Do You Walk Before You Actually Start Running?

OldAssDude

When I do a run with my Garmin, I bring up the run activity. While the GPS is finding the position and what knot, I do a little light stretching, and rotate my joints and stuff.

I start the run activity, but I walk for about a mile or so just to work out all the little kinks before I actually start running. I walk from my apartment to the lake which is a little over a mile. Once I hit the spot tat I want to start the run, I hit the lap button to start the actual running part. I have a screen with my lap distance so I run until I get to the distance that I am supposed to run that day, and hit the lap button again. Then I walk from that point back to my apartment to cool down. I then do longer stretches and joint rotations.

Doing it this way I know my second lap is the actual run.

Does anyone else do something similar, or do you just hit the button and start running?

Djproulx

I often do something similar when doing a track workout. The run often consists of a warm up, then whatever run interval workout is planned, then a cool down. So I use the lap button to provide easy separation of these efforts. For example: 1 mile warm up(lap) then 16 x 400's alternating pace between 5k race pace and half marathon pace (16 laps) then 1 mile cool down(end). When I look at this in Garmin Connect afterwards, it's very easy to see how well I managed to hit the alternating 5k & HM pace targets, since they show up as separate, distinct laps.

firef1y72

Nope. I just run a little slower for the first mile if it's a long run or a couple minutes if it's 10k or less

Duck_Puddle

I hit start when I walk out the door and hit stop when I get back. I don’t even pause if I stop to pee or to pet a dog or something. I generally run a little slower to start, run my distance, then do a cool-down walk to finish but that’s all rolled in.

I do try to use laps if I’m doing track intervals. Mostly because I suck at counting and lose track of how many I’ve done (I run to the track for my warmup so that distance is included in my total - and arithmetic isn’t my strong point).

If I’m doing a time trial or an actual race, I start and stop my activity for the specific distance.

youngcaseyr

If I feel that I need to warm up before I run, I walk for up to 1/4 mile and then run the rest or do walk/run intervals, depending on how I feel that day, but I just press start at the begining whether I start with walking or just start running right away. I have a Garmin as well and I just keep in mind that my first mile split is usually slower anyway, and I usually run for distance first, and time goals second

Running2Fit

Not really. I walk to my apartment complex’s little gym and then do some stretches before getting on the treadmill but then I just start running.

When I run outside I don’t walk at all (well at the start, sometimes I do have to walk in the middle of my runs!)

apullum

I walk out my door and to the corner. I don't do an intentional walk before I run. Nothing wrong with walking a bit first or doing a run/walk routine if you like, though.

CatHunterFit

Yeah, I walk for a couple of blocks before I start running. I didn't use to, but I feel it helps me warm up a bit. I also walk at the end.

Machka9

Depends where I am. Where I live, I walk a bit and then turn on Strava and run because of the terrain. And if I'm going from work, I walk a bit to get through the bulk of the people, and then I run. But if I'm in a good location where I can just start (as happened for yesterday's 12 km run), I just run.

Lazy_Bones_1985

I walk to the park which is literally 300 steps from my condo but I make sure I'm active for a bit before I start my run. Today I walked to the grocery store and back which was just shy of 2 miles round trip, put my groceries away, then went out for my run. I only log running miles and time spent running so if I have to stop for whatever reason, I pause my tracker. The exception being when I actually need to walk for a few seconds to catch my breath during a run.

dewd2

It depends what I am doing. If I'm just going for a run then no, I don't do anything special. Just run. If I'm doing speedwork then yes, I run a mile or 2 slowly and maybe do some other warm up first. If I'm racing a short race (HM or shorter) then I run first to warm up. For a full marathon I generally take the first couple miles slow to warm up (it helps hold me back at the start when the excitement is high).

