Thinking ahead - run/walk strategies for IM run for slow runners

helen.king@invis.co.uk

Now I've switched to my IM plan I am pondering what to do about my long runs. I am a jogger, vDot 32.92, no running background, only run one stand alone half marathon. I am thinking about 2 strategies to get me through the IM run:



1.Deliberately walk the first 6 miles of the IM run, focusing on hydration/nutrition, getting comfortable, not going out too fast.



2.Deliberately run/walk the entire IM run.  Not sure on ratios but possibly 5 min run/1 min walk.



I know neither is ideal but past experience tells me I don't have the mental stuff needed to run 26 miles and my body starts to give out after about 13 miles of IM running and I can't run much further than I have in training.



For option 1, I would be looking to walk at 5mph. I can see some advantages. Whilst this is going to be slower than what I should be doing I also won't overcook the start of the run. I am going to need to train to walk that fast so I'm thinking about tagging a walking section onto the start of my long runs (in addition to the plan).



For option 2, I would aim to follow the plan but do the long runs as a run/walk adding on some extra time to cover the walking bits.



Any thoughts?

imc1792

Helen, my thoughts include:

Pick one approach and commit to it.

I would not prefer to deliberately walk first 6 miles and then un-deliberately walk the last 5-6 miles. Not a great approach. By that I mean so you do the first 6, then do some combination of walk/run and for some reason end up walking most of the last bit unplanned.

Which means I would prefer (and have done) a walk/run strategy. I was comming off an injury way-back, 2.5 months to build what I could for IM. So I started out with run 3 walk 2 for 2-3 weeks, then upped it to run 4 walk 2, and then upped it to run 5 and walk 2. The last 2 long run/walk days I dropped to 1 min walks. I was very satisfied with my result.

I also did this long run/walk 2 times a week building to the point of running 1:30 on day one and 2:00 on second long session.

What ever you decide, best advice I have is:

1- pick your method and train that way, walking with intent is much different than walking because you are beat-up.

2- do not under estimate the value of adding solid walking time at the end of your run/walk sessions. This can help a lot both physically and mentally. Power walk it, add some skips, sing. It all helps.

Coach Rich

Helen,

You still have plenty of time to train, to become a better running, and develop confidence in your running fitness and endurance. Don't sell yourself short just yet .

• Continue following the run workouts in the training plans.
• For the long runs, consider walking for 30-60" every mile. This should be a brisk walk, not a stroll. 

On race day, understand that as soon as you start walking, a lot, it gets harder and hard to start running again. And the difference between running, no matter how slowly that may be, and walking is still several minutes x many miles = you're out there a LOT longer. So...

1. HIGHLY recommend you do not deliberately walk the first 6 miles. Instead, go with the 1 mile on, 30" walking approach that you've practiced over and over again in your long runs. 
2. Do that for as long as you can, then go to something like 8' ON, 1' walking, 6/2, whatever. The point being that you run as much as you can and walk as little as you can for as long as you can, doing the best you can for as long as you can. My concern is that if you start walking right out of T2 it will be very, very difficult to start running. 

tim cronk

Helen,

I provided a link for you to look at. But go to resources tab top of page, wiki, and read read read. Watch the 4 Keys several times. Besides the EN training plans, the wealth of information and knowledge from the coaches and members, etc, that resource is the most valuable thing here.

Train your EN plan.
Execute the EN way (very good guidance to execute the run).
Do not under-estimate yourself.
Many people handle the IM marathon having never run a Marathon before. Its a completely different animal.
Remember whether you think you can or think you cant your right. You will surprise yourself.

http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Race+Execution+(Ironman)

kimmydct

Well, not much to say since a coach has commented but I can speak as a slow runner. When I did IMFL, my vdot was about 30, so lower than yours. I started out with some walking each mile from mile 1 and that worked pretty well for me (kinda like your Option 2) I was able to do this until about mile 19 (a 10pm cutoff that I was concerned about) and the blisters on the bottom of my feet were killling me so that was pretty much what ended the running. I wish I could remember specifics about the ratios of walking to running....

I was very concerned that my longest run before IM was only 13 miles as that was the most I could run in the "allowed" max run of 2 1/2 hours. But I did figure I'd be walking and put faith in the plan. The only caveat to this it that I never had gotten blisters before since I had only done 13 miles so i was unprepared. Perhaps you could do one longer run/walk just to see what happens in that regard. Other than that, don't worry about being slow. You'll be fine! My marathon time was somewhere in the 6:45-7:00 range.

helen.king@invis.co.uk

Thanks all for your advice. I’ll try the walking for 30-60" every mile on long runs. I find it hard to get going again after walking sections so want to build it in early and get used to it.

For some reason it feels hugely important for me to have a proper plan on the run section this time around. First IM I did the 4 keys/hold on until mile 18 thing (although I didn’t actually believe I could do it). When it didn’t happen and I felt so crushed, letting the side down, a failure etc. Thankfully I hooked up with a chap doing something like 1 min walk/3 min run and suddenly I was like – hey I can do this the world is not ending! Second IM was a disaster all round for many reasons. For the third (and probably last) time I want the run to be better!

Al Truscott

Posted By Helen King on 12 Mar 2013 01:04 PM


...past experience tells me I don't have the mental stuff needed to run 26 miles and my body starts to give out after about 13 miles of IM running and I can't run much further than I have in training.

A slow jog is almost always faster than a quick run. The times I have (either deliberately or not) being walking in the IM marathon, the WORST part about it was just how dang long and boring it is to be walking at the end of that long day. Avoid walking a substantial amount on purpose, it just makes the mental aspect worse, IMO. A run/walk strategy from the very start is the best idea. The EN plan is 30 seconds/walking per mile, but there's nothing at all wrong with, say 4 min run/1 minute walk as a strategy, or 6/1, or 8/1 or whatever. But DO NOT, as Rich points out, plan to start out walking, or plan to give up on walking just because it seems mentally taxing. Walking is worse in that scenario. More steps, more chance for blisters, more time to feel miserable, etc.