BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Discover the Benefits of the Run/Walk Method

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog

Now let's get started by talking about the passing of one of running's greatest legends. If you hadn't heard by now, Jeff Galloway, the much-loved mentor of many American runners, who became a formative figure in the running movement by his tireless promotion of the sport and its life benefits, died last Wednesday at the age of 80 from complications from a stroke and brain bleeding.

While millions of people around the world expressed sadness over Jeff’s passing and shared the many ways he influenced themselves and the running community at large, this is what Runner's World had this to say about him: As a runner of limited talent and limitless dedication, Galloway embodied the idealism of the amateur first running boom in the 1960s and 1970s. After becoming what he called an “unlikely Olympian,” he applied his teaching skills to his love of running, and for more than 50 years he was ingeniously inventive in finding ways to recruit, inspire, and educate runners. He was a pioneer of the run/walk method.  

Created by Galloway in 1976, the run/walk method, a.k.a. the Galloway Method, has been helping runners incorporate walk intervals into their runs as a means for training injury-free, and even for running longer and faster. The walk breaks don’t last long—about 30 seconds or so—and the run intervals depend on your pace, but the approach helps runners smoothly progress their training—without running non-stop to exhaustion. Galloway’s strategy helps runners conquer any goal, whether it’s to build a consistent running routine or cross a marathon finish line, and the training idea has helped thousands of runners complete longer races without fatigue or injury.

Galloway brought running into the lives of many with his unique approach, and you, too, can transform your run routine with the power of walking. Both beginners and veterans alike can use the run/walk method for their training and racing, and it could be the key to you snagging a PR or simply finding the motivation to head out the door.

Now, before you say, "Melissa, I know where you’re going with this, but the Galloway Method is just for new runners, old runners, long-distance runners, or runners who don't care about running fast," let me tell you that I've not only taught this method to countless runners who have used it to both run far and to run fast, but I have used the method myself. And I'm telling you (done the right way), it works!

I'll be honest though, I hadn't heard about this method until September, 2014 when I had the blessing of meeting Jeff Galloway and taking part in a running retreat he hosted in Florida. At first, I was hesitant to try it outside the realm of the retreat. After all, I was a young(ish) and fast(ish) runner at the time.  

But that all changed after I signed up for my second 50 mile Frisco Railroad Run in 2015. Having run the same race in 2012 (my first 50) and finishing in a time of 10:49:28 (after running the first 30 or so miles all out, tanking, and then run/walking the remaining miles to get it done), I thought to myself "What if all the hype was true?” After all, I kept hearing great things about the Galloway Method (that needs to be done from start to finish to work right, not when a runner is already tired). "What if this works better?" I kept thinking. With nothing to lose then, and my curiosity as both a runner and a running coach piqued, I began the run/walk intervals at mile one of the 2015 Frisco Railroad Run and continued them until mile 50. 

And guess what? My finishing time was faster! I not only came in at 9:14:52 (that's an hour and a half faster!), but felt amazing (check out my smile above) and was even able to walk into church the next morning without looking like I had been hit by a truck! Amazing right? Since that day, I have gone on to complete many more ultras, by God's grace, using the walk/run interval method and have taught it to countless runners who have used it from the 5k to the 100-miler with great success as well! 

With that being said, then, in honor of the late Jeff Galloway, what do you have to lose? Give it a try. You may just, like me, find that it's your ticket to faster finishing times and faster recovery times. And who doesn't want that? 

So, if you want to know more and dig deeper, check out this article titled "What Is the Run/Walk Method? We Break It Down, Plus Explain the Benefits that explains everything you need to know to get started and the benefits you can expect from using this tried-and-true method for making it to the finish line. 

And there you have it friends. The run/walk method has helped countless people reach the finish line and it can help you too. So give it a try and see what you think. It might just be your ticket to completing that race on your bucket list. Happy Running!