Run Walk Run (Jeff Galloway method) for running distance!

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/

I wanted to see if we had anyone else on here that has tried / uses the Run-Walk-Run method by Jeff Galloway?

Basically you build in walk breaks from the very beginning, to allow your legs rest and therefore go longer distances, with less injuries.  He has training programs for various distances and I am using his marathon training schedule, getting ready for my 1st ever big race in October.

I did my first RWR this morning, 2 minutes run, 1 minute walk and my legs feel great and I finished 3.36 miles (39:23) at a pace of 11:42 minute miles.  (2, 30 minute runs during the week, and a long one on weekend)

Just to compare, I ran on Sunday and ran an identical distance, 3.36 miles, 41:59, which is a 12:29 per mile pace!  So by adding the rest / walk breaks I ended up going faster!?  I will admit I was tired starting off on Sunday, I had run 5.51 miles on Saturday (1:05:41, 11:56 pace) and had just finished doing my upper body workout at the gym.

I will check back in here as the training progresses, but thought I would mention this for folks trying to get into running.  This is VERY similar to the Couch to 5k training, except you get to do the walk breaks all the time.

A guy I worked with used this and is a HUGE fan of it. He got his entire team running MARATHONS! I could not believe it! It took him a while, of course, but all six of them run races now. I want to say in less than 2 years they were all registered for their first marathon.

A couple more runs to log here, the system is working VERY well for me!!

You will see that my times are decreasing, I am currently running about 2.5 minutes and then 1 minute walk breaks, going for an average of 11 minute miles.

Thursday - 3.53 miles, 37:39, lap times of 10:39 per mile

Saturday - 6.42 miles, 1:11:50, lap times of 11:11 per mile

Monday - 3.66 miles, 38:54, lap times of 10:37 per mile

I've used this technique when injured and it definitely works. However, I like to run. I don't like to run walk.  So while I know intellectually it works, I also know it's not really for me. I'm not doing this to break records, but for fun so I do what's fun and, for me, what is fun is to run the whole distance.

I use Galloway!  Never ran anywhere, ever in my life until March 2014 and could barely get to the end of the block that day.  Since then, using Galloway to train, I have several 5k's, a 10k, and a 1/2 marathon under my belt.  I am currently training for a runDisney event at the end of the month (my second 1/2.)  I started at a 22min pace and am currently at a 13 min pace.  I don't think I ever would/could have done this without the Galloway method.  

I actually did this for my full marathon!  I was able to run/walk/run for the first 18-19 miles of the marathon and then I started having cramps in my calves after the run portion.  I would have to stop, massage them out and walk a couple minutes to get it all ok again.  I would run just fine again but they would seize up after the run.

I finally figured out after a few iterations of this that it was faster to walk really fast instead!  So my last 6 miles or so of the marathon were a 3.75 mph (16-17 minute) pace instead of my normal 12-13 minute r/w/r pace.  I completed the race at 6:35 or so!  

It has been 15 months now since the race and I backed way off running afterwards.  I run enough to keep up some endurance and I could do a 5k without thinking about it and probably 5-7 miles (10k) with just a few weeks of training.

R/W/R is a great system, my pace increased because of those rests and I highly recommend it!

Have used run walk intervals  I have varied from 8:2 - 4:1 .  It is a vary popular method, so popular that Garmin has built in run walk alerts into their Watches.  

I go by feel in the end.  If I can run I will if I can't then I do what I have to in order for the finish.