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Run/walking NHS forum???

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon
30 Replies

Following on from the post about people leaving the NHS running forums - I am now training for my first full marathon using a run/walk strategy for training and for the event itself. I have also done this for my three half marathons over the past few years. I think that I will be doing this from now on ( getting old - 73 this year!! :( ) - although I enjoyed the challenge of learning how to run 5K , then 10K non-stop and did a lot of long slow low heart rate training - I found that I was losing my interest in long distance slow "slogging" - I am a bit mathematically minded so I enjoy the calculations required to run certain paces over certain distances using different run/walk ratios. It also allows me to run at a more comfortable pace over a short time and then walk, rinse and repeat. . My Garmin watch basically controls my pace and HR. BUT - I have found it difficult to find any kind of active run/walk Forum on the Internet - There is a very active RunDisney FB page who mostly use run/walk ( as Galloway has written their training plans) - but they all assume that you are running the Disney Marathon and much of the discussion is all about which hotel to stay in and where to catch the bus :)

I am wondering if there is enough interest here to call for a run/walk specific NHS Forum - open to all run/walkers, beginners or "more advanced" ???

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Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234
Marathon
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30 Replies
Snuffy_T profile image
Snuffy_THalf Marathon

I think this would be a good option for lots of people. Be interested in reading the posts and may give it a try.

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Possibly - I can message the other running admins about it if they don't see this post. We would need some new admins though, I'd think.

At least we could focus more on run/walk on the existing boards - it's an interesting subject and, from what I've observed on various social media, seems very popular.

Lordi profile image
LordiMarathon

I would be interested because I'm planning some very long run/walk or walk/run expeditions in the future!

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toLordi

I am training for my first marathon in July - and am finding that 30/30 is a very "flexible" run/walk ratio to use. I think it is well accepted that most people do their longruns too fast - so using 30/30, I can run/walk for a short while and then assess whether I am going too fast and start to do more walking 30sec intervals. This way, if I want to run a longrun at say the very slow pace of 9:30 mins per k, I can run at a comfortable pace and also nail that slow pace by altering the number of walking intervals :)

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toBazza1234

Essentially - walk/running rather than run/walking!! :)

Lordi profile image
LordiMarathon in reply toBazza1234

There might be more info on optimum walk/run intervals in articles on ultra marathons. I saw a Youtube video recently about a 100 mile mountainous ultra where most walk/ran the course. Google "Run Rabbit Run 100 Ultra."

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toLordi

There really is lots of info on the Internet - I am really looking for a forum where like minded people ( run/walkers) can discuss what they are doing :)

Lordi profile image
LordiMarathon

Forgot to mention that there was a race walker using the same indoor running track today and I judge she was on about a 01:45:00 20k pace judging by how many times she lapped me and other Marathon Club runners! Walking/jogging/running all relative to technique/fitness!

Irish-John profile image
Irish-JohnMarathon

I think it's worth a try. Let's face it - most of us are here because while we now DO run, I doubt most of us would say we are "gazelles" :)

I have hopes of completing a marathon in October, would love to think I could do it non-stop but....

Galloway's book confused me with the math, I always had trouble with that subject in school, so a section devoted to "run-walk" would, I think, help a lot of FM aspirants. :)

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toIrish-John

The only problem I have with the "math" is that Galloway ( being American) does everything in Miles !!! :)

Irish-John profile image
Irish-JohnMarathon in reply toBazza1234

Lol - I never thought of that for overseas readers :)

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply toBazza1234

Oh man, that drives me nuts!

Irish-John profile image
Irish-JohnMarathon in reply toroseabi

It's the Fahrenheit and Centigrade - and what's with "Celsius"? LOL - that frustrates me 🙂

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toIrish-John

Celcius and centrigrade are the same thing :)

Irish-John profile image
Irish-JohnMarathon in reply toBazza1234

Used to confuse the heck out of me when they started mentioning it first back home :) No Google then to do a quick check so I did next best thing - I asked Old Peter Across The Street.

