The desire to keep fit, the need to improve health, or to prepare for a marathon/half marathon – are the reasons why we find ourselves on the track.
Everyone chooses the most convenient time, the duration of the running, as well as the training pace. One of them is the Galloway running method.
Beginner runners, as well as experienced ones, are looking for and trying out different running methods that work best for them.
This article introduces one of the best running methods – Jeff Galloway run-walk method.
About Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway is a US Olympic champion. He was a US well-known athlete and was part of the US Olympic team in 1972 when took part in the 10,000 runs.
He’s still a competitive sportsman in his seventies who continues his effective career.
He’s the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the same name Galloway Productions and leads two stores on running specialty.
Being a successful runner and trainer, he’s written a few books on training running and is still writing a column for a famous magazine.
Galloway’s running method
Jeff Galloway’s method is a very successful strategy of a run-walk-run alternation.
This running strategy is made of brief warming-up exercises and according to the established cycles of run-walk-run intervals.
Due to your aims and running ability, you can correct the walking and running intervals.
This is an example of advisable training Galloway running method: warm up a little, run for 3 minutes, then walk for 30 seconds. Go on 3-minute running and 30-second walking until the end. Cool down and finish your training.
How does the Galloway method work?
Due to Galloway running method, you may speed up recovery if you are taking walk breaks while performing long runs because you have less damage to repair.
The built-in walk breaks will lessen the risk of muscle fatigue, and lower or exclude overuse muscle breakdown.
If you accomplish walk breaks not when you get tired but apply the run-walk method for the overall time during the running training, this helps to precede the fatigue feeling.
Over the walk breaks followed by long distances, your body provokes the production of hormones and your mental and physical recovery happens faster.
Who is the run-walk method suitable for?
Galloway demonstrated an excellent technique and marathon training plan that helps beginning runners build up their running distance slowly.
Galloway’s run-walk-run training method is an opportunity for athletes to train more effectively to be ready for any race without having muscle strains and injuries.
This method Galloway running method was tried out and its effectiveness was proved with time. And it’s suitable both for beginners and experienced runners too.
In other words, this method is fit for athletes who want to enlarge their running distance, avoid injury, and not overuse muscle breakdown.
This run-walk method helped many runners to end long runs without getting running injuries and muscle weariness.
Moreover, run-walk marathon training is chiefly considerable for newbies, who strive hard every day to increase their distance as quickly as possible.
And athletes wishing to pursue personal records and train hard for goal races can get overtraining health problems and injury risks. Thus, recovery is crucial to their success.
How fast can you run with the Galloway method?
The most important tip, in this case, is to be attentive to your body and your breathing.
Everything is individual. For newbies, it’s better to begin training with shorter intervals for running but longer breaks for walking (30-second running and 90-second walking).
We don’t talk about rapid running during the running intervals but comfortable for you.
You shouldn’t be too slow or stop during the run even if you are tired. In other words, you should keep your body in a running position but hardly move your legs.
When you got used to the intervals and completed them easily, you can extend them. You can take longer running intervals and shorter walking ones.
Focus on breathing
Be attentive and focus on your breathing. If you breath heavy and your breathing reminds huffing and puffing, it’s necessary to brake and comprise walk breaks over and over again.
Remember: appropriate pacing is important on long runs to elude fatigue. It’s extremely important to retain the pace and effort at a proper level with more or less even breathing.
You can apply run-walk ratio adjustments by Galloway either (to define your best-suitable ratio, make your first running to know the exact time it takes you to run a mile).
Run-walk ratio chart
• 8 min. per mile – 4 min. running/35-sec. walking
• 9 min. per mile – 4 min. running/1-min. walking
• 10 min. per mile – 3 min. running/1-min. walking
• 11 min. per mile – 2.30 min. running/1-min. walking
• 12 min. per mile – 2 min. runnung/1-min. walking
• 13 min. per mile – 1 min. running/1-min. walking
• 14 min. per mile – 30 sec. running/30-sec. walking
• 15 min. per mile – 30 sec. running/45-sec. walking
What is Galloway Magic Mile?
The Galloway run-walk method includes a concept called the Magic Mile Time.
This is a mile race that helps determine your target pace and ratio of running to walking.
This method is useful for those who are just beginning to run and don’t know how to run fast.
Calculate to define suitable run-walk intervals
First, slowly run one mile at a time to warm up. Make some speed gliders. Then move as equally as you can for each quarter mile.
Run as hard as possible for a mile. After that, walk for 5 minutes and again jog slowly from 1 to 6 miles, depending on your mileage for the day.
Now, calculate the run-walk intervals using the formula:
• For a 5K pace – you should add 33 seconds to the magic mile.
