It might be helpful to note run & walk times so you can see how you are progressing. Lots of Garmin devices can detect both run & walk time for an activity. Look on the Stats page of the app.
So 50 mpw week is the same "training load" in your book whether it's 10 mpw running 40 walking as 40 running 10 walking?
Been doing run/walk to keep my heart rate down. Can I count this in my base mileage?
Yes. I'm assuming that you're running 3/1, 5/1, or 7/1 ratio in minutes... correct? After the first couple of reps or so, your HR should stay in the aerobic zone during the walk AND you're keeping your HR lower during the run itself so you're getting a good recovery run.
Years ago when I experimented with Gallowalking, I created a spreadsheet to see how much time I lost when Gallowalking at a 5/1 ratio. At a 10min/mile run and 15min/mile walk, only 11% of the 5/1 run/walk was spent walking. At a 7min/mile pace, only 8% of the distance is walking.
And here's the surprise. On a test run over a measured distance where I took four 1-minute walk breaks, you'd expect the total time to be close to four minutes slower, but my total time over the distance was only 20 seconds slower because my pace while running was faster. Also, my average HR over the four mile run was 2 bpm slower doing the Gallowalk. Granted, this was a tempo-level effort and not a recover run, but it does showcase some of the benefits of the run/walk method.
So yes... count the miles. The run/walk method is a valid training tool. Just don't walk forever. If your HR is dropping well below your aerobic zone in the walk phase, you might want to shorten the walk to 45 seconds.
I firmly believe that most 2:35-3:00 marathon runners would run faster by talking a 60” walk break every 3-4 miles while taking on fluids and calories during the first 20 miles of the race.
I firmly believe that most 2:35-3:00 marathon runners would run faster by talking a 60” walk break every 3-4 miles while taking on fluids and calories during the first 20 miles of the race.
It's a race. Take your fluid and calories on board while running. Practice in training. It's not difficult.