I'm not under 3:40 but I know that run course has a couple short moderately steep hills - particularly in the trail section. If you arrange your plan so you are briskly walking those, it helps keep your effort steady and gives you a chance to stretch out your legs a bit.

You might be able to figure it out from someone's previous gps data, assuming they didn't change the run course.

3:30-40 on this run after this bike is going to be very fast IMO.

the run course is hillier than the website makes it out to be. With a couple mistakes (following the wrong trail i think) the attached is one loop, probably going to be 1500+ feet of elevation on the run.

https://www.strava.com/routes/13417733

pokey wrote:

Looking at taking walk breaks during IM Whistler run, I have been hearing about athletes having good success with this strategy. Anyone under 3:40 having success with scheduled walk breaks, I have been doing 15/1 min and my legs seem to feel better then straight long runs the next day. I am over 50 and hoping to run in the 3:30 to 3:40 range.

Oh god, Pokey. Walk breaks??? ***gasp***

+1

Having done this race with the run being my best discipline this is an ambitious goal without walk breaks, but perhaps you have the chops. Depending on the conditions to break 3:40 in the 50+ is a solid effort and I can't see 14 or so walk breaks getting you there; planned walks will get longer/slower and run will get shorter/slower as well as timing will be off for fluid intake/stops.

As a runner first, it is like the Galloway method; yes it has its place and in some cases may be the fastest way for an individual get to the finish, but usually not towards the pointy end.

Never say never, but I think it will be a stretch.

Perhaps walk water stops for shorter duration???

Gordo Byrn had great success with this years ago.

http://www.coachgordo.com/...unwalk-protocol.html
https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...Gordo_Byrn_P4635853/

I’ve done the run walk thing before. I ran to every mile marker, then walked for one min. I did a 3:29

In Roth last year I walked 30-45 seconds for each aid station. I had done 9m15 run 45s walk in training beforehand for all my long runs.
I ran/walked 3:28.

Last year at Frankfurt planned on 2km run, 30 secs walk but watch refused to switch on in T2. Used aid stations instead and walked 15-30 seconds at every single one - it was hot :). Ended up with 3:32. Fwiw I have also walked extensively at aid stations in 4 other races, all 3:30-3:40 range. Age, almost 48, I'll be walking this year too :)

For me, planning to walk at aid stations means I don't get antsy thinking I'm losing time when I'm following my "plan". Also, you're trained to get running again at a specific time, and ensuring you get adequate cola etc.. On the IMTalk podcast, John did say he'd probably not bother in the last 8km or so (I think) if feeling good.

I used the walk-break strategy based on terrain not regular time intervals (when going up the hills at IMWisc) and it worked well for me (marathon split was 3:25, an IM marathon PR by a lot).

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Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.

I use walk breaks in IM runs; it was the strategy that really took me from a 3:50-4:00 IM Runner, to 3:35-3:40 ish. I'm M50-54.

Rules I follow are;

Best used on the steepest part of the steepest hill in any run.
Power walk don't dawdle
Make use of the time - nutrition, drink, part of the cooling strategy
Have a define end point, otherwise you may keep walking 'to the next streetlight...and the next....'

Works best for me at a race like Ironman Wales, 4 laps with a nasty short steep pitch at one point in each lap. A decent power walk up that and you are not actually much slower than someone grinding out a run and 99% of the time you eat up any loss once the road flattens as you are refreshed and the 'runner' is trying to recover.

Beat me to posting this. I got into using walk breaks from reading Gordo's commentary around 07, and then dig deeper into Bobby McGee and the level of runners he believes should be using them - in short, most triathletes, even pros. I started implementing in training and into ultra running races at first, but carried back into triathlon around 2016 - ran a 1:30 HIM run split walking 15 seconds every aid station last summer. The key is practicing and carrying what you practice into race day - if you try and do it without much practice you're going to blow your hips really quickly, but with practice you can get your "walks" into the 10:00-11:00min/mile range. I lap my watch at least 3/4x every run and my breaks are consistently around 10:30 pace, which is a significant drop from where they started at around 14:00 pace several years ago.

