The Run/Walk Plan
A simple new training technique can increase your endurance and calorie-burning, decrease injuries and maybe even help you run faster
by: Amby Burfoot
Shhhh. I’ve got a little secret to share with you. You see, I used to be a fairly fast runner. In fact, 30 years ago this month, I won the Boston Marathon. And there’s a certain amount of honor among Boston winners–a code of steely toughness, a sort of “pain is my friend” ethic–that we’re sworn to uphold.
Now, about that secret. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’ve gone soft or anything but … uh, this is kinda hard to get out … I often take walking breaks during my daily runs.
There, that feels much better. Though I don’t know why it was hard to say in the first place. After all, it makes perfect sense to mix running and walking.
Think about it:
When new runners begin a running program, they often start by following a run-walk routine. They run for maybe 30 seconds, walk until they feel recovered, then repeat the process for 20 to 30 minutes. This system has proven successful a thousand times over.
When world-class runners peak for the Olympics, they concentrate on “interval” training–the still-unsurpassed method for achieving maximum results. They run hard for 1 to 5 minutes, then walk or jog very slowly until they’re ready to run hard again.
When ultradistance runners participate in those seemingly crazy races of 100 miles or six days (and beyond), they inevitably alternate running and walking. Which only makes sense. It’s hard to imagine any other way to cover the mega-mile distances.
You, on the other hand, probably view walking as the enemy. The thinking is: You run, and this is good. You are proving and improving yourself; you are determined; you are a moral person. Whereas when you walk, this is bad. You are lazy; you are a loser; you don’t deserve to be loved (not even by your mother).
Mental-health therapists have many words for this sort of inflexible, perfectionist thinking, and I have one, too. I call it “stupid.” (None too nuanced, but has the benefit of clarity.)
The goal of a workout is not to avoid walking. This bears repeating: The goal of a workout is not to avoid walking. The goals are to feel better, get in better shape, reduce tension, lose weight, train for an upcoming race and so on. Take your pick. They’re all worthwhile goals.
And here’s the important thing: You can achieve these goals more easily if you incorporate some walking into your running. I’ve been doing it for several years, and it hasn’t made me less of a runner. In fact, I used a heavy dose of run/walk training to get ready for Boston this month.
Run/walk training, which I like to call “R/W training,” represents a simple, commonsense approach to conditioning. It can help you train more (for better marathon preparation and calorie-burning); it can help you train healthier (who needs injuries and burnout?); and it can even help you get faster (through various forms of interval training).
Enough talk. Let’s get more specific.