It’s been a stinker of a week here with work deadlines and general busyness. Runs have happened but I haven’t squeezed in a long one. This morning I got up early (and even roped MrU in to an early start) to try and get some distance in. The problem? I was just feeling a bit weary. Not the sort of “I’m too tired, I need a rest day”, just “I feel a bit sluggish and I’m not reallh up for this”.
MrU and I ticked off 4km together. Having someone with you when you just want to go home is a bonus! When we got back to the point where he was going back and I was supposedly carrying on, I was sorely tempted to call it day. Instead, I thought I’d try and shoot for 8km by giving a bit of jeffing a go. The ratio I thought would work best was 4 mins run to 1 min walking. Mainly because of the ease of working out what times I needed to start and stop running and the repeats coming in multiples of five minutes’
This really worked for me on a day when I was feeling a bit lacklustre. Four minutes of running was enough to feel like I could get into a rhythm, but not so long that I was every very far from walking. Mentally, that really helped. It was a bit frustrating when the runs seemed uphill and the walks downhill. I guess when 80% of your outing is running, it’s likely that you’ll hit hills during those sections and they’re probably more memorable that walking uphill! It also gave me a nice structure to break up the run-I know roughly how long it takes to run most of the route I was on and could think to myself “that’s only three more cycles away from home”. Instead of hitting the 8km I was trying for, I hit the 12km I’d left the house hoping to get done. Not even particularly that much slower than usual. Very pleased.
I’ve often broken up longer runs with walk breaks but I haven’t done so much structured run/walk before. I think the ratio really suited me.
I’ll definitely be doing this again.
I met this well-coiffed horse halfway through the run. Anyone else got hair envy?!! The sun came out and my hair suffered…talking the pony tail out band and it staying in place was a look!!!
Any other Jeffers out there? CBDB i know you’re a fan.
Happy running everyone!
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I find jeffing works for me! It depends on how tired I am! If it’s an after work it’s likely to be 5&1! I am trying to lengthen it slightly but it’s minimal in creases!
That really worked for you. Last year following COVID I tried 1 min run 1 min walk a few times and found over 10k it was about the same time as running it all and I wasn't exhausted at the end
I so empathise with this...the weariness bit... with me, today, it was a bit, 'weight of things'!
You work so hard!
An interesting and worthwhile run! You clearly found it useful!
As is Jeffing.. Bluebirdrunner and I jeffed the Monsal trail 10K...and had fun!
It really can help things move along and get you back in the mood. I did the NRC Week 2, 5K Long run, this morning, and I would have really like to have jeffed it... but decided on just trickling along like a sleepy snail Unlike you!
I have however, never had hair envy with a horse... ! Jeffing I have done.. equine hair envy, I need to work on.
It’s been a bit of a “weight of things” week… often the runs make the weight easier to carry but sometimes they bring their own weight! I’d forgotten you jeffed Monsal but now I remember how well it worked. Glad you found your happy snail pace annd congratulations on that 5k! Often I’ll just slow down but even that was eluding me this morning. It’s great to have alternatives to try according to the mood!
I’m fan of jeffing . I’ve not long started doing jeffing correctly and I’m enjoying it. My ratio isn’t as good as yours at the moment as I’m just starting out with it. I started running for 1 min and walking for 1. However I may have to try your ratio if you wouldn’t mind?
In the past when I thought I was doing jeffing I obviously wasn’t doing it correctly as I didn’t really have a plan. . I would just run for so long then walk that to me was jeffing … but I was wrong and eventually read about doing properly.
So many Jeffers I’ve forgotten about! I’ve also done run/walk but only walking when I’m tired. It was really nice to feel in control and like this was a conscious choice rather than being forced into walking. A change is as good as a rest (especially when it comes with a rest as part of it!!). I think I chose my ratio today based on what someone on the Women’s Running podcast did rather than it being based around my pace or anything more scientific.,,I need do some more reading!! Totally give it a go and see what you think!
I like that ….nice to feel in control and a conscious choice. That’s how I felt when I was trying to do jeffing properly. Like you before I would run walk and the walking part would be when I was tired.
I shall definitely try out the ratio that you do. 👍🏃♀️🏃♀️
Nicely jeffed! In some ways, we all started with some form of jeffing, I feel.
I’m having phases of preferring jeffing to continuous running and then my preference shifts after a couple of months. Injury recovery I find is also supported by coming back via jeffing.
But what I particularly love about jeffing is that it fits with my listening to music. 3-4 minute song for running, 30-60 seconds advertisement allows me to walk (or record my chatting) for a podcast.
Big fan of jeffing 😊 do most of my longer runs (10k +) this way and also sometimes shorter ones. I'm not fussed about times but it's interesting to note that my times are faster jeffing 🤷🏼♀️ it also kept me injury free. I was forever picking up injuries when I was continuously running 😕My ratio is low: 30sec run:30 sec walk. People either love or hate it lol. I get bored v quickly running longer distances,and this regular shift keeps me switched on to that rather than plodding out the kms.
One thing of note though, it should never feel stop/start. Up and down the gears, active walk. And adapt as you go, run the downhill or walk the uphill if you'd like to, then go back to ratios afterwards 😊
I do it sometimes, especially if I've run out of energy and have to get home somehow! I usually do 2 mins running 1 min walking. I have it set on my watch to buzz when I need to change, I just wish you could set it going when you've been running for a bit.
I did a bit of Jeffing ages ago when I tried one of the Garmin plans with Jeff Galloway - Mr Jeffing himself! I actually got a faster 5k time doing it. Very odd. He teaches “the glide” so that you sort of slide into the walk rather than do anything abrupt. Anyone hasn’t seen it - it’s worth looking at his podcast on Garmin.
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Unlike you!
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
