Is It Ok To Walk In A Marathon?

Is it ok to walk in a marathon? When is it ok to start walking in a marathon? How long will it take me to walk a marathon? Can you stop for a break during a marathon? Here we’re covering everything you might want to know about walking in a marathon.

If you’ve got more questions, then we’ve answered over 50 questions about running a marathon (including all the ones you’ve been afraid to ask!).

IS IT OK TO WALK IN A MARATHON?

Of course! A lot of people will walk during a marathon – in fact, most people will likely walk at some point during a marathon.

Some choose to alternate running and walking, others will slow down and walk through the aid stations, while others will need to take some walks to help control their breathing and effort rate, or to deal with some discomfort they’re feeling. 

Walking is very common for people to do during a marathon and it’s absolutely fine if you want or need to walk in your race.

One great way to include walking is to use the water stations as your walk break. So run between each water station if you can, then walk through the water station drinking and walking, then continue running on the other side. This can be a great way to mentally and physically break up a marathon into a lot of smaller sections. Just always watch out for other runners who may not be stopping for water or who are running through.

TOP TIPS ON HOW TO INCLUDE WALKING IN YOUR MARATHON

• If you think you’ll want to walk in a marathon then start walking early in the race and be consistent with your walking.
• Always be aware of others as you slow down to walk and don’t do it abruptly or you may cause another runner to have to suddenly change direction.
• If you want to include regular walks then consider using the water stations as your walk points. Or walk for 30-60 seconds after you pass each mile or kilometre marker, then carry on running to the next. Doing this can make the marathon feel more manageable.
• Remember to take on enough fuel. Aim for 30g-60g carbs per hour if you’re run-walking. Calculate your carbs here. 
• Do your best to always be moving and don’t stop (unless you need to use a portaloo or stop for a medical reason). It’s great to keep a constant momentum in your marathon.
• Find other run-walkers to talk to. You’ll find many people will be happy to talk as it can help to make the time pass quicker.

Here’s Sarah running her first marathon, with a few walks along the way.

IS IT OK TO STOP AND TAKE A SHORT BREAK DURING A MARATHON?

Sometimes runners need to take a short break from running or walking in a marathon.

This could be to use the bathroom, to speak with friends or family on the side of the course, or to deal with cramping or an issue which develops during the race. This is all fine and very common in a marathon. 

Just know that your official time begins when you cross the start line and ends when you cross the finish line. You do not pause your official time during those breaks. 

WILL I STILL GET A MEDAL IF I WALK IN A MARATHON?

You will! As long as you finish inside the official cut off time, you’ll get a medal for finishing the marathon.

The same is true if you stop for a few minutes for whatever reason.

DOES IT COUNT AS RUNNING A MARATHON IF I WALK PARTS OF IT?

Absolutely! As long as you cross the finish line it doesn’t matter how much of it you ran and how much you walked, and it doesn’t even matter if you have to take a couple of short breaks. You’re a marathoner!

HOW TO RUN-WALK A MARATHON

• If you plan to walk in a marathon then incorporate walking in your training. It’s always best to train as specific to your race as possible. 
• The run-walk approach, also known as Jeffing, recommends incorporating walking from early in the race and doing it throughout, using a consistent pattern of running and walking. 
• The run sections should be at a conversational effort. You are not alternating sprints with walks in your marathon.  
• Try to run the first few miles or kilometres as this part of the race is often busier, and then try to save some effort to run the final section as you cross the finish line.
• If you plan to run-walk then start towards the back of your corral so that those planning on running can move ahead of you.
• If you need to walk because you’re experiencing discomfort (physical or mental) then gradually slow down and be aware of others around you, especially late in the race when runners are tired and less able to make dynamic movements. 

WHEN IS IT OK TO START WALKING IN A MARATHON?

You can start walking from the beginning of the race, if you want to.

Incorporate walks early into your race and don’t wait until you don’t feel like you can physically run further.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO WALK A MARATHON? 

An average walking pace is around 20-minutes per mile or 12-minutes per kilometre. A fast walk would be around 15-minutes per mile or 9-minutes per kilometre. 

That means a marathon would take up to nine hours to walk, which is beyond most official cut-off times. 

The London Marathon is a lenient race with an eight hour cut off from the final start. After that you may be allowed to continue but must do so off the road and on the pavement/sidewalk. The Chicago Marathon has a 6.5 hour cut off, which is 15-minutes per mile, or nine minutes per kilometre. 

This means that it’s challenging to walk the entire marathon and it’s advised that you alternate running and walking to ensure you can finish inside the cut off. 

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Here’s Tom taking on his first marathon!

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash