One of the most common questions new runners ask is:
"Does it still count if I walk?"
It's usually asked quietly, almost as if they're worried about what the answer might be.
Because many beginners arrive with an idea of what a "real runner" looks like. They imagine someone who runs every step, never gets tired, never slows down, and certainly never walks.
The reality?
Experienced runners know something beginners haven't learned yet.
Walking is part of running.
Sometimes it's planned.
Sometimes it's strategic.
Sometimes a hill wins the argument.
And sometimes it's simply what your body needs on the day.
The important thing is that you keep moving forward.
In fact, walking isn't just something beginners do. Many experienced runners deliberately use run-walk strategies, particularly in longer events. By mixing periods of running with short walking breaks, runners can manage fatigue, control their effort, stay fuelled, and often finish feeling stronger than if they'd tried to run every step.
It's a strategy used by marathoners, ultra-runners, and endurance athletes all over the world.
In other words, taking a walking break doesn't mean you've stopped being a runner.
Sometimes it means you're running smart.
One of the funniest moments in a runner's journey is discovering that the experienced runners they admire walk too.
They walk steep hills.
They walk through aid stations while eating and drinking.
They walk briefly to recover before getting moving again.
The difference is that experienced runners don't see walking as failure. They see it as another tool they can use when needed.
You'll see it at every event. Runners slowing to grab a drink. Runners power-walking a climb. Runners taking a short recovery break before finding their rhythm again.
Because running isn't about perfection.
It's about persistence.
By the time most runners have a few events under their belt, they've learned an important truth:
The goal isn't to prove you're tough enough to suffer through a bad decision.
The goal is to finish stronger, happier, and ready to come back again.
So if you're training for your first Coastal Five event and you're wondering whether walking means you're somehow failing...
It doesn't.
Run.
Walk.
Run again.
Take the hill one step at a time.
Whatever gets you to the finish line.
Because the lesson every beginner runner eventually learns is this:
It all counts.
Whether you're chasing a personal best, tackling your first 5km, or simply proving to yourself that you can do hard things, every step forward is a step worth celebrating.
See you at the start line,
Suzanne McCarthy
Event Director, Coastal Five