"What's the difference between Celsius and centigrade" my innocent young self asked.

"Dunno" was the snarled reply. "Those things and feckin' Fahrenheit don't do a damn thing to make the weather better so who gives a rat's backside what they are!"

One of Nature's rather grumpier philosophers was OPATR. :)

Sandyscroll profile image
Sandyscroll in reply toBazza1234

Nothing wrong with miles! 😉

Langley-Loper profile image
Langley-LoperHalf Marathon in reply toSandyscroll

I agree! I'm miles through and through. The km conversions give me some mental arithmetic to do to keep my mind busy and distract from my burning lungs.

Sandyscroll profile image
Sandyscroll in reply toLangley-Loper

I vaguely attempt that!

So there's nothing wrong with bilingual either! 😂😂

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply toBazza1234

True! I am a maths cretin. I cant do on the move calcs at all I have to nail down the run walk ratio beforehand and stick to it I’ve not got the mental maths agility to adjust as I go ☺️🙈

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrHalf Marathon

Glad that you are still enjoying your running Bazza1234, regarding the list of people who have left the form, there are many, not heard from you for a few months, glad that you are keeping well.

theoldfellow profile image
theoldfellow

Fascinating idea. I am not so much into Marathons or other very long distances, but in controlling heart rate to prevent exhaustion. I suspect I represent many people who's heart isn't the huge pump that other people developed in their late teens and then let atrophy, but the group who avoided developing any cardio-vascular strength at all.

Run/walk, or even just controlling heart-rate through pace, is an interest.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

I don’t do heart rate monitoring stuff at all despite being an older runner It’s just another stat to worry about 🙂. I don’t wanna know 🤷‍♀️

I don’t advocate this cavalier attitude to others though 🙂

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon

I'd be interested Bazza, I'm training for my HM doing run/walk, I just couldn't manage anything else at the moment. I do 2 mins 1 min...count me in if you get one set up.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministrator in reply toCurlygurly2

It is really interesting isn't...I think I may be using the technique on my first one!!! How are you doing it.. 2 mins run .. 1 min walk???

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon in reply toOldfloss

Yes, that suits me well.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministrator

Interesting and timely post... :) How long are you walking for and then running for?

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toOldfloss

I am practicing NOT running/walking to fixed intervals. I have run 3 HMs , a number of 10Ks and 10 milers using fixed intervals ratios - but for the full Marathon I am so daunted by the distance that I have chosen to simply finish the event (if I can :) ) within the cutoff time of 6 hours 20 minutes. To do this I need to average 9 mins perK . I cannot walk that fast - I am a slow walker and find that if I try to walk too fast I overstride and become tired so I walk at only about 11 mins per K - so I need to run just enough to bring the moving forward average up to 9min pace. I set my "beeper" for 30 sec/30sec intervals and after each run segment as I am walking for the next 30 seconds , I look at my Garmin set to "average pace" and quickly determine whether I should walk for 1,2 or 3 x30 second walk segments - this allows me to set a very steady average pace of 9 mins, nice and slow to allow me to finish 42.2K. :) 30/30 intervals are very flexible and allow you to alter them to 60/30 or 90/30 or 30/60 or 30/90 etc without having to reset ratios. I do prefer to run these short ratios rather than longer ones like 2/1 or 5/1 etc. Just beware that this practice totally ruins your ability to run continuously After I complete this marathon, I am going to have to redo C25K completely over to relearn how to run non-stop for 30 minutes :)

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministrator in reply toBazza1234

Got it..thank you x

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon in reply toBazza1234

I'm very interested by this Bazza, and wish I had read it sooner. MY HM is next weekend, your method sounds a great deal easier than mine.

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Marathon in reply toCurlygurly2

I'm not sure why you would think this was easier -- it is more complicated than simply responding to a beeper set to 2/1 ? :) I find it good to maintain a fairly constant and lowish pace - especially in the early part of a run where I want to conserve energy. Like most people I got out a bit too fast at the beginning - and that will come back to bite you over a HM :)

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