Jeff Galloway Meet and Greet

Many of you know that I started my marathon training by following the Jeff Galloway training program and his unique run:walk:run technique. Last month the local Runner's Depot had a “meet & greet” with Jeff to celebrate the launch of the new season for the Ft Lauderdale Jeff Galloway Training Group, and Kai and I were able to go.

Of course there was picture taking…

And autograph signing…

I was very excited to have the opportunity to meet Jeff and hear him speak. It's not often that you get to meet elite professionals in the running community, especially those that have the wealth of knowledge and experience that Jeff does.  After the picture taking and autograph signing was complete, Jeff spoke to the group (standing room only) about marathon training and his run:walk:run method. We all had the opportunity to ask questions and get tips and, since “sharing is caring” I am going to list a few of them for you:

• When recovering from an injury it is OK to "walk" your weekly LRs; by doing this you maintain most of your endurance while still allowing your body to heal.
• Have the right attitude during your training and during the race (as my physical therapist always says "endurance is mental")
• Stay to the side during walk breaks (safety is a priority)
• Keep strides short but have a quick turnover
• "The Wall" is typically within 1 mile of the longest distance you have run
• Do not over eat in the days before the race

Some of the tips are common ones I hear all the time, and others are unique to the Galloway marathon training philosophy. You can always sign up for e-coaching via his website and/or print a copy of the training schedules he recommends. I officially started with the marathon training at the beginning of 2014 (before that I was trying to marry a bunch of different ones together). 

Since I am in such a sharing mood I have put a picture of the marathon training program for you below (but please visit his official website for more details)...

There isn’t a single marathon program that is perfect for every runner. Essentially you have to figure out which one works the best for you and your goals, or adjust one to accommodate your needs and schedule. I learned the hard way not to try and follow the training plans that my friends use and not to try and take on too much too soon.

After my half (eight days away!!!), I plan to refocus my training. My goal is to go “back to the basics” and develop a comfortable foundation mileage of 10-15 miles for my weekly long runs. This will involve slowly building up from 10 miles, adding 1 mile per week and taking a recovery week every 3-4 weeks. I’m still going to follow the run:walk:run technique from the Galloway program, but have found that the significant “up and down” change in mileage hasn't worked well with helping me maintain my endurance.

(I also have some changes in mind for 2015, but more about that to come...)

Share your experiences with building up mileage on your long runs?

What training programs have you tried that worked really well for you?