I know a lot of friend's swear by it, so I am STOKED that Shannon offered to write a post about it for CarleeMcDot.Com while I am up in Big Sur. Who better to share knowledge about the method than a Run-Walk aficionado?! So, please help me in welcoming Shannon to the stage with a big round of applause:
First of all, I'm SO excited to be guest posting on Carlee's blog today! This girl inspires me with all that she does and I'm thankful to be able to contribute while she is off on her next adventure!
After some thought on what I'd write, I decided to share the Galloway Way with you all. I'm a run/walk/runner and couldn't be happier being able to get out there and do what I love doing because of this method.
Turn back the clock to 2012. This was when I was really introduced to Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run method. I had gotten the okay to try running again (well, after attempting a couch 2 5k plan over a year earlier, and ended up injuring my back). I couldn't have been more excited that I could renew my love for running in this way. It felt like a God-send for me.
For those not very familiar with the Galloway method, it was created by Olympian Jeff Galloway and it's all about adding in walk breaks to your runs. With Jeff's method, you start with the walk breaks from the moment you start your run, no matter the distance. The intervals themselves can vary. You can run for say two or three minutes, then take a walk break for 30 seconds before resuming the run portion again. The reasoning behind using walk breaks from the get-go on a run is to reduce fatigue, quicker recovery, and it puts less stress on any 'weak areas' you may have.
The walk breaks are big for me. While I've still dealt with on and off again back pain and issues since joining my local Galloway training group, I know that those walk breaks are vital with my back injury. The run/walk/run got me through my 2nd half marathon that first year, and then doing something I never thought I'd do, my first-ever marathon at the 2013 26.2 with Donna.
Those walk breaks don't make the miles and time out there training easy, we train hard out there on the roads for our goal races. I've had many dark mornings and extremely long ones where I'm running for seven or more hours. That's because I follow Jeff Galloway's recommendations to the tee. While there is nothing wrong with marathoners training up to 20 miles, for me, training for 26 miles has made me a more confident and stronger runner. Crazy? Maybe, but runners are all a bit nutty anyway, aren't we? :)
Amazing things can be done as a Galloway runner! I've gone from a non-runner to a marathoner and as of last November, a NYC Marathoner which was my dream! I believe that the Galloway run/walk/run method is a blessing for me and many others out there. I can challenge myself in ways I never thought possible. I NEVER thought I'd be a runner, let alone a marathoner. If you are ready to put in the hard work and push yourself both physically and mentally, you can do AMAZING things. I think that's a big reason so many of us run, because it has pushed us out of comfort zones and showed us how strong we really are.
No matter what training method you use when you lace up and hit the road, we all share one thing in common, we are runners. And what an amazing community we truly are!
Ain't that the truth?! The running community is MY JAM! And I am forever grateful that I found such a crazy bunch of friends to welcome me with open arms! Just as Shannon said, we are all runners (no matter the distance we cover or the pace on our Garmin's) and that is a special bond that is hard, if not near impossible, to break!
Don't forget to show Shannon some love and follow her on your favorite social media platforms:
Blog: GirlsGotSole.com
Twitter: @GirlsGotSole
Instagram: @GirlsGotSole
FB page: http://facebook.com/girlsgotsoleHave you ever tried Galloway's Way?
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