I never walk first though. It is always a run or some sort of other warm up (strides or other cardio).

spiriteagle99

When I first started running, I would walk for 5 minutes or so before starting running. That was part of the C25k program and I kept it up for about 6 months. I included the walking as part of the total time and distance. Later I stopped the walking and just started out by running slowly. Usually my first two miles are slower than the rest, since it takes time for my body to warm up. If I walk during a run in order to drink or on a big hill, I'll just keep the watch running. If I stop completely for some reason, then I'll stop my watch until I'm moving again. I use one mile intervals unless I'm doing speed intervals, then I'll hit lap between fast and slow segments.

lorrpb

I'm not running lately, but when I did, I did a bunch of squats and lunges at home, then walked about 1/4 mi before I started running.

pierinifitness

I generally don’t walk but do whatever is necessary to wake up my knees and get a green light go from them, plus elevate my heart rate a little. Each time is different.

FrankieandSpots

I walk for up to a kilometre before I start running, but I don't start tracking with my Garmin until I start running, and I stop it when I stop running, then walk home.

I do it that way so my average speed for running activities will be accurate. Usually I don't record the walking at the start and the end but sometimes I do - especially if its going to be a couple of KMs. And sometimes I'll track after my run just so I can see how fast my heart rate drops.

dkabambe

I'm useless with warm-up/stretching and if it's less than 10k will just head out of the door and start running. If I'm doing more than that I'll deliberately try to start slow so warm up into the run. If I'm particularly stiff etc I'll walk for a bit first, but I'll only ever start my Garmin when I start running and stop it when I stop running. If I end up walking for a bit longer before/after my run I may record that but always as a separate activity.

7lenny7

I walk a block or two before I start running unless it's below freezing. Then I go straight into a slow run to warm up faster. I don't do any stretching...dynamic or static...before a run. I'll sometimes stretch after a long run, if I remember.

allison8668

Once I get my music and watch set up, I just start running. I usually walk at the end to cool down.

martaindale

I walk for about 5 mins before and after. Like someone else said, this is a hold-over from the C25K program, but when I have eliminated it, I feel so stiff for the first bit of my run. I figure a little walking beforehand to get things moving is better than feeling blegh for the beginning of my run. I start and stop my Strava with my run, though, and don’t specifically track my walking time.

MelanieCN77

Nah I just get going.

amorfati601070

No I do a quick warm up like jogging on the spot and stretch and then just go. My first km is usually my fastest. Just excited is all..

RoxieDawn

I do, gotta warm up my old bones especially in cold months. About 7-10 minutes in doors before I hit the cold.

skillettosser

I walk for at least 5 minutes to warm up before I start running. Allows me to ease into it a little bit.

collectingblues

I just go. Although I did appreciate how I was so concerned that the C25K program I used *always* started with a 5-minute walk, and I was worried that I'd always have to do that before a race. I soon learned that at races (I prefer to do the larger ones...), the odds are really really good that you're walking *at least!* five minutes before you actually get to the corral or the start line.

neugebauer52

Humans (and many other animals) start crawling first - then they manage to walk, s l o w l y. Eventually they might run but not jump, like elephants. The running gets slower and turns into a sort - of walk until we crawl into our graves. I am at that level where I change from crawling out of bed and start to walk again. Jumping? Not so much, more like elephants...

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I think it is a fine idea. I used to do it every time, but I sort of graduated to doing a slower jog for the first bit. I found that it wasn't until I actually started jogging that I really warmed up the old joints.

Squish815

I speed walk/jog for the first minute or 2 most of the time, then I start running.

OldAssDude

A lot of interesting comments.

I think I am going to only record the running part of my runs going forward. I still intend to do the walking before and after, but only record the run part on my Garmin.

I think my performance condition metrics are being skewed because of the walking and running in the same activity to a certain degree. Also, I'm really only interested in the running metrics anyway. If I do a recovery walk, I will record it as a walking activity.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

As for recording: my big breakthrough was uploading to Strava which breaks down the segments of the run. Thus, if you started slow, but ran the best 1k of your life somewhere in the middle, it let you know. The overall average metric is pretty meaningless. (I have to wait at a couple of lights, for example.)