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Plenty of runners, especially beginners, feel guilty when they slow to a walk mid-run, as if they have failed or taken the easy way out. But is walking during a run really cheating? Let's clear it up.
Is it cheating to walk during a run?
Walking during a run is not cheating, and it never was. There are no rules that say a run only counts if you never stop, and no one hands out points for suffering through without a break.
Walking partway through is a normal training method, chosen on purpose by runners of every level.
The word cheating implies you are breaking a rule or gaining an unfair edge, and neither applies here. You still head out and cover the same ground under your own power. Taking a walk break means you are managing your effort in a way that keeps you moving forward.
In fact, plenty of accomplished runners walk during their runs, and no one questions whether they belong.
Am I still a real runner if I walk?
That leads to the deeper worry: if you walk, are you still a real runner? And the answer is yes. If you run, you are a runner, period.
The idea that a real runner never walks is a cultural myth. Running comes down to showing up and moving your body, however you break up the effort. Whether you run the whole way or mix in walking, you belong alongside everyone else who runs.
Ironically, the all-or-nothing standard makes some people give up entirely, when a walk break would have kept them going.
Does it still count as running if I walk?
Once you accept that walking is allowed, the next question is whether the run still counts. It does, completely.
You cover the same distance and build the same aerobic fitness as a runner who never breaks stride. Your body does not know or care whether your effort came in one block or several, so the health and fitness you gain are just as real. And for many people walk breaks lead to more running overall, since they can go out more often and stay out longer without breaking down.
Every tracker and training log counts it too, and so does any race you enter. A 5K covered with walk breaks is still a 5K.
Do elite and experienced runners walk?
If any doubt remains, look at who else walks. Walking is not a beginner's habit that fast runners have outgrown, since it shows up at every level of the sport:
- Marathoners often build in short walk breaks and still show strong times. Shalane Flanagan, a four-time Olympian and former New York City Marathon champion, walked during the 2021 London Marathon after going out too fast, and still finished in well under three hours.
- Ultrarunners walk on purpose, power-hiking steep climbs and easing through aid stations to save energy for the miles ahead. Walking uphill is standard practice even among competitive trail and mountain runners.
- Everyday runners of all speeds use planned walk breaks to run longer and recover better.
The American coach Jeff Galloway built an entire run-walk method around this, and he insisted that walk breaks make you a stronger, more durable runner.
He liked to point out that even the runners in the very first Olympic marathon, back in 1896, walked significant stretches. Walking, in other words, has been part of running since the beginning.
Can you walk during an official race?
Yes, you can walk, and it is completely normal. Road races from the 5K up to the marathon allow it, and no rule requires you to run the whole distance.
Many events actively welcome walkers and run-walkers, and a large share of the field at any big-city marathon takes walk breaks at some point.
Before you sign up, the one thing worth checking is the time limit, or cutoff. Most road races set a maximum finishing time, and as long as you beat it, walking is fine. A few things to keep in mind:
- Many marathons give you around 6 to 7 hours to finish, and some allow 8. Half marathons often allow 3 to 4 hours.
- To gauge whether you will make it, work out your likely pace. Walking a marathon at a brisk 15-minute mile (about 9:20 per kilometer) takes roughly 6 hours 30 minutes.
- Check your race's cutoff on its website, and pick a walker-friendly event if you plan to walk a lot.
- During the race, step to the side of the course before you slow to a walk, and glance behind you so no one runs into you.
Finally, if you want to use walk breaks on purpose as a training tool, our guide to the run-walk method covers how to set your intervals and build them into your runs. However you reach the finish, walking included, you earned it.
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to walk during a run?
Completely. Walking during a run is a normal, effective way to train, used by beginners and experienced runners alike. It helps you cover more distance with less strain, and it takes nothing away from your effort.
Do I have to stop taking walk breaks eventually?
Only if you want to. Many runners use walk breaks for years by choice, including experienced marathoners. If running nonstop is your goal, walk breaks help you get there. If it is not, there is nothing wrong with keeping them for good.
Will people judge me for walking in a race?
Almost no one is watching, and those who run regularly know walk breaks are a normal part of the sport. A large part of any big race walks at some point. Stay to the side and walk with your head up.
Does walking mean I'm unfit?
No. Runners of every fitness level take walk breaks, often as a deliberate strategy. Choosing to walk says nothing about your fitness, and walking is how many people build fitness in the first place.
Is it cheating to walk during a marathon?
No. There is no rule against walking, and marathons hand the same medal to everyone who finishes under the time limit. Many runners, including elites, walk parts of a marathon and still call it a marathon, because it is one.
