The best speed session for optimal recovery?

What is the average marathon finish time complete the 26.2-mile distance for the first time, or run a marathon faster than they’ve ever done so before.

The best speed session for optimal recovery walking? While many of us have heard of the jaw-dropping marathon world records – Ruth Chepngetich’s 2:09:56, beginner running shoes Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35, for men – and seen insights on the The golden rules of first-time marathon training Best winter running gear walk, International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport.

We’re here to address that curiosity. After all, with a recent study concluding that just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day can increase life expectancy among those aged 60 and above, and countless other research singing walking’s praises for people of all ages and abilities, it’s still a health-boosting way to move from A to B – especially if that A is a marathon start line and the B, the finish line.

Health & Injuries NHS Best wireless headphones JAMA Network Open, the average person walks at a pace of roughly 3mph, or 4.8kph. The NHS determines this to be a ‘brisk’ walk, which is faster than a stroll – so although one walker’s pace can differ greatly from someone else’s, as with running, an average person does walk with reasonable conviction.

And so to the marathon, which measures 26.2 miles (or 42.2km). If you align with the average walker and cover 3 miles within the space of an hour, then you are moving at a pace of 20 min/mile. That would stretch out to give you a marathon finish time of eight hours and 44 minutes, trusting that you can sustain this 20 min/mile pace throughout the race.

Don’t forget, though, that this is just an estimate – some walkers will move a lot quicker than this and be able to complete a marathon in as little as six hours. Similarly, it could take you nine hours or more to get around.

Be aware that many factors can affect your walking pace and performance – especially if that walk is an entire marathon.

The elevation profile of your marathon will almost certainly affect your speed, as steeper uphill and downhill sections will cause you to move slower than you would on flat, even ground. Likewise, the terrain of your marathon will have an impact on how quickly you move. Races held on smooth tarmac roads will more often than not produce quicker results than those held in Race time predictor and training pace calculator.

Plus, you may find that your walking pace is slightly quicker at the start of your marathon – when your energy reserves and excitement levels are higher – and that it drops off as you start to tire in the later stages of the race.

Another factor to consider is race cut-off times, which can be strict if you are walking or moving nearer the back of the field. The London Marathon, for instance, has an official cut-off time of eight hours from the moment the final participant crosses the start line, while the famously-fast Valencia Marathon has a much tighter cut-off time of five hours and 30 minutes. Thankfully, there are various walker-friendly marathons out there that support slower finish times.

If you’re still worried that you won’t be able to get around your chosen marathon course within the cut-off time, you may want to consider adopting a run/walk strategy for your race. With this approach, you intersperse blocks of running with blocks of walking as a means of saving energy while improving your overall pace.

If you were to say that running is quicker than walking, then most people would probably agree with you. However, some walkers move quicker than others – as in, a lot quicker.

While the marathon is not an official distance in professional race walking, comparable distance records can give you an idea of just how rapidly some people can walk over long distances. The current 50K race walking world records sit at 3:59:15 for women and 3:32:33 for men, for example, and are held by Liu Hong and Yohann Diniz respectively. Meanwhile, the women’s 20K race walking world record is Yang Jiayu’s 1:23:49, and the men’s is Yusuke Suzuki’s 1:16:36. Read that again.

Britain’s Tom Bosworth, a former professional race walker, also holds three world records in the sport: the mile walk (5:31.08), the 3000m indoor walk (10:30.28) and the 3000m outdoor walk (10.43.84).

Build up your mileage

Just because walking is less intense on the body than running, it doesn’t mean that you can walk a marathon on no training. Rather, you should approach a marathon walk similar to how you’d approach a marathon run and spend around four months preparing for the race day effort.

Get used to spending time on your feet and gradually increase your mileage from one week to the next. Even if you can’t always get out for multiple-hour-long walks at a time, you will still benefit from adding more short walking breaks throughout your day, whether that means walking rather than driving to the supermarket, or walking to a bus stop that’s a little bit further up the road. You could even get in more steps while you work or watch TV with a walking pad.

In conjunction with your walking training, remember to build in recovery time and regular strength and conditioning work to help your body adapt to the higher mileage and stay injury-free. If you intend to run/walk your 26.2-mile race, follow our specific, 16-week run/walk marathon training plan for beginners to set yourself up for success.

Fuel well

How long does it take to walk 10,000 steps International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, you expend 8.90 fewer kilocalories per kilometre when you walk continuously than when you run continuously. However, just because your burn more energy when run, you still need to fuel well for a 26.2-mile walk, particularly when you consider the additional time that you’ll spend on your feet.

As such, it’s important to keep your glycogen stores in check and focus on consuming good-quality carbohydrates in the final build up to your race. On race day itself, eat a light but carbohydrate-rich breakfast and top up your energy levels mid-marathon with energy gels, What is the average marathon finish time sports drinks, or snacks like sweets or even sandwiches. Be sure to practice with different types of fuel during your training, so you have time to work out what sits well with you before race day.

You’ll also need to stay hydrated throughout the race, so sip on small amounts of water frequently and carry your own water in a bottle or hydration vest if this is your preference. Remember to take electrolytes, too – especially if it’s a warm day and you find yourself sweating more than usual.

Wear the right pair of shoes

It goes without saying that you’ll need comfortable and supportive footwear if you are to spend several hours of your day walking a marathon, particularly if you pepper this with blocks of running. To get started, check out the lists of our favourite cushioned and beginner running shoes and, if you can, visit a local running shop before you start training to get a gait analysis and find out which shoes suit your body mechanics. If you need extra support and stability, wear a good pair of insoles We’re here to address that curiosity. After all, with a recent.

Carry the right kit

On race day, consider wearing a lightweight backpack – which you’ve practiced with in training – to store your energy supplies, hydration and any additional JAMA Network Open. Since you’ll be on the marathon course for several hours, you are more likely to experience changing weather conditions, so it’s worth checking the weather forecast in advance and packing for any eventuality. It could be cool and dry at the start line, for instance, then hotter or rainier later on.