Do You Take Walk Breaks During Runs?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
February 16, 2010 9:24am CST
Usually, I'm not the type of person to take any walk breaks. I just kind of run slow and steady. Occasionally I will stop to drink water or something (not during a race, but my fuel belt is impossible to drink from without spilling water while running, and it only holds 12 ounces of water so I don't want to spill any). Once I'm finished drinking or eating though, I'll just start running again.
Well, during the marathon obviously I don't want to have any full on stopping breaks. And I'm starting to this I probably couldn't stay running the entire time. So how do I figure out how many walk breaks I should take and when?
I was thinking of walking for a minute every 5 miles. Which would only be 5 minutes of walking during the entire marathon. And maybe I wouldn't even take that last walk break because there wouldn't be much more to go after that anyway. The longest I've run without any stops at all is 13.1 miles for the half marathon. It's hard to find a way not to stop at all during training though, with all the street lights and needing to eat and drink. So I'm just thinking that I would do better with some breaks rather than hoping my endurance will keep me going. Is this a bad plan?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I think the planing breaks every 5 miles is a great idea. You can add these breaks into your training so when you run the marathon it is second mature.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
18 Feb 10
I'll have to try that for my 18 miler this weekend. I'm going to try to wear the same clothes I want to wear for the marathon and everything. Although, maybe not the same shoes yet because now I have a blister from them and can't risk getting that blister bigger just yet. But I'll wear the same shoes I want to wear for the marathon for my 20 miler next week.
1 person likes this
@pandaeyes (2065)
•
23 Feb 10
We do walk sometimes.
Where we run is all beside the traffic so it is inevitable that we will have to walk some of it but usually only for things like crossing the road or if we get to the level crossing just when the train barriers are down.
At first I was frustrated and felt like it was a failing but now I see it can't be helped and really it is still going in that same direction,just a bit slower for a little while.
We watch the London marathon on TV and often there are people walking parts of it.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
24 Feb 10
That's how I felt at first too, like I was failing to have to walk. But then as you mentioned, during training runs I always have to stop at least at stop signs and lights and such. So it's hard to get in a training run that is very long with constant running. I think the most I got up to was 7 miles, and I had to do a loop course for that so that I could just keep going around without getting to a stop light. Then the half marathon I managed to stay running the whole time. But for the full marathon, I know that I cannot. Maybe someday, but not yet.
1 person likes this
@pandaeyes (2065)
•
24 Feb 10
I hope you post about how you get on when you do your Marathon. I shall be looking out for it :)
@syndibee (799)
• United States
18 Feb 10
Can you look at the marathon course ahead of time. Do they tell you where the water stops are? Maybe you can plan your walking to be around the water breaks.
I personally would probably plan on the continuous run at the beginning and take walk breaks at every water station. They usually split the stations up pretty evenly in a race if they can and you can get a sip of drink without using your belt.
I do take walk breaks but have a hard time running after. I don't last long after my break before I'm tired out again. I feel less tired when I just continue running slowly.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
18 Feb 10
They have water stations every mile, so I know I don't want to walk that often. I think they'll announce where they'll offer food soon, and maybe I should plan my breaks around that. I'm bad at eating while running, but have become pretty good at drinking and running.
I know I can make it 13 miles without walking, but some people say it is better to start walk breaks early. In order to not get kicked off the course though, I think I'll probably have to wait until at least mile 5 for the first one.
I don't plan to even bring a fuel belt unless the food there is going to be really bad.
@washingtonmark (367)
• United States
14 Mar 10
I never slow down to a full walk maybe a slow jog but never into a walk.
@ab48726 (156)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I can't say much for marathon running, but I like to keep a slow steady jog when I run to burn more calories and keep up my cardio, although if I am trying to go for a long period of time I will alternate jogging and fast-walking, throw in a sprint here and there. That way I can keep going for longer than I would if I were just jogging. Hope this helps, have a nice day!
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Feb 10
If I throw in a sprint, it will be all over. Once I run quickly, I always seem to slow down drastically after that. I never realize it at the time, but immediately after I yell at myself for doing that. In a 5K it's fine because I can keep up a quick pace (well, my quick pace) for that long. But longer than that and a fast pace wears me out too much to finish the rest of the run.
