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Flexible Run/Walk for Ultra

malrc84
over 6 years ago
Hi All,

I have a (largely flat) 41 mile ultra coming up and want to try out a run/walk strategy where I will run a certain distance (5k perhaps) and then walk until my average pace hits a pre-planned average.

For example: Pre-planned average of 5:15/km. I run 5km in 5:00/km, so would then walk until average rises to 5:15/km (if I stood still this would obviously be 75 seconds, but walking it will be longer). I would then repeat this, adjusting according to how I am feeling.

What would be the best way to set up my watch to help with this strategy? The best I can think of would be to set up an interval session with multiple open intervals and then just push the lap button once each is finished. This would give plenty of flexibility e.g. the distance I run, the average I aim for, etc.

Is this a sensible approach? Are there better alternatives?

R
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    This thread is obviously about the set-up of the watch, not about the merits of the strategy itself, but worth noting that I will likely run the first hour or so before starting the run/walk and will ideally look to push on with little or no walking at the end of the race too.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    It is quite simple, really, if I understand your intentions correctly. No need to set up any intervals. Just set one of your data fields to "lap distance" and another to "average pace". When running, monitor the lap distance field. When it hits 5 km, press the lap button and start walking, switching your attention to the average pace data field. When it hits your desired average pace, then again hit the lap button, and the cycle starts over.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    I would use trainingpeaks for something like this. It has a very flexible workout builder for runs and you could set intervals for a given distance over a range of HR's or paces. The Garmin workout builder is a little more constrained.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Adding a little to tmk2, also add an Alert for every 5K. This will get reset when you press Lap.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    It is quite simple, really, if I understand your intentions correctly. No need to set up any intervals. Just set one of your data fields to "lap distance" and another to "average pace". When running, monitor the lap distance field. When it hits 5 km, press the lap button and start walking, switching your attention to the average pace data field. When it hits your desired average pace, then again hit the lap button, and the cycle starts over.


    This is a good suggestion (I was obviously over-complicating matters), thank you!

    I normally have a 1km autolap running, but would turn this off and rely on manual laps as suggested. My aim is not necessarily to run the whole race at a certain average pace, only the run walk sections, so this would mean using lap distance and lap average pace fields. I would then run 5km according to lap distance, then walk until lap pace hit my target. At that point I would press the lap button and repeat.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Adding a little to tmk2, also add an Alert for every 5K. This will get reset when you press Lap.


    More good advice! I didn't realise that Alerts reset with lap button press, so setting this up will save me checking my watch all the time to know when I hit 5km and will, in fact, allow me to use the map data view most of the time with the race route on.

    Browner, thank you for the trainingpeaks suggestion, but what I am trying to achieve is not complicated enough to warrant it at the moment