Long runs, walk breaks and distance

[grimskot]

Question for those of us who regularly take walk breaks during long runs: do you count total distance travelled towards your target for the run, or just the running parts?

Let's say I have a 15km long run planned. I use my handy-dandy Garmin to take regular walk breaks: 9 min running, 1 min walking, repeat. Now, do I keep running until I have completed 15km in distance, or keep running until I have run 15km?

The first option seems pretty straightforward to execute: if I'm on a new route, just keep checking Garmin until I'm completed 7.5km, then turn around, if nothing else. The second option is more complicated, obviously, and yet it's the one I usually do. I have to guess how many sets of 9R/1W would add up to 15km of pure running. Sometimes I'm close, sometimes I'm short (if I'm running slower than usual due to heat, like today), and sometimes I go too far. I'm trying to stick to my training plan for a half marathon in October, and want to make sure I do the distance. I followed the same approach to my long runs while training for a half marathon this previous June. Yet at the same time, I don't want to do too much & overtrain & injure myself. (I have had physio in past few years for sore hip, twisted ankle & calf/achilles issues.)

Looking for some feedback. Thanks in advance

[abhainn]

Well, I'm not running, or walking, right now, but when I was I counted total distance, including walk breaks. As long as you're moving forward it counts imho.

[Habs4ever]

Well, I'm not running, or walking, right now, but when I was I counted total distance, including walk breaks. As long as you're moving forward it counts imho.

+1 Whenever I need to walk, taking nutrition, water, waterever the reason, it's all part of the overall mileage.

[Irongirl]

all of the run/walk programs that I've used consider the walk to be part of the total distance - you are on your feet and still moving forward!

If you were in a race and got to the finish line, you wouldn't be told to continue running, since you walked x distance during the race!

[daddy_runner]

It all counts. You're still making forward progress. During a race, the time is still ticking and you're still getting closer to the finish line.

The only times I turn off my timer during a training run are for potty breaks and red lights.

[turd ferguson]

It all counts.

The only caveat - it's not the same as going continuously. I take walk breaks sometimes and I know that (say) 3x20 minutes hard is not the same as 60 minutes hard.

[Jwolf]

If you are going to follow the run/walk plan in the race, then some of that distance will be walking. So it only makes sense to count your total run+walk distance as you build the length of your runs. Of course your pace will average out over the whole distance and be slower than your run-only pace.

[grimskot]

If you were in a race and got to the finish line, you wouldn't be told to continue running, since you walked x distance during the race!

Hee! I particularly like this quote, since it puts my question in the right context. Thank you all for your replies.

[Joe Dwarf]

The only times I turn off my timer during a training run are for potty breaks and red lights.

I don't turn off the timer for that sort of stuff - those are rests that allow you to recover, and they affect the overall time.

[Irongirl]

The only times I turn off my timer during a training run are for potty breaks and red lights.

I don't turn off the timer for that sort of stuff - those are rests that allow you to recover, and they affect the overall time.

I have my Garmin set to "auto-pause" at lights - but, going back to my race analogy - you don't get to stop the clock at a porta-potty!

I also consider it "time on my feet" (or my a$$ in the porta-potty example) and should really turn off the auto-pause feature!

[Jwolf]

The only times I turn off my timer during a training run are for potty breaks and red lights.

I don't turn off the timer for that sort of stuff - those are rests that allow you to recover, and they affect the overall time.

I have my Garmin set to "auto-pause" at lights - but, going back to my race analogy - you don't get to stop the clock at a porta-potty!

I also consider it "time on my feet" (or my a$$ in the porta-potty example) and should really turn off the auto-pause feature!

No auto-pause for me. I don't stop my watch at lights or for water refills, even if I stop moving, because I figure all these things add into my total time for the run; my average pace will look faster than it really is if I stop the watch. I know there are no traffic lights in races, but I figure the rest I get from stopping helps my pace when I start up again. That said, I HATE stopping at lights and usually pick routes without a lot of stops-- or I jog down the block and back when the light is red. Yesterday my run included three stops for water which took about 30 sec each, and a few short lights.

[HCcD]

In the RR training schedule, they have both a continuous run pace and an adjusted run/walk (10:1) pace ... That is, for example a 1:50:xx half marathon ... 5:15mpk for continuous or 4:59mpk for run/walk ... if I recall correctly ..

[Joe Dwarf]

I know there are no traffic lights in races, but I figure the rest I get from stopping helps my pace when I start up again.

Igzackly.

That said, I HATE stopping at lights and usually pick routes without a lot of stops-- or I jog down the block and back when the light is red.

I rarely stop for red lights - I might pause looking for my shot, but as soon as I have a break in traffic I'm gone. Hate, hate, hate stopping.

[ultraslacker]

yes, count it. As Kiza said, it's the same distance regardless of whether you're walking or running.

I don't use auto-pause, and the only time I stop the timer is if I go in a building (to use a washroom or get a gatorade!). The clock doesn't stop for us in a race! :)