Walk Breaks During Trail Runs

Question: I am training for my first trail half marathon. Should I stick with my usual run/walk ratio – or run more by feel?

Answer: Walk breaks are even more important on long trail runs than on long pavement runs. Not only will the walks allow you to cope with trail hazards, at the end of a trail run your legs are going to be tired and less able to respond to uneven challenges. I hear from quite a few runners every year who tell me that they could have avoided falls, ankle injuries, and tree impact injuries if they had taken walk breaks more frequently.

Jeff Galloway Resources: www.jeffgalloway.com Visit the E-Shop where you will find “Jeff Galloway: >Trail Running” and other books for your running library. You will also find training tips, training groups, running retreats and more. 

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Jeff Galloway smiling near a lake with city skyline in the distance.
Jeff Galloway

Jeff Galloway, US Olympian and creator of the Run-Walk-Run method, has helped over 350,000 runners achieve their goals through his innovative training programs. As Runner's World's monthly columnist and author of North America's best-selling running book, Jeff has spent over 50 years sharing his expertise and continues to conduct running seminars worldwide as runDisney's Official Training Consultant.

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