Runners of All Fitness Levels Benefit From the Run/Walk Method. Here’s How to Use It to Pace Smarter and Race Faster.

Many experienced runners often assume that the run/walk method is only suitable for beginners. There’s no way it could help you reach your goals or allow you to run faster paces, right? In reality, it could be the missing piece of your training and racing plan.Andrea Dell, an RRCA-certified run coach based in Charlotte, North Carolina, believes run/walk has a place in your training—no matter your fitness level or your goals. In fact, she includes some form of the run/walk method in all her runners’ training, because it’s a tried-and-true strategy for tackling longer distances, recovering more efficiently, and even dropping minutes from your marathon time.So whether you’re a couch-to-5K runner, a first-time marathoner, or a seasoned athlete, Dell lays out all the ways run/walk can improve your training and how to make the most of the method.What Run/Walk Can Look Like for Every RunnerIf you’re a first-time runner or someone following a couch-to-5K training plan, your run/walk intervals might look like 30 seconds of running followed by a 60-second walk interval.If you’re a first-time marathoner or a more advanced runner, however, you might run for four minutes followed by 30-second walks. More advanced runners or those going for long distances might also use run/walk intervals during workouts such as Yasso 800s. To do it, run 800 meters at the prescribed pace, but instead of jogging between efforts, walk briskly to recover. This walk interval should be double the amount of time of the hard effort, Dell says.While run/walk intervals can serve as a speed workout hack to help you get faster and pace more evenly (more on that below), they can improve your running in other ways, too. For example, try 90-second run intervals and 30-second walks for extra recovery on an easy run the day after a long run. This reduces the overall stress of the effort, but still gets your legs turning over so you can move through any soreness without stiffening up, Dell explains.You can also use run/walk intervals during your weekend long runs to help you conquer the distance.The Benefits of Run/Walk Intervals for Every Level of RunnerIf you want to run farther distances, “run/walk keeps your heart rate low for long enough that you can maintain pace for a lot longer than you would expect,” says Dell. This makes it a lot more manageable to tackle a half or full marathon for the first time (or if you’re racing the distance again after a long time away).Dell tells runners that if they can run six continuous miles, they’re capable of completing nine miles using run/walk intervals because the walk breaks reduce the overall intensity and effort of the run. This can provide a smoother transition to the half marathon for runners who just worked up to training for a 5K or 10K.Run/walk intervals can also help runners increase their long-run distance during half or full marathon training, Dell says. “I’ve had athletes who either could not get over the half marathon distance to save their lives or blew up on runs multiple weeks in a row,” she says, but run/walk helped fix that.If you tend to “bonk” around mile 13 of a 15-mile long run, using run/walk intervals for the first five miles will help keep your heart rate down longer so you can maintain your pace and build patience with the run. Then, you’ll be in a better position to complete all 15 miles without hitting the wall, Dell explains.Learn How to Pace BetterRunners who are just beginning to incorporate interval workouts into their training might struggle to switch between hard and easy paces. “Some people don’t know how to run at different paces. They only know their one pace and that’s kind of it,” says Dell. “So when they get into speedwork, their heart rates just spike so quickly because they’re not used to those faster paces yet.”If you’re used to training at more intense speeds, but you struggle to stay in zone 2 on easy runs, run/walk can help you keep your pace and your heart rate down. Maintaining 30-second walk breaks and the run interval that works best for you (anywhere from 60 seconds to six minutes, depending on your fitness level and speed) will help keep your heart rate in the right easy zone.Improve RecoveryRun/walk intervals can also help speed up recovery, Dell adds. When you’re doing speedwork, you can reduce your injury risk and recover faster by walking—instead of jogging—between efforts.A lot of the time, runners tend to unknowingly speed up during the jog intervals, which leads to not fully recovering between each effort. That makes them more likely to experience cumulative fatigue, she explains. “This is really important for people who are doing half or full marathons for the first time, because they are just constantly building mileage,” and more work requires more recovery, she says.Push Harder on Speed DaysBetter quality recovery intervals mean better quality speed intervals, too. And walking instead of jogging in between your faster efforts allows you to push harder, both mentally and physically, Dell explains.“Mentally, you’ll have an easier time pushing hard if you know there’s a true walk break coming. You’ll also have more leg turnover, feel speedier, and get your heart rate down [during the working sets],” Dell says.Relieve Mental PressureRun/walk is also a great tool for splitting up an otherwise monotonous maintenance run, Dell explains. “Maybe it’s a Monday, or it’s cold outside, and you just don’t want to go for your run,” she says. Run/walk intervals not only help you keep your easy pace truly easy, but they also remove the mental pressure of trying to maintain one pace for the entire run.“It’s mindless: You follow your watch’s beeps [for when to walk and run] and you can just listen to your music. Then all of a sudden, you’ve got your four miles done while leaving your analytical brain out of it,” Dell adds.Stay Adaptable to Course ConditionsEvery runner needs to learn how to switch gears between running and brisk walking on marathon race day, whether that’s to grab gels or water, navigate crowded courses, or keep moving if you hit the wall in the later miles, Dell says. “If you’re running the New York City Marathon and all of a sudden you blow up at mile 18 going up some of the bridges, it’s a good idea to learn how to [slow down] and restart your body at any point,” she explains.Beginner marathoners and seasoned athletes alike can only benefit from adding run/walk to their training schedule. And who knows? You might like it so much, you run/walk an entire race and PR.Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.