Howdy Hokeyfolk! Our eighth presentation of Jeff Galloway’s Training & Motivation Tips involves the walk portion of Jeff’s “run/walk/run” strategy. Jeff is putting forth that a 30-second walk interval — as opposed to a minute — is optimal for endurance, speed, recovery, and remaining injury free. It’s an interesting option to consider if you are already doing intervals and looking for further ways to optimize your run. And if you think this is breaking too often or “disrupting your momentum”, just remember that many people (like Jeff Galloway) have qualified for Boston using intervals.

So there.

Anyway, give these tips a moment of your time. I’ll see you at the end with a video…

Jeff Introduces a New Run/Walk Strategy

The 30-second Walk Break

Jeff Galloway’s Run/Walk/Run method was revolutionary for three reasons:

Run/Walk/Runners felt better throughout the long run.
Run/Walk/Runners recovered faster and got injured less often.
Run/Walk/Runners went faster with the breaks than without.

Since his introduction of walk breaks in 1974, Jeff he has received feedback from hundreds of thousands of runners, allowing him to fine tune Run/Walk/Run to keep people feeling better, staying healthy, and running faster.

The greatest benefit of the walk break comes in the first 30 sec.

Our heart rates come down, the running muscles relax, we catch our breaths, and the fatigue melts away.

After 30 seconds of walking, we tend to slow down.

Here is a typical example of what happens with a 1-minute walk break:

A run/walk/runner averaging 10-minute pace in a marathon using 3 min/1min might walk at a 15-minute mile pace for the first part of the race.
As fatigue sets in, that walk gets slower, and by halfway, the runner may be walking at 18 min/mi.
This means faster running is needed to stay on pace, which creates more fatigue at the end of each running segment, so the walk will get slower, and so goes the downward spiral at the end of the race.

Avoiding the Slow-down

Compared to running constantly, the 1-minute walk break still results in runners feeling better, staying healthier, and going faster, but it can get even better! Limiting walk breaks to 30 seconds, or in some cases even less, while cutting the run time accordingly, gives all the same benefits, with even less fatigue and even faster times.

The Bottom Line

If you are in already using a 30-second walk break or less, you don’t need to adjust. If you are using an interval that takes a 1-minute walk break, keep the same ratio but cut your walk and run times in half. For example, a 1-minute/1-minute interval now becomes a 30-sec./30-sec. interval. It’s that simple.

AMERICA’S BEST PLACES TO RUN BY JEFF GALLOWAY AND BRENNAN GALLOWAY

America’s Best Places to Run enhances the running experience by offering access to very special running routes. This book gives a preview of the scenery with directions to the start and special instructions to enjoy the area. In addition to the more than fifty trails and half-dozen race venues reviewed in this book it also includes tips on training for trail running, dealing with elevation, running uphill and downhill, terrain issues, endurance, and time.

Don’t forget to register for the 2nd annual Jeff Galloway 13.1. December 11-13, 2015 brings a fun-filled weekend with the 13.1 half marathon, Barb’s 5K and the new “Fit Kids” run.

Join us in all the weekend events including the Race Expo with exciting vendors and speakers, a festive holiday mood and surprises at the finish line!

Well I hope you found today’s Jeff Galloway tips useful, motivating, practical, or just plain groovy. And speaking of groovy, here’s that promised video. See you next whirl!