Even more convinced about Galloway method

I've been away during the last nine days in two places where there really has been no opportunity to run for various reasons, including a full social and/or study programme and also the territory (very steep slopes). Fortunately, I did walk quite a bit to keep up fitness.

Today, after much nagging of self, I finally got out the door and ran-walked 12.13 Km. Since I had not run for a while, I decided to drop my Galloway intervals down to 1 minute each of running and walking. The first and last part of my route included most of a very undulating 5K loop, which I had previously attempted with 2-minute run/1-minute walk intervals. At that time, I had found it a nightmare and my overall pace had been 15:56 minutes per mile. My pace today, despite a decreased running component, was 14:25 minutes! Today's pace was also faster than the pace I had managed (15:18 minutes per mile) for my previous longest run, which was just over one mile shorter than today's run and with a less undulating route and during which I had tried each time to run as much as I could before taking a walk break.

I think I'm definitely proof that the Galloway method really helps older, overweight, unfit people, who are new to running, to achieve more.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

How interesting. I think I'm a convert too as I have been doing a 4/2 pattern and gradually increasing my distance. Still feel I am getting all the benefits without being totally knackered - and fewer aches and pains of any sort.

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

I have also been using this method on my longer run each week and I am planning on using it for a six hour endurance run I am doing in October. I have found that I can achieve the same kind of time as with continuous running using 1/1 or even 30/30 seconds with the shorter walk breaks your heart rate doesn't drop so far and so you still get the endurance benefits. A friend just did the London Marathon using 4/1 and finished in 5 hours 20 mins so it certainly works