• For a 10K pace – you should multiply the time of your magic mile by 1.15.
• For a 10-mile pace – you should multiply the time of your magic mile by 1.17.
• For a half-marathon pace – you should multiply the time of your magic mile by 1.2.
• For a marathon pace – you should multiply the time of your magic mile by 1.3.
How do I start running Jeff Galloway?
Thanks to Jeff Galloway, this simple method gained popularity, and the long trials and improvements made it eligible for everyone.
He showed that interval running greatly lessens the general influence on the body and lets many people run faster and overcome long distances.
Choose relevant run-walk intervals for yourself using the calculating formula (Magic Mile Calculator) and commence your persistent run-walk marathon training.
How to perform a run-walk-run method for run-walk marathon training?
Your running coach can propose you apply the Galloway Method. Great! But use not only a paper run-walk plan, but implement adjustments and follow the working ones.
It is also important to add strength training for marathon runners.
Besides, you can set a GPS watch on every run-walk interval and the process of run-walk marathon training will be easier. Focus on the running itself without postponing.
Be gradual with the walk breaks if you strive to build endurance.
Focus on power walking as this helps to maintain pace and general endurance.
Everyone can try the Galloway Method
Most runners agree with this run-walk method. Experienced runners apply run-walk training plans on recovery days either.
Some general points to count if you hesitate to use a run-walk training plan:
• bonking phenomenon repeated during long runs;
• running in hot weather with high-level humidity (ensures the body with the necessary time to cool);
• those who hardly recover after a long run ;
• new runners striving to develop endurance;
• masters runners and veteran runners worried about overuse injuries;
• those who return to running years later;
• who feels high fatigue during training.
Is the run-walk method effective?
Jeff Galloway did a lot of research on his sportsmen and they showed amazing results.
The run-walk-run method is more helpful for many runners to end a marathon minus muscle fatigue than those who ran the entire race without incorporating walking.
He contrasted the performance of marathon runners who used a run-walk strategy with those who ran constantly.
The results showed that either group had alike time to finish, but the biggest benefit was in levels of fatigue and muscle soreness.
About 40% of the sportsmen who were only running continuously reported excess depletion compared to 5% of run-walk-run athletes with the same feelings.
Advantages of taking walking breaks
Let’s sum up the pros of taking walk breaks according to the run-walk method by Jeff Galloway.
Increasing the distance
First, you can greatly increase the distance but slowly. This training program helps to achieve new results in distance and reduce the risk of injuries.
The run-walk method also allows novice runners to increase their training time.
A new runner can include frequent walk breaks to exercise longer, improve fitness, and reduce the risk of running injuries.
Quick recovery and adaptation after the race
Second, built-in walk breaks afford athletes’ body periods to adapt and get better.
But remember that the walk break isn’t a stroll but a walk at an unhurried pace to keep your cardiovascular fitness.
So, by taking walk breaks, you reduce that complete depletion from your running race because you save your energy and protect your muscles, and joints from strains and injuries.
Thus, the nearest time you are ready to run without skipping a day or even more.
Better pacing
Third, for veteran runners, it is a chance to better their pace.
They can train hard but not overdo it in the long run. Athletes build muscles more evenly, gradually increasing endurance, strength, and speed.
Galloway Method will help them to keep pace during the race till the end.
Recovery during the race
Finally, you improve and boost your recovery.
Training for a marathon/half marathon needs a hard effort and is weighing on the athlete’s body and mind.
An interval training plan helps to get better after the long run in no time and reduces weariness.
Plus, the run-walk method allows many runners to get a slight recovery even during the training itself.
FAQs
How often should I run?
Everything depends on your body.
If you feel exhausted, watch a day or two and then run, being totally renewed.
The jog-walk method was developed for better recovery, not overdoing it.
So, mind the signals of your body and then make a decision.
Can I use the run-walk method in a marathon/half marathon?
Sure. A lot of marathon/half marathon sportsmen use this method to overcome the race distance.
If you are ready to use this method, do it until you achieve mile 18. Then the number of walking breaks may be less or absent at all.
Conclusion
Even real runners take walk breaks and follow the walk-run method.
The major idea is to do a walk break not when you’re completely tired but plan walk breaks and end your marathon training well.
A run-walk marathon training plan helps sportsmen to accomplish a higher mileage training day almost without weariness.
Besides, if you strive with even pacing and often start too difficult at the start and become slower and slower with each next mile, a run-walk strategy can help you to keep a stable pace over the entire race day.
The affirmative results of Jeff Galloway and his athletes are clear evidence of the effectiveness of the Galloway method.
