Any Galloway run/walk marathoners here?

BerryH · February 2012

I was wondering if anyone here has had success using Jeff Galloway's run/walk method over a marathon or half marathon, and what run/walk ratio you use?

I have been taking walk breaks, but thinking I know better than the expert (duh!) I've been doing run 4/walk 1, just because that's the ratio my running friends have had success with, and anything shorter sounds like it'll be all stop/start. When I'm on a roll I'll run even longer if it's downhill or scenic or a good track comes on my playlist!

But as my long runs get longer I've been getting slower... and slower... I averaged 15 minute miles last time over 15 miles, which is a fast walk! My joints ached rather than my muscles, probably because I was effectively waddling!

Reading back, Galloway has this to say on ratio relative to training pace:

8 min/mi—run 4 min/walk 35 seconds
9 min/mi— 4 min run-1 min walk
10 min/mi—-3:1
11 min/mi—2:30-1
12 min/mi—-2:1
13 min/mi—-1:1
14 min/mi—30 sec run/30 sec walk
15 min/mi—30 sec/45 sec
16 min/mi—30 sec/60 sec

Now, I cruise at 13min/mi, so I should be doing 1:1. I know from all the success stories Galloway's methods work like magic if you trust the formula, but it just sounds counter-intuitive to me that this would get me round before dark and wouldn't hurt my legs just through changing pace so frequently.

Has anyone successfully applied it who can reassure me these shorter intervals will do the trick? I'm think about trying 1:1 for my 16 miler this weekend. Is this a good move or should I stick with what I've been doing or find a mid-way point?

Thanks lovely MFP runners!:flowerforyou:

SueInAz · February 2012

I think you'd benefit from the shorter intervals. I have been using his method since the first month I started running which was last April. I currently run/walk at around a 11:30 minute mile (I was much slower when I started, of course!) and find that the 2:30 run and 1 minute walk works really well for me. That interval allows me to do the run portions at between 6 and 6.5 MPH without getting too tired.

I ran a half marathon in 2:42:42 at that interval in January. When I run with my sister we have a tendency to do 3:1 and, honestly, I find that I'm running at around the same average speed with the longer intervals, if not a little slower, and I slow down faster. If I went for longer run intervals, I'd definitely be going slower.

BerryH · February 2012

Perfect, thanks Sue, just what I needed to hear :flowerforyou:

Taking my new shoes out for a spin on the dreadmill tonight, so I'll use the opportunity to try 1:1 with a slightly faster running speed.

ATLMel · February 2012

I figured I'd just chime in with a thought here.

With Galloway, a lot depends on your goals. If you want to eliminate walk breaks, keep with your 4s and 1s (but maybe slow down a bit if you're finding your form deteriorates enough to cause joint pain). If your goal is to maximize the effectiveness of walk breaks, then move closer to Galloway's formula.

Personally, I think there are some negative aspects to Galloway's marathon training plan. If you are using this canned plan, I'd consider making a few alterations to it. IMO, it isn't the best way to stay healthy up to and through a marathon while performing at your best.

But it all comes down to personal goals, right? Either way, good luck! There's nothing like the first run in a new pair of kicks!

BerryH · February 2012

Thanks!

Full disclosure here, I'm already using a tweaked programme and only use Galloway's walk/run for my long runs and plan to for the race itself.

I'm using Hal Higdon's Novice Supreme programme for the mileage and ensuring one of the mid-week runs intervals and one is tempo. I don't want to slow to a complete halt!

ATLMel · February 2012

Thanks!

Full disclosure here, I'm already using a tweaked programme and only use Galloway's walk/run for my long runs and plan to for the race itself.

I'm using Hal Higdon's Novice Supreme programme for the mileage and ensuring one of the mid-week runs intervals and one is tempo. I don't want to slow to a complete halt!

Good deal. Higdon got me through my first full. I just added a couple miles to the Wednesday run and one other weekday run. I like his cycle of cutback weeks as well.

What's your goal race?

