If you don’t know who Jeff Galloway is let me tell you a little about him. Jeff is a US Olympian who competed in the Olympic 10K race in where he placed 11th in a time of 29:35.0. He also is also a key organizer of the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. In the mid-70’s Jeff thought that there might be a better way to train than just pounding out huge mileage weeks. So Jeff changed his own training program to emphasize more rest and less weekly mileage. He would only run his long runs every other week. Jeff soon realized the benefits of this training method and knew that it would benefit amateur runners as well. So in 1974, Jeff launched his method to the public to help beginner runners and show them that they can run any distance up to a marathon using this method. Basically, Jeff’s method adds strategic walk breaks during a training run or race that allow a runner to control his fatigue and significantly reduce the occurrence of overuse running injuries.
When I moved to Arizona, I read up on Jeff’s run/walk/run method. I thought that it might help me train in the heat of the summer and allow me to still be able to hit my goal paces. If I was going to use Jeff’s method, I had to first run a “Magic Mile”. I would then use that time to predict the pace I could run at any race distance. Once I knew how fast I could run a measured mile at a hard pace, I could use Jeff’s chart to predict my race pace for various distances:
• Add 33 seconds to your magic mile for your pace for a 5K
• Multiply your magic mile time by 1.15 for 10K pace
• Multiply your magic mile time by 1.2 for half marathon pace
• Multiply your magic mile time by 1.3 for marathon pace
These predictors have been very helpful and accurate at least for me in my racing.
Now that I knew the goal pace for my races, I could look at Jeff’s recommended run/walk/run strategies. I tried several different run/walk/run strategies using Jeff’s calculator. The first strategy I used for a while was running for 5 minutes and then walking for 1 minute. While it definitely worked for me, I really struggled with the monotony of the constant watch gazing to make sure I was staying on track. After a while, I switched to running a mile and walking for 1 minute. That seemed to help reduce the number of times I had to look at my watch. I used this strategy for several years of training and it did help me keep my running fitness level during the hottest summer months. More importantly, I had no injuries.
When I decided to run the Dopey Challenge, I wanted to try something totally different. Since I knew I would be running two long runs each weekend to simulate having to run on tired legs, I changed my run/walk/run strategy to running 5K and then walking for 1/10 of a mile. It significantly helped me maintain a good training pace throughout the months of preparation for the Dopey Challenge. I was able to run most of my long runs throughout the late summer and fall right on my goal training pace which hopefully would allow me to hit my goal race pace. When I arrived in Orlando for the Dopey Challenge, I was ready to go. I ran the 5K with no walk break. Then I used the same strategy I had used during my training for the 10K, Half, and Full Marathon. I was so proud to have been able to hit my total goal time for the four races. I attribute it solely to using my version of Jeff’s method.
Since the one race I was scheduled to participate in this year was canceled, I have no races to train for which is sad. But I am still out there running. I have changed my run/walk/run for now to running for 2 miles and then walking for 1/10 of a mile. It is allowing me to continue to run 8-10 miles on my Saturday long runs and at a pace that would allow me to hit my ultimate race pace when the time comes. Best of all is that I have had no running injuries since my hamstring injury in 2014. I attribute it all to using Jeff’s method.
As Jeff says on his website (http://www.jeffgalloway.com/):
Walk breaks…
• Speed you up: an average of 7 minutes faster in a 13.1 mile race when non-stop runners shift to the correct Run/Walk/Run ratio – and more than 13 minutes faster in the marathon• Give you control over the way you feel during and after a run or race• Erase fatigue• Push back your wall of exhaustion or soreness• Allow for endorphins to collect during each walk break• Break up the distance into manageable units• Speed recovery• Reduce the chance of aches, pains and injury• Allow older or heavier runners to recover fast, and feel as good as in the younger (slimmer) days• Activate the frontal lobe – maintaining your control over attitude and motivation
I will continue to read Jeff’s advice and use his methods to train. I am certain that it will allow me to be able to run until the end of my life on this planet. If you have been struggling with your training or feel that you could never run anything further than a 5K, I would recommend you go to Jeff’s website and read about his method. He has several great books that I would also recommend you read. What’s the worst thing that could happen? You could decide you don’t like it and go back to your old training routines. Regardless, I know that periodically shaking up your running routine is critical to avoid plateaus in your fitness level and training. Give it a try, you may even find out that you like it and it leads you to a new PR whether it be distance or pace.
June 1 – 6.00 miles (1:02:38, 10:06 pace) – Hill Repeats
June 2 – 3.60 miles (28:06, 7:48 pace) – Speed Work
June 4 – 5.10 miles (41:01, 8:03 pace) – Tempo Run
June 5 – 5.10 miles (46:30, 9:07 pace)
June 6 – 10.10 miles (1:33:40, 9:16 pace)
June 7 – 5.10 miles (48:27, 9:30 pace)
June 8 – 5.10 miles (56:25, 10:16 pace) – Hill Repeats
June 9 – 3.60 miles (28:13, 7:50 pace) – Speed Work
June 11 – 4.50 miles (40:24, 8:59 pace)
June 12 – 5.10 miles (1:03:33, 7:57 pace) – Tempo Run
June 13 – 3.60 miles (58:15, 16:10 pace) – Injury
June 15 – 5.60 miles (56:59, 10:10 pace) – Hill Repeats
June 16 – 3.50 miles (27:56, 7:59 pace) – Speed Work
June 18 – 5.60 miles (44:48, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
June 19 – 5.10 miles (45:15, 8:52 pace)
June 20 – 8.10 miles (1:16:28, 9:27 pace)
June 21 – 4.10 miles (36:18, 8:51 pace)
June 22 – 6.10 miles (1:01:34, 9:56 pace) – Hill Repeats
June 23 – 3.10 miles (24:21, 7:51 pace) – Speed Work
June 25 – 5.60 miles (45:29, 8:07 pace) – Tempo Run
June 26 – 6.20 miles (55:45, 9:00 pace)
June 27 – 3.10 miles (27:48, 8:58 pace)
Total Miles: 113.00 miles
2020 Total Miles: 865.10 miles
1 comment:
Good idea, I'll walk more and run less. Maybe that will help my old body.
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