Q I’m 45, and can no longer train at the levels I used to. Recently I’ve tried the run/walk method. However, I can’t get past the ‘guilt’ I feel when I’m walking in a marathon. Any suggestions?

A I understand the psychological barrier that experienced runners have with walking breaks – especially at first. But these mental barriers are usually self-imposed, and can certainly be overcome.

The facts are clear. If you take walking breaks, you can increase your distance while simultaneously reducing your fatigue. Your times in long races may improve, and you’ll feel good even after running a hard half-marathon or marathon.

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Try doing your long runs using the nine-to-one plan: run for nine minutes, then walk for one. Record your times and distances in your training log, and compare them to previous training performances. Before every run/walk training session, tell yourself that you’ll feel better and run faster because you’re taking the walk breaks.

About three weeks before the marathon, run a 10-miler or a half-marathon as a dress rehearsal, using the nine-to-one plan. This will show how the plan works. Two weeks before the marathon, figure out your goal time from your training runs.

When you step up to the marathon starting line, tell yourself that you’re going for a one-mile run that you’ll simply repeat 26 times.

—Q+A: I feel guilty for run-walking a marathon