THE AUTHOR

Jeff Galloway, based in Atlanta, Georgia, was an average teenage runner who kept learning and working harder, until he became an olympian.

He is the author of the best-selling running book in North America and a Runner's World columnist, as well as an inspirational speaker to over 200 running and fitness sessions each year.

Jeff Galloway has completed far more than 100 marathons, and he spends the time necessary to answer the questions of thousands of beginners, recreational runners, aspiring marathoners and time goal runners every year.

The Run-Walk-Run Method

This book has been very carefully prepared, but no responsibility is taken for the correctness of the information it contains. Neither the author nor the publisher can assume liability for any damages or injuries resulting from information contained in this book.

Jeff Galloway

The Run-Walk-Run Method

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Meyer & Meyer Sport

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Jeff Galloway: The Run-Walk-Run Method
Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd., 2013
ISBN 978-1-78255-006-8
eISBN 978-1-78255-338-0

All rights reserved, especially the right to copy and distribute,
including the translation rights. No part of this work may be reproduced –
including by photocopy, microfilm or any other means –
processed, stored electronically, copied or distributed in any form
whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher.

© 2013 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.
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Printed by: B.O.S.S Druck und Medien GmbH, Germany
ISBN 978-1-78255-006-8
eISBN 978-1-78255-338-0
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Introduction

All the joys of running—without the pain!

Every year, millions of new runners discover running doesn't have to hurt—when they use the Run-Walk-Run method. They are delighted to enjoy all of the mental benefits of running continuously, without the aches and pains. Each new runner convinces at least 10 others to try the method and most enjoy the experience.

The result is a new running boom. Shoe/clothing manufacturers are not making enough of the popular products. Races are expanding and popular ones are filling up and closing enrollment sooner than ever. But why would millions of comfortable, sedentary citizens take on a series of rigorous physical challenges when they could be sleeping and relaxing?

Feedback from hundreds of thousands of runners over the past 40 years has given me a clear answer. Even a confirmed couchsitter can, within a few minutes of using the right Run-Walk-Run strategy, receive a sense of empowerment and joy not experienced in other activities. Most new runners would not be able to finish a run of any distance, pain-free, if they tried to run continuously. But they don't have to.

From a friend, fitness leader, article, or a book, they receive the powerful message that they can gain control over fatigue even while increasing distance significantly when using the right Galloway Run-Walk-Run strategy. It changes their lives.

Ten years ago, in major races, about ten percent of the runners were taking walk breaks. Observers today estimate that about 40% are using the Run-Walk-Run method—and the percentage is growing every year. According to thousands of reports every year, using the Galloway method delivers all of the personal enhancements without pain or exhaustion.

Many who follow fitness trends believe that a high percentage of new runners begin running only because they were introduced to my Run-Walk-Run method. Without the pressure of having to run for any specific distance, each person can experience success every day.

Surprisingly, veterans are running faster with the right placement of walk breaks. Not only are energy reserves and muscle resources conserved. Adaptations are made and fatigue is erased during the race so that Run-Walk-Runners are strong to the end, passing others. This activates the “will to do one's best” which non-stop runners lose by the end of a hard or workout race.

There are many tools in this book that give the individual control over his or her destiny. The most powerful effect of the Run-Walk-Run strategy is the activation of the most successful tool we have: the conscious brain. As we set up the right ratio of running to walking each day we turn on circuits in the executive brain that infuse energy, improve attitude, gear up physical systems, trigger positive hormones, and keep the components in sync and communicating with one another.

The regular use of this conscious brain gives us control over our experience. As we fine-tune our pace with the right Run-Walk-Run strategy we develop a sense of belief in the process of becoming better. Formerly confirmed sedentary citizens find themselves going out the door on an oppressively hot or cold day because of the joy delivered by each run. Studies show that as one gets into running, dietary choices tend to become more healthy, work productivity increases and runners look for and find other ways of improving the quality of their life.

The daily empowerment from balancing running and walking is reinforcing but the greatest reward is the positive activation of the spirit. That mysterious positive will to go on is what makes us uniquely human. Of all of the activities that offer spiritual enhancement, running is one of the most comprehensive: bringing together body mind and spirit as a powerful team.