Also, I remember crossing paths with Chris Legh as he was around mile 11 of his run in 2004 at the Spirit of Racine triathlon before Ironman bought the race, and I was at mile 5 or 6. He was walking through an aid station in the lead - I don't remember what my comment to him was, but he said he walked them all

This was my tactic at Wales as well. I would also walk through the aid stations and limit it to 1 minute each time then run again. I found i was keeping pace with the same faces who were trudging along at a constant run. I ended up with a 4:15 run. (45-50 AG)

I tend to time walking with aid stations. I do better with nutrition and fluids walking than on the run.

I aim for walking (maybe 20 seconds, enough time to get hydration or nutrition down) every other aid station. On the start I walk every aid station for the first 2 or 3 to prevent myself from starting out too aggressive.

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Ryan
http://www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com
http://www.TriathlonTrainingDaddy.com
I got plans - https://www.trainingpeaks.com/...dotcom#trainingplans

My best IM run split was 3:53 on a hot day at IMCdA, power-walked through each aid station while refueling, dunking water or grabbing ice/sponges to help keep cool. Those were my only walk breaks but they were a huge help in getting my IM PR that day. As someone else said, use the aid station walk breaks effectively by keeping moving and refueling rather than dawdling and losing time if you have a specific goal in mind.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

I walk the majority of aid stations in an IM with the general exception of the first few and the last 1-2. That's netted me 9:30ish IMs and a couple KQs. I don't have a specific time but I keep it brief - probably 10-20 steps while I grab what I need. I never let it extend past the end of the aid station - that can become a slippery slope real fast. I think using walking breaks is a great strategy for most AG athletes if you have a plan and stick to it. For the novice a 30-60sec walk might be appropriate to manage the effort. If you are a competitive AG athlete then keeping it short, focused, and productive is key. For courses with steep punchy hills you might consider walking them but in ost cases even a light "spin" up will be more efficient than walking as long as you can keep your HR in check. I definitely suggest checking out what ordo and Bobby McGee have to say about run/walk.

[quote pvolbThe key is practicing and carrying what you practice into race day - if you try and do it without much practice you're going to blow your hips really quickly, but with practice you can get your "walks" into the 10:00-11:00min/mile range. I lap my watch at least 3/4x every run and my breaks are consistently around 10:30 pace, which is a significant drop from where they started at around 14:00 pace several years ago.[/quote]

If you follow the advice of these two quotes, walking during IM runs can be successful. John Newsom, from IMTalk is another person that I've heard talk about a walking strategy. I think he run/walked and open marathon around 2:35...but can't find anything written, only my recollection from podcasts.

If you do plan on walking breaks and you slow to a walk at the beginning of the aid station, it becomes too easy to shuffle along with everyone else until you reach the end. My recommendation and something I do is run through until you are almost at the end of the feed zone, then quickly grab what you need. This makes it a lot easier to start running again once you get to the end of the line and gives you a psychological boost because you are running through while others are walking.

@Kid

Oh, and I would estimate 85% of AGers are walking at some point during the IM run. Better to plan it strategically and prepare for it rather than suffering and stressing over it on race day. John Newsom of IMTalk speaks highly of it and has tested in races, but you need to start from early in the run to get the most benefit.

@Kid

If you are going to employ a walk break you do it mile one, not mile 12... Each aid station briskly walk get what you need let your heart rate drop and then run.. I think this is a great approach to races like Whistler where the ride just kills your legs, problem is most athletes wait tell it is to late. This is a strategy that needs to be every mile, starting from mile one, do it right you can really have a good race. Good luck

Rob Gray employed this strategy during Ultraman 2017. Maybe, he'll post his thoughts here. You can read his race report here: http://robgray.org/um17/

I started walking at mile 10 during IM Chattanooga last year. Those hills killed me. But I just walked the aid stations and “ran” the rest

This. For me I’m starting to train this way especially for runs off the bike, and plan on walking :30 or so every mile at Whistler. Probably not the race to do this but looking to break my run curse that seems to set in about mile 14 in my IMs

With 2700m of climbing on the bike, there’s gonna be a whole lot of walking in whistler this year....

Very effective way to run with a decent technique and faster speed while keeping aerobic load relatively lower. At age 50 it is a insurance against injuries, and on race day you can keep it simple and just walk every aid station, consider even starting to walk some 25m before them. There are also many other benefits and you can also do this neuromuscular rests on the swim and bike, check this article from Ironman Champion Coach, Alun Woodward, for more info

https://www.ironguides.net/speed-up-your-ironman-racing-with-neuromuscular-resets/

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Vinnie Santana, Multisport Coach
http://www.ironguides.net
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