I’ve used run/walk in training to lessen the chance of injury for a longer distance but can’t see the point of entering a half marathon event if you’re intending to run/walk it (unless it’s mountain running). I wouldn’t feel like I’d genuinely completed a half-marathon if I walked some of it.
Incidentally, the one time I entered a marathon, I ran the first 35K but had to walk/run the remainder because of cramps in both legs. I did the distance but I don’t really feel like a ran a marathon. I don’t know if I ever will now as my knees aren’t so great and I tend to just do uphill events instead.
To some extent I agree, but OTOH isn’t the goal of a race to complete the distance as quickly as possible? Galloway would claim, and claims to have studies to prove it, that most non-elites can complete distances faster with run/walk than all run, even if they could run the whole distance.
Good point. I hadn’t thought of that - in that case there would be a point to entering the event with some planned walking. I think I read somewhere that once your running speed gets slow enough, it’s actually more efficient to walk at that speed. This would mean that at a certain level of fitness, to get your best possible time, you should walk some of it. So that scenario would make sense.
The only caveat would be that some events have cutoff intermediate points, so one must make sure they get to those in time.
this is relevant to the ultramarathon documentaries I have been binging lately. UTMB, Western States / Leadville, Barkley Marathons. I don’t know that I ever actually want to do a 100-mile event, but I really do like watching other people suffer through them. Winners will run it all and speed through checkpoints. Middle-of-the-pack will probably power hike uphills and jog / run flats and downhills. DFL (dead fuckin’ last) will be shuffling along to stay ahead of the cutoffs.
I’m not sure how I would feel about run/walk for a marathon. I probably couldn’t (rather, would never want to, probably COULD) complete a marathon at even a walking pace. So if I had to walk some of a marathon, I would probably still count that.
On the other end of the spectrum, if I had to walk any portion of a 5K, I wouldn’t consider that meeting my goals. Probably the same for a 10K.
Not sure where a half marathon falls on that spectrum. Probably depends on how prepared for it I feel going in. If I trained for months, I’d probably be disappointed. Maybe someday I’ll find out.
Went for my standard six mile run today. About 2 miles in, I see a runner up ahead on the multi-use path I use.
Over the next 3/4 of a mile, I slowly reel him in. When I hit mile 3, and the mile split read off, realized I had sped up by about 40 seconds for that mile, when I had been trying to not change pace. Maybe someday I will stop chasing people.
Thinking back, I remember that he picked it up after I passed him, so I am not the only one still letting the competitive juices affect the workout
my may running goals are on hold. back flared up yesterday. i made it about 30 seconds into the run and realized…this is not gonna get better. biking (stationary) and stretching for a few weeks
My running’s been on pause for the last month or so. I started a new role and have been so busy I haven’t been able to make it a priority. I need to really get back into it this month if I want any chance of completing the half marathon I’ve signed up for next month.
On recommendation from a coworker, I drank an Alani 45 minutes before my run. Either it was an excellent placebo effect or it gave me my best feeling run ever. Ran a quarter marathon and could have kept going but for time.
Wouldn’t surprise me, there’s been a lot of advancement in terms of understanding what helps with performance over the past few years. Did it have caffeine? That plus a bit of sugar rush takes 30-45 minutes to get into the system, so no surprise you felt good.
No sugar, but 200mg of caffeine and lots of vitamins. Some people I guess drink these as a pre-workout (not to be confused with their actual pre-workout product). Since I have to run on an empty stomach, it seems like a nice compromise, although I wouldn’t drink it before every run; I was testing it out as an option for my race Saturday.
in current events, the Cocodona 250 is about to see its first female winner in Rachel Entrekin, and she’s also about to shatter the course record by about 2 hours (she’ll be 56h + where former record was 58h +). As in, right now I’m watching the livestream of the final miles. Damn impressive.
Ran my first 5k in 25 years today, had a goal of 34:00 minutes and finished in 32:06. It was a very small 5K, so I managed to be in the top 3 of my age group, but I didn’t stick around for the medals! I’ll probably never have that result again, lol.
I’m really proud of myself. I started at zero back in January and didn’t think I’d be able to run a 5K by now, let alone longer distances. In fact, 4 months ago today I did my first couch to 5k workout, so today’s result feels extra good.
I have another race in 15 days! Looking forward to it.
Awaiting the start of mine. Parking was congested, so they’re delaying the start for 10 min. My time won’t be anywhere near yours, but my goal is to finish without injury.
