Skirt Runner
Can we talk about Galloway for a minute? I have been encountering more and more people using Galloway's plans lately. We got into talking about training stuff and I found out the plan runs 3 times a week....two 30 minute weekday runs for the duration of training (which for most people following this plan is like 2.5 miles) and then a long run on weekends, but only every third weekend......and the long runs go up to 26 MILES!!! Not the marathon....as a training run BEFORE the marathon. Wait what?! It is counter intuitive to everything I have learned about training, however, this is apparently an incredibly popular plan and the users swear by it. I don't understand how the peak weak is about 31 miles, 26 of them being a TRAINING run BEFORE the marathon, but those who have done it love it.... I don't claim to be an expert in running plans but I feel like this plan can't possibly be beneficial. What do you guys think? I am NOT considering this myself just curious about it, and wondering if I need to try to convince my friends who follow this to find a new plan.
http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon-training/
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
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I don't know anyone who has done the Galloway marathon training plan but my husband uses a variation of Galloway for his HMs. He run/walks a 5:1 (minutes) ratio and when I run with him I do the same. It works for him.
Some people just use the normal training programs like Higdon, etc. but do Galloway-esque run/walks instead of straight running. Whatever works for people.
Damaris
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I get the run/walk intervals. But what I don't get is going up to 26 miles on a training run, only doing long runs once every 3 weeks, and only supporting the long runs of up to 26 miles with 2 additional 30 minute runs per week.
Have you thought of buying his book? There is one that explains everything about his plans. I don't have it, so I'm of no help, ha.
And I don't understand it either. Just because someone does a run/walk does not mean they need a three day week plan or low mileage.
I have not. I'm not really interested in his plans enough to, but in talking training with my Galloway friends I just wanted to understand it a little better because it seems all the advice I have is completely opposite from the principals of the plan they follow.
True, although the same can be said about different plants like Hanson's (different than what we are used to). I don't know many people that run/walk and not one that is training using Galloway. I assume a lot of people do; I just don't know of anyone (here or IRL).
I guess I would think of it this way: In a typical marathon plan, you're not training for the first 20 miles of a marathon, you're training for the last 20 miles. If you're doing decent mileage you're always doing your long runs on legs that aren't 100% fresh. You're doing speedwork on legs that aren't 100% fresh. You're doing a lot of running on slightly tired legs. Therefore you don't need to do 26 miles in training-- your peak weeks (significant mileage during the week + a 16-22 mile long run on the weekend) should prepare you for 26 miles without actually having to run 26 miles.
In an extremely low-mileage plan like a Galloway plan, your legs never really get tired (other than from the long runs). Therefore you don't get the same level of adaptation from the other runs, so you almost need to go up to 26 miles.
I'm not a fan of that model, but I think that's more or less the logic.
The opposite way to go, of course, is Hansons, where you don't necessarily go past 16, but you're doing so much quality running during the week that 16 at the end of a hard week can be all you need to prepare you for a marathon.
I've also been seeing an increase in people trying Galloway; I attribute it to him doing some events in NYC lately. He has a few extremely vocal fans who sing his praises. I think if you just want to finish a marathon it might not be a bad way to go (though 26 run/walking will take up most of a day, and in the summer especially that does *not* sound fun to me) but I doubt for most people it's the best way to train.
That said I am trying to get better about not offering unsolicited advice -- If my friends/teammates/acquaintances say they're doing Galloway I wish them luck unless they actually ask me what I think.
I don't really know much about the plans, but I could see how they could appeal to people who don't have the time or don't want to put in "proper" training, although a 31-miler would obviously be time consuming.
Hansons sells plants now? Cool, I've been wanting to decorate my place
What? Didn't you know?
This fucking keyboard is missing most letters yet it adds letters too!
Village people
I have his first book, I bought it in 1997 before he got into the whole walk/run thing.
His argument was that running the 26 will allow you to envision yourself crossing the finish line. He sees it as a mental barrier.
Kristin, if those friends are only looking to move 26.2 miles under their own power in one day, by walking and jogging in some combo, that plan might be ok.
Galloway's plans (even the more advanced ones) are notorious for under-preparing runners. Like, his "Intermediate 2" should really be called "do this if you want to casually jog the whole way without dying."
I don't think the Galloway plan could be any worse than the FIRST method ("Run less, Run faster")
Like someone else said, they seem to built more around getting people to the finish line then getting them to the finish line in good shape.
Trail and Ultra Running User Group
Run less run faster? That sounds like the running version of 7 minute abs!
what about 6 minute abs....or 5 minute abs???
re Galloway - there is a target audience for anything...i guess it provides some structure for those who otherwise would not have a clue how to prepare.
marathon pr - 3:16