    I pretty much walk everywhere! I find that keeping mobile after a long run really helps. Even if that just means that I do my long run so I end up somewhere a little further away than my front door. Then at least I have to walk for a few minutes to get back (or to get to the nearest bus stop)!

  3. Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says

    November 27, 2016 at 11:27 am

    I love this! For my first marathon, I did a lot of walking on my non running days and although I only ran one 20 niiler and my overall running mileage was very low, I ran a really solid race and credit that to all the walking. Now, with kids, and in the hilly neighborhood we’re in, walking is less convenient but I still love to squeeze it in when I can!

  4. Rodolfo aurélio says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:12 am

    I love walking 1 hour a day and after doing some stretching I’ve done this for at least 5 years and the benefits only increase allied to a good healthy diet has nothing better

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SHARE THE ONE that resonates most with you. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏾🏃🏽‍♂️
 
It’s true, I’ll never stop talking about the warm up 😂. But right now the idea that running is HOPEFUL really strikes a chord.💜
 
We show up mile after mile always looking to what’s ahead and what’s possible.
 
Which one hits home for you?
.
.
.
#runningmotivation #runninginspiration #medalmonday #fitnessmemes #runningmemes #runningquotes #runnerslife #runnerlife
AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review befor AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review before races) -AKA  Bonking. UK friends giggle at that, but it’s a term just like fartlek.
.
It’s that painful moment when your mind tells your legs to stop and it feels like there’s nothing you can do to turn the tides. It leaves emotional scars!🥵
 
WHAT TO DO!
1️⃣Train differently - seems obvious, but consistent training that follows a plan which progressively and smartly builds your miles and strength and speed...ya it works.
 
2️⃣Fuel, fuel, fuel - force yourself to eat before races and long runs even if not hungry.
.
Starting fueling sooner than you think you need to and keep doing it. During races your body is running on more carbs and needs that steady flow of energy. 
.
🧠 Your brain functions on CARBS, stop depriving it or it will tell you to stop running. If food while running is an issue for you, checkout something like @genucan.
 
3️⃣Pacing - Stop going out too fast because you’re excited, it absolutely catches up to you. Ideal is even pacing start to finish.
 
4️⃣Pay attention to your brain. @fitzgerald.matt in How Bad Do You Want it does a great job of showing how the brain can limit performance if you don’t know what’s happening up there.
 
5️⃣Recover better - Stop over training and give your body tools to help it destress from all the work...the best one is SLEEP. I also love @resiliencecbd to help with nerves prior to a race and quality sleep during training.
 
❓❓Helpful?? Have more race day questions?? Or an epic story of hitting the wall?? I wanna know.❓❓
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Thanks to @moxie82co for capturing this weird moment, it worked great for this post.
HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mo HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mobility workouts, now we add strength!
//
🥳For the next 30 days in the Virtual Run Club we’ll be going hard on all the pre-hab work for hips, glutes and abs. Because running isn’t just about the miles.
//
That’s one of the reasons I’ve been consistently doing @insidetracker bloodwork since 2015.
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It’s helped me identify low Vitamin D causing fatigue or catch my wayyy high cortisol to embrace easy runs as key part of the process.
📌 (Save this post because the last screen has a 25% off discount code and you can get free access to the 30 Day March Challenge.)
👉LINK IN BIO FOR BOTH
✅✅✅✅
3 CORE MOVES
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You can use these as a progression or do all three, they’ll target the hips, glutes and core in different ways with each variation.
 
Aim for 15 reps prior to a run or do multiple rounds as part of a workout!
 
1️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Hip Raise - Really focus on your core engaging to raise up and keeping your elbow under your shoulder.
 
2️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Leg Raise - Again core should be tight to keep hips lifted, not sagging towards the ground. Then focus on your hip and glute to raise the top leg.
 
3️⃣Straight Leg Side Plank Leg Raise - Engage the core to keep hips high and press the bottom foot in to the ground to really engage your glutes. Slow and steady to remain stable while raising and lowering top leg.
❓❓❓❓
Talk to me!!!
Who’s in for 10 min a day in March?
Who’s gotten blood work to improve their health?
Who’s excited it’s almost spring?
👉👉Me to all 3! And more info in stories!
 
 
 
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RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips planned to share today, but really just wanted to say I hope you get in some miles today and they make you smile.
 
Let go of the pace.
Let go of the distance.
Let go of HR for a day.
Just run.
We GET to.
 
Where in the world are you running today?
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I’ll be embracing one warm day before snow here in Boulder, CO.
EMOJI POLL: Round or no? ⏰ give me whole numbers EMOJI POLL: Round or no?
⏰ give me whole numbers
👍wherever I stop, it stops
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||
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