Every year I meet and talk to runners age 4 to 84+ and have met with runners in all continents except Antarctica. We share the same positive experiences and enhancements. The best part is that most can run for the rest of their lives… with the right Run-Walk-Run adjustments.

Run-Walk-Run: It began in 1974

I was asked to teach a class in beginning running a few months after opening my specialty running store, Phidippides in 1973. Through this class I saw an opportunity to help non-runners enjoy the benefits of running. Since business was slow at the store, I also wanted to increase the number of potential customers.

During the first class I discovered that none of my students had been running for at least five years. About one third had never done any regularly scheduled exercise during their lifetime. During the first lap around the track I realized that walk breaks would be crucial if I wanted each class member to finish either a 5k or 10k without injury or exhaustion.

Three pace groups naturally emerged. The beginners called themselves ‘basket case physical specimens’. At the other end of the conditioning spectrum was a group of young guys who had been regularly engaged in other sports and were in good shape. There was also a middle section. As I ran with each group I focused on breathing rate. The ‘huff and puff’ rule emerged: when you hear huffing and puffing, take more frequent walk breaks and slow the pace.

Throughout the first class, I adjusted the Run-Walk-Run amounts so that each person felt successful in completing the distance—which gradually increased during one run each week. Most admitted that they started to look forward to each run because of the improved attitude during and afterward.

At the end of the 10 week term was the ‘exam’: either a 5k or 10k. Each student—even the ‘basket cases’ finished one or the other. When I polled each at the end I received my best reward: None of them had been injured.

I had never been with a group of 20 runners or more, for more than two months, without hearing of at least a few injuries. When my novices complained of aches, I increased the frequency of walk breaks and their bodies adapted.

During the next two years, I experimented with various ratios of walk breaks as I worked with beginning runners in individual consultations and group runs from my store. In 1976, Galloway training programs began. I continued to find that walk breaks could almost eliminate injury.

Many of the veteran marathoners refused to take walk breaks at first. As the former beginners moved into longer distance events such as marathons, they continued to adjust walk breaks and started to record faster times than the veterans. This led to the use of walk breaks in all pace groups.

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Chapter 1:
Run-Walk-Run brings us back to our roots

Anthropologists who study ancient man have told me they don't believe humans were originally suited for continuous running for long distances. Over the millions of years that our ancestors moved from four feet to two feet for transportation, they walked long distances every day and developed extremely efficient movement patterns.

Indeed, survival was enhanced by the ability to keep moving every day, to gather limited supplies of food—while spending minimum amounts of energy. These experts believe that running was used in relatively short bursts to get away from predators, jump over obstacles and later in the evolutionary cycle, to pick up the pace when tracking animals.

Increased energy consumption: We can adapt to continuous running, but at the cost of dramatically faster expenditure of limited energy supplies and muscle resources. We must lift our body weight off the ground with each running step–and absorb the shock of landing. Running continuously will result in an energy crisis which forces thousands of non-stop marathoners each year to mostly walk during the last 4-6 miles of their marathon.

Orthopedic Stress: Continuous running greatly increases the irritation of the orthopedic system, compared with the very minor irritations of walking. The walk motion uses momentum very efficiently through bio-mechanics that have been adapted, fine-tuned and upgraded for millions of years. Everyone has a few “weak links” in the orthopedic system that become targets during non-stop running and break down sooner due to range of motion, genetics, prior injury, etc.

Simply stated, we can train ourselves to run continuously for increasingly longer distance. But the accumulation of stress on weak links will eventually reach a level where the joint, muscle, tendon, etc. will fail. This often requires weeks or months of healing. Run-Walk-Run is a strategy that can eliminate break-down: Inserting the walks before the weak link is damaged allows stress to be managed, repaired, adapted, while other areas are recruited to get the job done. It's possible to stay injury free while continuing to increase distance with the early and regular insertion of walk breaks. This method allows us to be in charge of our running future.

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Chapter 2:
The Galloway Run-Walk-Run Method

• A smart way to run—by giving you cognitive control over each workout

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!