Incorporating walking breaks into a running session is a perfectly legitimate and effective training strategy that does not diminish one's status as a runner.

noli's read

The community is moving overwhelmingly toward this inclusive vision, drawing on the example of elite athletes to validate the practice. From a scientific perspective, the 'run-walk-run' method (popularized by Jeff Galloway, observational study on marathoners) suggests that alternating helps better manage muscular fatigue and maintain a higher overall intensity over time, particularly for long distances. Evidence in exercise physiology (RCT and comparative studies on running economy) confirms that intermittent rest reduces cardiovascular stress and may prevent excessive lactic acid accumulation. The idea that walking is a performance tool as much as a recovery necessity is therefore well-supported. Some responses, however, highlight a personal preference for very slow jogging rather than walking, illustrating a difference in metabolic comfort rather than a methodological error. In short, the use of walking is an effort management strategy validated by both athletic experience and endurance research.

the sources

1. 1r/running