Walking during a marathon may reduce strain...

SueInAz

I thought this was interesting. I run/walk all of my races (half marathon this past weekend) and know that my training runs that are only running aren't much faster than my run/walk training speeds. But it's also interesting because in three months, participants who started out running less than 13 miles per week were able to fully run a full marathon at all on three months of training. That sounds like a pretty aggressive training schedule.

Walking during a marathon may reduce strain without hurting time, study says

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/01/19/walking-during-marathon-may-reduce-strain-without-hurting-time-study-says/

Think that slowing down and walking a little during a marathon will ruin your time? Maybe not: A new study finds that among amateur runners, those who walked for part of a marathon had similar times compared with those who ran the whole way.

In the study, 42 recreational runners from Germany, who typically ran between 6 and 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) per week, volunteered to run a marathon. The participants underwent three months of training to prepare for the marathon (which is 26.2 miles, or 42.2 km) in Kassel, Germany, in May 2013.

The participants were divided into two groups: a "running-only" group, who ran the full marathon, and a "run/walk" group, who stopped and walked for 1 minute every 1.5 miles.

The participants in the run/walk group finished the marathon in about the same time as those in the running-only group — just over 4 hours. (Although the group that ran the whole time did finish the marathon about 7 minutes faster, on average, than the people in the run/walk group, the researchers found that this time difference was not statistically meaningful.) [5 Most Amazing Marathon Feats]

Both groups also had about the same average heart rate (between 154 and 158 beats per minute) and the same maximum heart rate (about 174 beats per minute) during the race.

But people in the run/walk group reported less muscle pain and less fatigue than those in the running group immediately after finishing the marathon: More than 40 percent of people in the running group reported extreme exhaustion, compared with less than 5 percent of those in the run/walk group, the researchers found.

"Lower ratings of exhaustion and muscle pain after the marathon, despite similar finish times, suggest that the run/walk strategy reduces the load on the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, this pacing strategy can highly be recommended to non-elite runners, as similar finish times can be achieved with less discomfort," the researchers write in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

Both groups also experienced similar increases in biomarkers of heart stress, which suggests that the run/walk strategy did not reduce strain on the cardiovascular system, the researchers said. For the people in both groups, levels of these biomarkers returned to normal four days after the marathon.

"The increase in cardiac biomarkers is a reversible, physiological response to strenuous exercise, indicating temporary stress," on the heart and skeletal muscle cells, the researchers said.

WhatMeRunning

As far as finishing in a similar time, I am not at all surprised. I have observed the same during training when I have walked part of the way when trying to build miles. I also notice that when I do my interval runs, they are not much faster overall for the total distance covered during the entire session than my tempo runs that are done at the same distance.

From my experiences though, I am a little surprise about the lower reported muscle fatigue. That is probably simply because when I had to walk it was because I pushed myself to the limit, and I was going to be sore afterwards. Since I did not run those all the way through I have nothing to compare against though.

Very cool read. But I must admit my goal would still be to finish a race running as opposed to run/walking UNLESS I planned differently or knew I was really challenging myself on the distance. Having run a half marathon at this point, and having regular weekly long runs at that distance, I really see no need to walk part of it when I can finish it running without a bunch of soreness or fatigue. If I tried to run a marathon tomorrow though, I am sure I would not finish it running, without great pain, and would most likely walk part of it solely to ensure I COULD finish.

sjohnny

New study shows that walking is easier than running! Alert the press!

DavPul

Every running thread on this site you're always talking about walking. Every single one.

You do realize that some people enter running events because they actually want to run, don't you?

sjohnny

DavPul wrote: »

Every running thread on this site you're always talking about walking. Every single one.

You do realize that some people enter running events because they actually want to run, don't you?

BALDERDASH!!

Running is hard - didn't you read the study. They did a study. They found that running is hard. No one should do it. Not even once.

lbetancourt

i trained to run a marathon. so, i ran.

sjohnny

lbetancourt wrote: »

i trained to run a marathon. so, i ran.

Said no one ever.

lbetancourt

sjohnny wrote: »

lbetancourt wrote: »

i trained to run a marathon. so, i ran.

Said no one ever.

don't be a marathon buster.

DavPul

lbetancourt wrote: »

i trained to run a marathon. so, i ran.

Jokes on you. Bet you wish you had waited and read the studies. It could have been so much easier.

Well, at least you know for the next one.

SueInAz

DavPul wrote: »

Every running thread on this site you're always talking about walking. Every single one.

