34 thoughts on “Just Run? Run/Walk? Walk breaks?”

  1. Even if you don’t run walk it is very hard to find runners to run with at your pace. You have to adapt which means running slower than you want or faster and having to walk to catch your breath. The alternative is run alone and you can do what you want.

    I tried run/walk but it doesn’t work for me because I don’t like to use a watch. It’s too restrictive and I don’t care about pace.

    As they say if it’s ain’t broke don’t fix it.

    But then again you don’t know until you try. It won’t hurt to run a race without stopping to see how you would do. You could get that 5k PR. Or at least you would know that it hasn’t next for you.

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    2. For me it isn’t actually all about pace, either. My knee can get very unhappy sometimes when I don’t take walk breaks — I haven’t had as much problem with it using run/walk, although sometimes it can still tighten up.

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      1. In other words, better safe than sorry.

        One of the big reasons, I don’t push the heavy week day mileage or do any drills. Nothing hurts and I want to stay that way.

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  2. I do better finding a pace and sticking with it, but one of my MRTT chapter leaders is a huge believer and we have so many in our group who do intervals – you’d fit right in!

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    1. I’ve even looked for Galloway groups in my area, but unless I’m missing something, I haven’t found one. I don’t actually follow him that closely.

      But it’s just a Friday 5 musing. 🙂

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  6. I always think I can’t go out for group runs because of my intervals, but sometimes I go anyway. When they say all paces welcome, they mean it. My intervals let me keep going if my ITBS speaks up, and you know what? I negative split my last race, so they can’t be bad.

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  7. I rarely run with others because I figure I won’t be running with them on race day anyway. The exception is my mom. Sometimes I run with her. We push eachother.

    I love your debate about the run /walk because I’ve had it with myself as well. On training runs I usually mix it up. Sometime I do it and sometimes I don’t. It all depends how I’m feeling. I have my watch set for intervals but sometimes I don’t follow it. I just wait till I get to the next mile to take my break. Regardless if you want to follow it on race day, I do think you should have a few runs per week where you do run/walk. I think it’s good for injury prevention. That is one thing I was worried about for a LONG time. I was afraid to run without run-walk because I was afraid my ITBS would come back.

    I don’t use run walk during 5Ks because I think it would make me slower. I think you should practice running a 5k a few days a week with out walking and see how you do! Perhaps you will feel you’ll want to do that at an upcoming race!

    Oh and I would love to run with you. Your intervals would not bother me at all! -M

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    1. Well, my pace might bother you. 🙂

      Seriously, though, that is one thing I didn’t mention — part of the reason I run/walk is also due to injury prevention. I still tape sometimes (always for a half), and I still sometimes get some knee tightness, too. It’s totally random.

      I agree that I will not be racing with anyone during a race, but don’t worry, I will have plenty of solo runs (and have always had plenty of solo runs).

      But it’s nice to run with other people too!

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    1. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who uses it here, but so far I haven’t connected with others (or others around my pace, anyway).

      In fact, when I chatted with some runners at a race they’d never even heard of it — that always surprises me!

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  10. I have never used run/walk intervals, but I do take walk breaks now and then (based on how I’m feeling). I know some runners feel like walking is “cheating,” but I have no problem with walk breaks. heck, they always give me a brief energy boost 😉 It’s hard to figure out what works for best, and when you find it…you should stick with it.

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    1. I never worry about what other people think — well rarely, anyway. But sometimes I wonder if I’m clinging to something I no longer need. OTOH, running is going quite well — but we’ll see how the races shake out.

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  12. my thing is, sometimes I really want to just run. i don’t always want to take breaks. then I get annoyed with myself when I do other times I plan to take breaks and it’s fine. I’ve never been very fast and even when I was a bit more fit I couldn’t really find anyone to run with, except my friend Kim, whom I trained with for the Paris Marathon. Then she got better/faster and i didn’t and i lost my running mate. In the end it’s ok – I’ve learned that it’s VERY ok to do it the way the *I* want to do it and phooey on anyone who doesn’t agree 😀 My race, my pace. is it lonely sometimes? yes. My friends constantly pace and help each other to get PR’s, etc. No one wants to pace me, it’s just too “slow”. Ah well.

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    1. It’s funny, sometimes I set out to just run, and then by the time it’s time for a walk break I’m like Pavlov’s dogs . . . sometimes I do just miss then, too, so sometimes it’s a bit chaotic.

      I feel for you! Some of my running buddies have slowed down to run with me (and likewise me with slower running buddies) — but not in a long time.

      I don’t care about being paced, but sometimes it is just nice to run with someone.

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