For decades, endurance athletes have worn suffering like a badge of honour. We’ve been taught that the only way to get faster is to run longer and push harder — that stopping, walking, or even taking a break is a sign of weakness.

But what if that mindset is holding us back?

In a recent BeBattleReady Podcast conversation with world-renowned running coach Bobby McGee, we explored a concept that’s reshaping how endurance athletes — especially those over 50 — approach their training and racing. It’s called Broken Endurance, and it’s not a concession. It’s a performance tool.

Listen to the full podcast HERE

What Is Broken Endurance?

At its heart, Broken Endurance is the deliberate use of structured walk-run intervals to boost performance, improve recovery, and maintain technique for longer.

Rather than running continuously until fatigue sets in, the athlete alternates periods of running with short, strategic walk breaks — typically anywhere from 4–9 minutes of running followed by 30–60 seconds of walking.

This isn’t the “walk if you’re tired” approach. It’s a planned strategy that allows the body and mind to reset before form deteriorates and fatigue compounds.

As Bobby explains, “It’s not a concession, it’s a performance tool.” And when executed well, it leads to faster times, fewer injuries, and greater enjoyment.

The Science Behind It

When we run continuously, several things start to break down — technique, efficiency, and neuromuscular control. The longer we go, the worse it gets.

Bobby points out that fatigue in long-distance events is less about cardiovascular limits and more about neurological fatigue — the brain’s declining ability to coordinate movement efficiently. As stride length shortens, cadence drops, and ground contact time increases, running becomes less economical and more punishing.

In contrast, a brief walking segment acts as a neurological reset. It gives the central nervous system time to recover, restores running form, and slows the rise in heart rate and core temperature. In hot races, that’s especially powerful.

From a physiological perspective, walking also enhances circulation and oxygen delivery to the muscles, helping clear waste products and maintain rhythm throughout the race.

The result? You can go longer, recover faster, and perform better.

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​Ego: The Real Barrier

The biggest obstacle to adopting this method isn’t science — it’s pride.

As Bobby says, many athletes view walking as weakness:

“It’s not a concession, it’s a performance tool. When people view it as a concession, the whole mindset goes.”

He’s right. Too often, we define success by whether we ran the whole way rather than whether we performed well. That mindset can keep us trapped in a cycle of over-training, injury, and frustration.

Bobby shared an example from a marathon on the US West Coast. Two runners started together using the walk-run method. One stuck to the plan; the other abandoned it midway because “it felt like cheating.” The result? The runner who stayed with the plan finished five minutes faster and recovered far better.

The takeaway: performance doesn’t care about your ego. What matters is getting to the finish line faster, healthier, and ready to go again.

Practical Guidelines

Broken Endurance isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. The key is experimentation.

Bobby recommends athletes start with a familiar one-hour route and test different ratios — for instance, 4 minutes running / 1 minute walking, or 7 minutes running / 30 seconds walking — while maintaining the same perceived effort or heart rate.

Most runners will be surprised to find they finish faster despite the walking breaks.

The walk itself is not a lazy shuffle; it’s brisk and intentional. Bobby encourages athletes to keep their rhythm, maintain good posture, and use the walk to reset — not to switch off.

He suggests walk paces between 14–17 minutes per mile, with strong arm movement and a sense of purpose. Think of it as active recovery, not rest.

Conditions also matter. On hot, windy, or hilly courses, adjust the intervals dynamically — shorter run segments on the climbs, longer continuous runs on the descents. The principle is always the same: protect efficiency and manage fatigue before it manages you.

The Long-Term Advantage

What sets Broken Endurance apart isn’t just faster times — it’s the ability to train consistently, year after year.

For older athletes, the repeated pounding of long runs often leads to overuse injuries and diminishing returns. Walk-run intervals drastically reduce impact stress, improve recovery between sessions, and preserve enjoyment.

As I said to Bobby, “No session should be so heroic that it compromises what comes next.” This method fits that philosophy perfectly.

It’s not just about race day performance — it’s about longevity. If you can train more consistently, recover more quickly, and stay healthy, you’ll perform better not just this season, but for the next decade.

Changing the Culture of Endurance

The endurance world has long been driven by grit, pain, and discipline. Those qualities matter, but Bobby’s approach challenges us to redefine what toughness looks like.

Choosing to walk when everyone else insists on running isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. It’s the mark of an athlete who trains with purpose, not ego.

When athletes adopt this mindset, something powerful happens. They rediscover enjoyment. They recover faster. They stop dreading the long run and start looking forward to it again.

In Bobby’s words, “You’ll perform better, you’ll recover quicker, and you’ll have so much more fun.”

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Thanks for being part of the tribe — I’m here to help you stay Battle Ready! ​ Simon