On Saturday I joined gal pals Jessica and Sarah for a 10k race. We finished in an hour and nine minutes, using the Galloway plan where you run five minutes, walk one minute, run five, walk one, etc. It really conserves your energy and makes the race enjoyable. Sometimes it actually makes you finish faster than if you’d run the entire way.
Dad completely made fun of how long it took me to run 6.2 miles, saying, “Were you going forward the whole time?”
“Listen, we took walk breaks!”
“Yeah but were you walking forward when you did that?”
We also ran the last 1.2 mi straight through instead of taking the walk breaks. And we sprinted at the end. That’s my favorite part. I feel so tired at the end of the run, but it is one last shot of adrenaline—especially with people cheering!—and it makes all my muscles turn to mush.
Here’s a picture of Sarah and me at the finish line…Jess had gone on ahead for the last mile and shaved off three minutes from her finish time! She’s incredible!
I did make a New Year’s Resolution to run a half-marathon this year, so I’ll keep training with Sarah and Jessica and see what happens. I think it’s doable. I feel you can do pretty much everything using the Galloway plan. I thought it was a wussy way out at first, but now I would have it no other way—it is just SO ENJOYABLE. You look forward to the run instead of dreading it. And it becomes about the enjoyment of the process, the journey, not just getting it over with.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
I think this picture may need to go on the cover of a Wheaties box! You look awesome! I am so proud of us. I like the idea of a half marathon. Maybe we need to make T-shirts that say I heart Jeff Galloway. The mile that I ran alone was lonely and hard and I not worth a stupid 3 minutes…maybe we could all sprint together next time? Do you forgive me?
Well uh… how come the Galloway plan doesn’t talk about 10k’s, only Marathons? I didn’t see the plan describe taking breaks in short races? But I think it’s great that you are running at all.
Not true, Dad-areeno. Jeff Galloway also talks about walk breaks for even a 5k, let alone a 10k. See the excerpt here:
5K/10K Training
5k Training Schedule | 10k Training Schedule
Don’t wait to take walk breaks. By alternating walking and running from the beginning, you speed recovery without losing any of the endurance effect of the long one. Start with jogging one to two minutes and walking two to three minutes. As your training level increases you can adjust your run/walk ratio to running 5 minutes/walking one minute on your long runs.
Be sure to do the running portion slow enough at the beginning of every run (especially the long run) so that you’ll feel tired but strong at the end. The conservatism will allow you to recover faster.
Every other day you can cross-train instead of walking. Cross country ski machines, water running, cycling, and any other other mode which you find fun and interesting (but non-pounding) will improve overall fitness.
Stay conversational on all of your exercise sessions. This means that you should be exerting yourself at a low enough level that you could talk. It’s okay to take deep breaths between sentences, but you don’t want to “huff and puff” between every word.
As the runs get longer, be sure to keep your blood sugar boosted by eating an energy bar (or equivalent) about an hour before exercise. Drink water continuously before and during exercise and with all food.
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That’s from http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/5k.html
Yeah, I nominate you for the next Wheaties box! You look so great finishing! I am so, so happy you and Jess are enjoying the Galloway running journey. I have discovered how much more I enjoy running with other people instead of running alone. So excited to hear you are thinking of doing the half marathon!
And, Sarah, did you ask your dad how fast HE can do a 10K? And if it’s faster than us, then ask how much he laughed while he did it. I have never laughed so much during (and before and after) 6 miles as I did with you two.