Glute Bridge Exercises half marathon just one day after running a 10K. Similarly, in 2024, I ran a 5K, 10K, and 10-miler three days in a row. I didn’t get injured during my training and I wasn’t sore after my races. The secret to my success? The 30-second walk interval. Shoes & Gear.
The Biggest Myths About the Run/Walk Method run/walk method, and his team realized that when runners use longer walk breaks, such as one minute, they slow down over those 60 seconds and lower their overall pace. However, with a 30-second walk, Galloway and his team found that runners continue to run as fast as their usual pace.
Health - Injuries:
1) How to Hone Your Finishing Kick speed workout is on a training plan, I adjust the recovery times to include 30-second walks. So, for example, when I do a workout that calls for 4-6 x 20-second strides with 30- to 45-second recovery jogs between the strides, I walk for 30 seconds rather than jog, and I keep the recovery walk to 30 seconds.
2) My self-designed favorite speed workout (which, truth be told, isn’t that original) is a fast 30-second run followed by a moderately paced 30-second walk. I do that for 20-30 minutes twice a week.
3) Sometimes, during long runs, I run at my Expert Tips for Running Safely in the Heat for 4 minutes and walk a slow 30 seconds. I repeat that sequence for as long as I want to stay on the road.
You can learn how to easily incorporate the power of walking into your own running routine with our all-new RW+ Membership Benefits. Led by Galloway Training's Carissa Galloway, you’ll learn how to implement similar run/walk workouts into your training schedule to run faster and farther, while also mitigating injury and fatigue. Plus, you’ll learn how to use the method to chase after your race day goals, from hitting a 5K PR to training for a marathon.
Whether you run a 7-minute mile or a 15-minute mile, taking 30-second walks after every mile or after a specific running interval (using time or distance is up to you) can make a big difference in how fast and how far you run overall, including during a race. Not only that, but Galloway, who celebrated his 80th birthday this year, credits run/walk with keeping him in the marathon racing game—he’s running the Honolulu Marathon in December 2025.
Even if you are a runner who easily cruises through speed workouts and long distance runs, having the 30-second walk interval is a great tool to keep in your back pocket. When you feel tired or if something hurts while you run, walk for 30 seconds, run again for a minute or two, then walk again for 30 seconds. Keep that pattern going for the rest of your workout or until you’re ready to resume consistent running.
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Donna Raskin has had a long career as a health and fitness writer and editor of books and magazine articles. A certified run coach who has practiced yoga for many years, she also loves to lift weights, dance, and go for long walks with her hound dog, Dolly.
