Chapter 6:

How Can the Run Walk Run® Method Eliminate Injury?

Our bodies are designed to walk for long distances. Running continuously is much more difficult and stressful. Even as we adapt to the running motion, each of us has a few weak links that take on more stress. These are the areas that ache, hurt, or don‘t work correctly when we run too far or too fast for the current level of fitness. Weak links commonly hurt when we restart our training after some time off, don‘t provide sufficient rest after a hard workout, or eliminate walk breaks because we feel good.

In some cases, pain-killing hormones, such as endorphins, will mask the damage. Most commonly, exercisers go into denial, ignore the first signs of irritation, and keep training until the stressed area breaks down.

Most of the aches and pains experienced by my runners and walkers are located in these weak link areas—the muscles, joints, tendons, etc. that take more stress due to the individual range of motion, body structure, type of workout, etc. The process starts during a normal workout when micro tears develop in muscles and tendons due to the focused stress of continued movement and irritation of these key parts. The number of these tiny injuries will increase on long or faster workouts, especially during the last third. But in most cases, the rest period after a workout will allow for healing of most or all of this damage.

Walk breaks stop or significantly reduce the continuous buildup of stress on the weak links. By increasing the frequency of the walk breaks and shortening the length of the run segment, most of the runners I’ve coached, who have been injured, have been able to continue running as the injury healed. Non-stop runners who have had repeat injuries have been amazed at how the strategy of Run Walk Run® can prevent future incidents.

The concept is to stay below the threshold of irritation. The most common way to do this is to keep reducing the duration of the run segment, with frequent insertion of walk breaks.

With shorter running segments and longer walks, there is less pain, and the endorphins can inject into receptor sites on billions of cells. This sends a positive attitude boost throughout mind and body.

Run Walk Run® is a dynamic system that can be adjusted each day to allow for more healing and to prevent early stage injuries from getting worse. Being sensitive to possible irritation and adjusting the Run Walk Run® strategy can speed recovery dramatically from the more strenuous workouts.

As you take action, you shift brain control into the conscious, executive brain, and you can gain major control over your orthopedic health.

Can I run while injured?

Thousands of runners have reported that by using liberal walk breaks, they were able to continue running, while allowing the injury to heal. In some cases, the blood flow generated by walking with gentle and short jog segments has been cited in healing some injuries as opposed to a complete layoff from running.

The following is training advice, given from one runner to another. For medical advice, see a doctor.

  1. Choose a doctor who wants you to run in some form, as soon as you can. Explain that you are using the Galloway Run Walk Run® method in which very short running segments are gradually introduced into gentle walks. When you find such a doctor, get his or her advice about returning to running. Some injuries, such as stress fractures, will not allow for running for a number of weeks. Consult with your doctor.

  2. Most injuries require at least a day or two of no running to get the repair started in the damaged area. Most running injuries I’ve had have allowed for walking or aqua-jogging. These two exercises can maintain conditioning so that the return to running is easier. Again, check with the doctor to see if these exercises would be appropriate.

  3. When given the OK to ease into running, start with 5 sec of running/55 sec of walking. This will maintain most of your running adaptations and has been the most successful strategy for running and healing at the same time. If the injury will not allow for this, go back to walking or take additional days off and treat the injury.

  4. Monitor the damaged area as you start back. If the symptoms get worse, stop running for a few days and consult with a doctor.

  5. As symptoms decrease, you can either increase distance or increase the amount of running while decreasing the amount of walking. Do so gently.

  6. Be prepared to drop back to more walking if symptoms increase again.

Run Walk Run® Adjustments to Reduce Irritation:

As long as you have been cleared to do some short runs, here are some adjustments that have allowed runners to continue running during the healing process:

For a more conservative approach, use the plan in the Off the Couch chapter in this book.

Note: Read the section in the book on Acceleration Gliders and do this drill 4-8 times (once or twice a week) to avoid abrupt starting and stopping.

Why do micro tears accumulate?