quote:<HR>Originally posted by maryt:
I'm hoping some of the Galloway folks or other slower runners can comment on the reasoning for the very short ratios (4:1 or even 3:1 and 2:1) for slower runners. Are they aimed more at beginners more than slow experienced runners?

I've been running a lonngggg time but have some knee problems and back problems, and asthma problems and...well you get the idea. Bottom line, I now find that taking walk breaks really helps in the long runs and I've slowed down a lot over the past 30 years.

However, those very short run ratios for slow runners just drive me nuts. Although longer without breaks hurts my knees, I have no problems running 30-40 minutes straight without walk breaks, and find that 5:1 at the shortest or prefebably 7:1 feels a whole lot bettter than trying shorter ratios.

What kind of experience have others had with varying ratios?<HR>

Where does Galloway say that slower runners have to take more walk breaks?
I thought he recommended more walk breaks for inexperienced runners,
not slower runners.

Galloway always sets up his program to lessen the possibility of injury. In his seminars I have been to he is flexible. He will still encourage the ratio he recommends but he will also tell you to use another ratio if that works better for you.

My experience using walk breaks is do what you are comfortable with. I use 5/1 or 6/1 when running my long runs by myself, just depending on my mood. When running with a group of course I use whatever ratio they are using. Last Saturday I ran with a group that used 7/1 and kept up fine, but I like 6/1 better. I have not seen or used the 4 min 30 seconds ratio for training, but I have nothing better to do Sunday on my solo 10 mile run so I'll try to remember to use it. If it works, at a 10:30 pace I'll try it the following Sunday at 10:00 and then down to 9:30 before passing judgment on it as to whether that is too many walk breaks for me. IMHO nothing is clad in stone. Experimentation is not a bad thing.

The table that you see on the net is his recommendations for walk breaks during a marathon if you are running a set pace. For example if I'm going to run an 8:30 pace, then he recommends the 4 min 30 sec run/walk ratio. But on my long runs that would translate to a 4 min 30 sec ration at a 10:30 pace (2 minutes slower than your race pace). I alter that a little in that I don't like being more than 1 1/2 minutes off my race pace and sometimes will cut it down to only 1 minute.

Even within Galloway groups we sometimes will decide to use a different run/walk ratio, depending on the group members and who wants to run which ratio. The Galloway groups I run with I don't find any groups that I run with using anything less than 5 or 6/1 ratio for their group runs if they are running a training pace of 10:30 or faster.

edited to add: Mary, I have never used walk breaks of less than a minute in training or a race. In the back of my mind 30 seconds seems almost not worth the effort as you start back up on the run so quickly. But I'll let you know after this weekend what I think of it.


http://This message has been edited by 770 (edited Oct-25-2006).

I got curious about the less than one minute walk breaks so I put on my Garmin 305, set the virtual training partner to a 9:58 pace for 1 hour and off I went. I did 4:30 run/30 second walk breaks (it was easier to keep up with on my watch than 4min run/30sec walk).

It seemed like my legs received the same benefit as with the one minute walk but everything was more rushed. If you are used to leisurely taking your water bottle out and having a sip or two, speed it up. And the "walk" came to an end 30 seconds sooner - don't lollygag. But it did seem like the walk break worked as well as the 1 minute.

In the 60 minutes I did a total of 6.12 with an avg pace of 9:48.
I did the 4:30/30 combination until the start of the sixth mile at which time I stopped doing the walk breaks as I would do at the end of a marathon.

My splits:

1st mile: 9:17 (I always go out way too fast by myself!)
2nd mile: 10:02 (more like it)
3rd mile: 10:02
4th mile: 9:58
5th mile: 10:14 (picked up a house for sale info sheet)
6th mile: 9:27 (stopped walk breaks for this mile)

Total Miles: 6:12 Avg Pace: 9:48

MHO Mary is if you are comfortable with a 5/1 to 7/1 ratio use it. If you are with a group that may be a little more difficult. I would have a very difficult time doing anything under a 4 minute run without feeling like a car in stop and go traffic.

I am a pretty consistant 11 to 12 minute miler on most easy runs. What I have done is start with the 2 run 1 minute ratio. If I can complete the distance with a heart of 165 using the ratio I add 30 seconds to the run part on my next outing. If I can do the whole run with a heart rate below 160, I add a minute to the run portion, adding 30 more seconds to the run portion for every 5 beats below 165 I am. What I have worked up to is runs 4 miles to 7 miles long I am at run 7 walk 1. On runs 8 miles to 10 miles I am at run 4:20 walk 1. (I just started doing this 2 or 3 months ago, and I haven't done a run over 7 miles in a while so that is why there is a big jump between 7 miles and 8 miles.)

I think this method is giving me a good indication of what my run/walk ratio should be.

I did 7 miles last weekend in 1:14:26 using a 5/1 R/W ratio. That was a 10:38 pace overall. It was also pushing it a bit though!!

I have a 10miler coming up this weekend.

I guess you could call me experienced. I really do the R/W method because I can't run the entire distance!

Tonight I ran my normal 6/1 for five miles. 10:03 pace .

I'm very comfortable with 6/1 regardless of what speed I'm running. When running 3/1 or even 2/1 I didn't have any problems starting running again, but it seemed like those 1 minute walk breaks just dragged.

I could see where 3/1 and 2/1 would benefit newer runners and/or those who simply did not wish to use any other ratio but even if I was running say 12 minute miles I think I would prefer a ratio of no less than 5/1. That's just me, however. From Galloway's standpoint if you are running 12 minute miles you are less likely to injure yourself with more frequent walk breaks which is where he comes from.

Of course in group runs, you just have to deal with the group pace. But on my own -as I will be this weekend because I can't run with the group I'll stick with the 6/1 ratio.

My only advice would be to experiment with a different ratio if you are not happy with the recommended one and use it during your solo runs or with other runners at the same pace who may also want a longer run to walk ratio.

Jeff doesn't recommend different ratios for newer vs more experienced runners, only by your pace per mile. I'm looking through some of my material from Jeff and am listing some of the recommended walk ratio's below.

13:00 minute mile (mm) - 1 m run/1 m walk
12:00 mm - 2/1 under 17 miles, 1/2 over 18 miles
11:00 mm - 3/1 under 17 miles, 2/1 over 18 miles
10:00 mm - 4/1 under 17 miles, 3/1 over 18 miles
9:00 mm - 5/1 under 17 miles, 4/1 over 18 miles

These ratios should serve as a guide and should be altered for weather and the terrain you're running.

As for running the above paces, there are 2 women in the Nashville program that swear by 2/1's. For several years they resisted the shorter ratio's and then tried them for a few weeks. I don't think we could talk them into a 3/1 now for anything!

Sherri