You do realize that some people enter running events because they actually want to run, don't you?

You obviously only read the running threads because I post a lot and it's not always about running or walking. I'm also not sure I get your point.

Of course I'm interested in this type of information specifically because I run/walk. My sister posted it on Facebook, I thought it would be interesting to share here but I guess I should have realized that it'd devolve into "Running is harder than walking? Oh, my!" snarkiness.

I talk about run/walking when I post in these boards at times because I'm giving my personal experience which is what's being requested, usually by someone who is concerned they wouldn't be able to run a whole race. I'd certainly never suggest it to a serious runner.

Sure being able to run a whole race is awesome but if run/walking it would allow someone who couldn't otherwise complete a race to do so isn't that something we should encourage? Or perhaps you believe that because they can't do it the "right" way they shouldn't do it at all. If that were the case I know I wouldn't be doing it, either, and after finishing a half marathon this weekend in the top half of my division while run/walking I'd say I have the same rights to be there as the runners I passed on my way to the finish line.

MeanderingMammal

SueInAz wrote: »

In the study, 42 recreational runners from Germany, who typically ran between 6 and 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) per week, volunteered to run a marathon. The participants underwent three months of training to prepare for the marathon (which is 26.2 miles, or 42.2 km) in Kassel, Germany, in May 2013.

So they used a sample of very low mileage runners , who've then gone through a pretty intense training plan.

I'd argue that their control, those that ran the whole thing, wouldn't have been representative of runners who'd normally be anticipating that kind of challenge.

My week one marathon training long run is at the upper end of that weekly mileage, and that's a third of my mileage.

It'd be interesting to see the attrition rate during training.

beemerphile1

I've been a runner for over 40 years. I have run in many competitions and have learned a few things over the years.

I can walk uphill almost as fast as I run when tired. I will lose a huge amount of time if I walk downhill or on level ground.

It is a valid strategy for a struggling person to walk the uphills and run the rest of the course. It conserves energy with the minimum amount of time loss.

stealthq

Isn't this a long-accepted thing? I thought this was the whole idea behind Galloway's run/walk training, which does go up to marathon distance?

noexcusesjustresults2014

SueInAz wrote: »

The participants were divided into two groups: a "running-only" group, who ran the full marathon, and a "run/walk" group, who stopped and walked for 1 minute every 1.5 miles.

The participants in the run/walk group finished the marathon in about the same time as those in the running-only group — just over 4 hours. (Although the group that ran the whole time did finish the marathon about 7 minutes faster, on average, than the people in the run/walk group, the researchers found that this time difference was not statistically meaningful.) [5 Most Amazing Marathon Feats]
.

So basically this was a studying involving casual runners. 7 minutes is a HUGE difference in completion time from the point of view of anyone fast enough to be seeking qualification for the Boston Marathon for example.

There are many people who could walk an entire marathon in under 4 hours (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racewalking), but they will never win a major race that way.

I guess if you don't care about 7 minutes, then walking is fine.

Eaglesfanintn

stealthq wrote: »

Isn't this a long-accepted thing? I thought this was the whole idea behind Galloway's run/walk training, which does go up to marathon distance?

^^This

I was just in Disney for the Dopey Challenge and, especially during the marathon, you heard Garmins going off and people holding a hand up (the Galloway sign for 'I'm going to walk now') all the time.

_Waffle_

noexcusesjustresults2014 wrote: »

There are many people who could walk an entire marathon in under 4 hours (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racewalking), but they will never win a major race that way.

I guess if you don't care about 7 minutes, then walking is fine.

LOL @ Racewalking.

ThickMcRunFast

6-12 miles per week before 12 weeks of marathon training? Jeezus. All this study proved was that untrained people shouldn't run marathons.

Where do I get money to test the hypothesis that bad ideas are bad ideas?

DavPul

SueInAz wrote: »

DavPul wrote: »

Every running thread on this site you're always talking about walking. Every single one.

You do realize that some people enter running events because they actually want to run, don't you?

You obviously only read the running threads because I post a lot and it's not always about running or walking. I'm also not sure I get your point.

Of course I'm interested in this type of information specifically because I run/walk. My sister posted it on Facebook, I thought it would be interesting to share here but I guess I should have realized that it'd devolve into "Running is harder than walking? Oh, my!" snarkiness.

I talk about run/walking when I post in these boards at times because I'm giving my personal experience which is what's being requested, usually by someone who is concerned they wouldn't be able to run a whole race. I'd certainly never suggest it to a serious runner.

