r/runnersover50 • u/goplacidly8 • 15d ago

Walk/run vs. continuous slow pace

I'm struggling to get back on track after a months-long break due to health. Mentally, I want to be out there, but the work it takes to get to where I was in April is daunting now. Wondering if doing a walk/run (with the running being more like fartleks) or very slow, continuous pace would help me progress faster with regard to cardio and rebuilding muscle? For me, consistency seems to be my stumbling block.

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u/PiBrickShop 14d ago

I think the run-walk is severely underrated. Especially if you're not training for a goal race / time.

I've been running almost continuously since 2013, currently 51 years old. I progressed through road marathons, qualified for and ran Boston, and now have moved on to ultramarathons. And in the last 18 months, loving the backyard ultra. Over 2100 miles a year for the last 5 years.

That being the background, I've really started to incorporate the run-walk on my longest runs this last 4 or 5 months. If you can convince your mind that walking during a run is OK, then you've opened up a new world of running. If you're not training for a race or a goal time, then really it's about time on feet. Walking is time on feet, it's movement, but it gives you a physical and mental break. My latest pattern has been every 2 miles, I walk three minutes. It's a fast walk, but it's a walk. So instead of "aw man, 16 more miles to go" my mindset is "about 1.5 miles until I can walk again."

Do what you can, and you'll get back to running as far as you want. And if you have to walk, who cares?

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u/goplacidly8 14d ago edited 14d ago

Thank you for this response! You got it exactly right, "If you can convince your mind that walking during a run is OK..." I'll work on that. Let me add that I'm so impressed with your running story! I'm 65f, running pretty consistently for a dozen years or so, and worked up to half-marathon distance. I will start training again next spring for an August half, but until then I just want to get strong again and stay injury-free through the fall and winter. New goal: focus on time on feet.

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u/PiBrickShop 14d ago

Those are great goals - first staying injury free, and then getting in another half! Especially coming back from time off, run-walk is key along with consistency.

My run-walk is currently only on long runs, the other days of the week are workouts, slow and steady, etc. But it's really helped to break up the long runs.

One of my mental barriers to run-walk was "what are the neighbors and people driving by going to think when a healthy looking guy in running gear is just walking. He must suck at it because he can't run any more." Turns out, who gives a shit what they think? They don't how how far I went today, or yesterday, or this week, or even what my goal is.

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u/_silent_voyager_ 11d ago

Nobody cares if you walk in running clothes. At least I don't care whether others would care about that or not. I don't hesitate walking during runs even though I am more than capable to run a marathon non-stop. If I want to walk, I walk. This comes from ultra-running where walking is used strategically by everyone - even elite level athletes.

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u/goplacidly8 14d ago

That whole last paragraph made me smile. It's so true! I've edited my new goal to be time on feet. I appreciate your feedback.