BerryH · February 2012

Good deal. Higdon got me through my first full. I just added a couple miles to the Wednesday run and one other weekday run. I like his cycle of cutback weeks as well.

What's your goal race?

The London Marathon, just seven weeks to go, gulp!

I did it once before ill and injured (tore my shoulder ligaments in a fall when training and was coughing up blood from a sinus infection), but had to do it as I'd raised a fortune for charity. So it won't take much to bust my PB time of 7 hours 13 :blushing:

The rotten charity lot had packed up the massage tables and food by the time I finished too! :mad:

batlou · February 2012

I used the Galloway philosophy for my first Half Marathon. Hard to tell if it helped or not because I had never run that distance prior to my race (10 miles had been my longest prior). I negative split the race and ran the last 2 miles feeling great and passing a lot of people. I ran 9 minutes and walked 1 from the start of the race. Finished in 2:18 and not to bad of condition

BerryH · February 2012

I used the Galloway philosophy for my first Half Marathon. Hard to tell if it helped or not because I had never run that distance prior to my race (10 miles had been my longest prior). I negative split the race and ran the last 2 miles feeling great and passing a lot of people. I ran 9 minutes and walked 1 from the start of the race. Finished in 2:18 and not to bad of condition

That's a fabulous time! I'm encouraged by stories like this and some "real life" running friends who've cut their Marathon time form 5 hours just plodding along to 4:15 adding walk breaks every five minutes!

scottb81 · February 2012

I used the Galloway method for my last marathon in Nov and ran a 3:50 using 4 min run 30 sec walk. I was still pretty tired at the end but slowed only marginally at the end. I was reasonably happy with this result because I spent one month of the training period injured and not running and another month rebuilding from the injury.

The caveat is that while I trained with a Galloway group, I supplemented with a lot of extra mileage without walk breaks on my own.

ATLMel · February 2012

I did it once before ill and injured (tore my shoulder ligaments in a fall when training and was coughing up blood from a sinus infection), but had to do it as I'd raised a fortune for charity. So it won't take much to bust my PB time of 7 hours 13 :blushing:

The rotten charity lot had packed up the massage tables and food by the time I finished too! :mad:

I did 4:1 run walk for my first (Rock and Roll Savannah) and ran a 5:19. I'm planning on trying 9:1 for my fall marathon with a goal of just breaking 5 hours. as long as that clock shows 4:XX I'll be happy.

The only gripe I have for Galloway is that he has you train up to 26 miles only running 3 days a week. In my experience at least you need a lot more weekday mileage to support a LR of 20miles +.

trlrnrgrl · February 2012

I've used Galloway's method for many years and really like it. I've never had any problems with it and usually adjust my walk:run ratio according to my fitness level and goals. Right now I'm at a 1:1 because I'm struggling with some asthma I've developed recently. I've done many halfs, tris, and a really tough trail 25k. I'm now training for my first trail 50k and plan to use Galloway's method for that, too. It's kept me fit and happy for years.

I will say, however, that I have never been concerned about times or pace. My goals are to stay fit and happy, and to be running until I'm old and gray. I know Galloway states that his method will help improve times, but I've just never paid attention to that, so I don't know if it's true or not.

Speaking of pace, though - one interesting thing that happened to me last summer.....I had mostly been doing a run 4:walk 1 pace, and had to go down to 1:1 because of the asthma. My overall times improved significantly! I kind of think it's because I also started on an asthma med, but, still, my pace improved by about 1 1/2 min/mi!

BerryH · February 2012

Speaking of pace, though - one interesting thing that happened to me last summer.....I had mostly been doing a run 4:walk 1 pace, and had to go down to 1:1 because of the asthma. My overall times improved significantly! I kind of think it's because I also started on an asthma med, but, still, my pace improved by about 1 1/2 min/mi!

Now THAT is news I can use, thanks you so much for that. I have asthma too :flowerforyou:

Any Galloway run/walk marathoners here?

Replies

Categories