Sure being able to run a whole race is awesome but if run/walking it would allow someone who couldn't otherwise complete a race to do so isn't that something we should encourage? Or perhaps you believe that because they can't do it the "right" way they shouldn't do it at all. If that were the case I know I wouldn't be doing it, either, and after finishing a half marathon this weekend in the top half of my division while run/walking I'd say I have the same rights to be there as the runners I passed on my way to the finish line.

So now you think I'm trampling on your right to be in a race? You're projecting.

DopeItUp

DavPul wrote: »

Every running thread on this site you're always talking about walking. Every single one.

You do realize that some people enter running events because they actually want to run, don't you?

Wrong.

No one actually wants to run. Why would you, when you can just walk?

Hell, I'm gonna drive my next running event. It gets too hot outside of my AC'd car.

SonicDeathMonkey80

Why bother? Seriously. Hopefully more races start lowering the cutoff times - 6 hours is a good start.

MeanderingMammal

Just another observation, the results identify that subjective reporting of fatigue was different between the two groups, but objective physiological assessments indicated similar outcomes. So that would suggest that the reduced discomfort is as much psychological. I guess there's no way to measure the effects of telling people for twelve weeks that they're doing a training plan that'll lead to lower pysiological impact.

SuggaD

I can definitely see that. When I run intervals, my pace is significantly better than my run only training pace. That walk break makes a huge difference. But I still prefer to push myself and run entire races. My race pace is still faster than my interval pace because I'm rested and pushing myself.

brower47

I bet riding a bike during a marathon is even less stressful on the joints and I bet riding in a car is even less stressful still. But since we're talking about an endurance running event, I probably shouldn't mention the absurdly obvious.

cheshirecatastrophe

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Just another observation, the results identify that subjective reporting of fatigue was different between the two groups, but objective physiological assessments indicated similar outcomes. So that would suggest that the reduced discomfort is as much psychological. I guess there's no way to measure the effects of telling people for twelve weeks that they're doing a training plan that'll lead to lower pysiological impact.

Yes, this is the finding that interests me, too.

I read a study that I can no longer find (at least I hope I read it) about the benefits of compression socks/tights for *recovery* being significantly placebo effect. The wearers felt their muscles recovered faster, but the biomarkers of muscular damage were the same as the control group. I wonder if a similar mechanism is in play between perception of pain--underlying biology. (Of course, now when I look for the study I find a bunch of stuff about wearing socks while running...I'll keep looking).

AllonsYtotheTardis

Didn't train? Run/walk! Want to make a certain time at your first 5k? Why not run/walk instead? Its easier! Its so much easier to just always run/walk and never improve!

SueInAz

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Just another observation, the results identify that subjective reporting of fatigue was different between the two groups, but objective physiological assessments indicated similar outcomes. So that would suggest that the reduced discomfort is as much psychological. I guess there's no way to measure the effects of telling people for twelve weeks that they're doing a training plan that'll lead to lower pysiological impact.

Yes, this is the finding that interests me, too.

I read a study that I can no longer find (at least I hope I read it) about the benefits of compression socks/tights for *recovery* being significantly placebo effect. The wearers felt their muscles recovered faster, but the biomarkers of muscular damage were the same as the control group. I wonder if a similar mechanism is in play between perception of pain--underlying biology. (Of course, now when I look for the study I find a bunch of stuff about wearing socks while running...I'll keep looking).

If you find it, post it. I'd love to see it. I had a guy at the expo for my race this weekend trying to sell me a pair. I didn't bite.

_Waffle_

SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »

Why bother? Seriously. Hopefully more races start lowering the cutoff times - 6 hours is a good start.

6:30:00 is enforced in a fair number of marathons. That's a 15:00 pace.

sjaplo

This would be another instance of the normalization of deviance.

I'm all for run/walk during beginner training, but surely the point to running is to run. My wife has a friend who enters walking marathons, but they are specifically for walkers.

If you can't run the distance, you shouldn't enter the race.

noexcusesjustresults2014

It does not both me that instead of racing a marathon for time many people these days have a goal to finish even it if means crawling across the finish line. Completing a marathon is a goal for many people and I am happy for all those that achieve it.

My real concern is the lack of proper training before that 1st marathon. Personally I think it would be a lot more enjoyable for people if they took more time to gradually build up training mileage beforehand. Assuming proper training a lot less people would feel the need to walk at all (except for perhaps at water stations to avoid spilling etc).

Ignoring all timing issues, injury risk is also reduced with proper training.