"Jean S. Barto" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:tU5Tc.24307$Bb.15007@lakeread08...
Quoted message said:I think the Galloway programs are very dependent on the leader of the
program that you're involved with. I was enrolled in a program in 2000
here
Quoted message said:in SE VA--and was quite unhappy with the program I was involved with, and
made my complaints known to the Atlanta headquarters, and got my money
back.
Quoted message said:
I found that the team leader was quite supportive to the 4 hour
marathoners,
Quoted message said:who were most of the group. I was a *second time marathoner* and a 5 hour
marathoner at that--and I and another woman who was slightly faster than
me
Quoted message said:got the short end of the stick and were left largely on our own on the
longer runs. Things improved slightly when a woman who had attended one
of
Quoted message said:Jeff Galloway's running camps out West came on to assist with the
group--but
Quoted message said:it still ended up that I was left in the dust on the 2 longer runs (16 and
18 miles) I finished before leaving the group. I did the last 10K of each
of those runs totally on my own.
This is a problem in all groups I have worked with including the ones I
have organized. Some people are just going to be slower and there might be
only one of them. Creating some way to accommodate is hard to do. It is
not fair to ask others to slow down and impede their training either.
This is one of the reason I will only do groups with a narrow range of
abilities if I ever do a group again.
Quoted message said:
There's a different team leader for the Galloway group in Virginia Beach
now, and hopefully there's more success with the program now. I think the
team leader when I was involved was asked to leave the program later that
fall. In any case, there is a different group leader down there now.
Folks who can start from nothing and successfully complete a marathon in 5
hours (and especially closer to 4 hours) or less I think are individuals
who
Quoted message said:are somewhat athletically and genetically gifted in the first place--they
are biomechanically efficient (generally *neutral* runners with only
slight
Quoted message said:pronation) and probably have a better than average VO2 Max and lactate
threshold. They also are more likely thinner rather than larger boned, or
even overweight. Even though I had done previous running and was coming
to
Quoted message said:the program with being able to run 60 minutes at a 10: 30 to 11:00 pace,
the
Quoted message said:weekly increase in mileage was too much for me and I didn't do the
Richmond
Quoted message said:Marathon that fall as I wanted to.
Quoted message said:The *rest* of the population who fall outside the optimal parameters (
like
Quoted message said:me) will have more problems with Galloway's or *any* marathon training
program that purports to advertise *completing a marathon* in 6 months or
so. Being less than efficient in form, body type or cardiovascular
ability
Quoted message said:serves to put undue stress on the body, eventually causing nagging
injuries--like what happened with me. I aborted the program in 2000, and
trained mostly on my own the next year, and completed the Chicago Marathon
in 2001 in 5:24:39. I went ahead and did that race even though I was
unable
Quoted message said:to complete the very long runs--I only did four 14 to 15 mile runs before
that race, in addition to the rest of my weekly running. I felt that I
was probably close to the best shape I could realistically hope to be in,
and that time and age were working against me (I'm in my late 40's). I
also
Quoted message said:made *second running career* PR's in 5K and 8K that year, and haven't come
close to those times since.
I think you hit on a key point here. I think that more programs
should be "We'll take you from the couch to a marathon, but it might take a
while." One runner in a group I led signed up for the group and after some
discussions, she decided that she would stay with the marathon group, but
not do a marathon until later. So she trained at a slower rate of mileage
increase and the following year did her first (of what became several)
marathon. It took her 2 "programs" but she got there. In fact, I wish more
people would take this approach.
Quoted message said:
5:24:39 is my *marathon PR*--my 2 other completions (Boston in 1996 and
NYC
Quoted message said:in 2002) are even slower. Many of you would sneer at a 5:24 PR marathon
time, but most likely that will remain my PR. Since then I've had many
injuries and a weight gain--and I'm back to square one as far as my
running
Quoted message said:is concerned. My marathon days are probably over, and I'll be very happy
to
Quoted message said:work back to running my local 5K and 10K races, and doing the Rock n'
Roll
Quoted message said:1/2 Marathon in Virginia Beach every September. Being on my feet for over
5
Quoted message said:hours for a marathon is too much wear and tear on my body!
Some people will sneer, but I am willing to bet that most people here
will acknowledge your accomplishment in a positive manner. The marathon is
not for everyone. Body type, the ability (and interest) to train for the
mileage, etc all are factors.
Also, I am not sure a person who once was a runner is ever really
starting from square one. Yes, detraining occurs---sorry but I am an ex
phys person--- but at the same time, you once had a higher level of fitness
and know how to approach the training better so you have that knowledge to
build on.
Being over 5 hours does not sound like fun. I did 2 marathons in right
around 4 hours and found them to be far worse experiences that the sub 3:10
marathons I have run.
Good luck with a return to running.
Quoted message said:
If running and completing a marathon were so easy, everyone would be doing
it!
My two cents on this issue--
YMMV--
Jean in VA
"Tony" <qtrader2@(remove)hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:qG3Tc.1$ZY3.0@trndny08...
Quoted message said:I don't know the Galloway marathon method specifically, but I was
interested
Quoted message said:in Galloway because he experimented with different combinations of
frequency
Quoted message said:/ duration / intensity in the past. I looked at "Galloway's Book on
Running" 2nd ed., and I liked the philosophy and training programs in
there,
Quoted message said:though in that book he end a 1/2 marathon program. It's very similiar
to
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:how I usually break up my week, with cross training or rest on mon / wed
/
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:fri, and runs on tues / thurs / sat (long), with rest on sat.
The other thing he talks alot about is walking breaks for long runs in
particular, and for races as well. To me this makes a great deal of
sense
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:when you don't feel particularly strong or over difficult terrain when
continuous running would make the overall effort level too high. Also,
it
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:would have a general interval effect, allowing the body some recovery
and
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:over time adaptation to being on the feet longer. For those interested
in
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:serious competition Galloway's ideas may or may not work. For me some
of
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:these ideas suit my training style and help my ability to complete long
runs
Quoted message said:under control. At the very least I think many recreational runners I
see
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:huffing and puffing around the lake here would be wise to do some
walking
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:breaks. For ultra distances walking breaks are a proven technique, if
not
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:for the recent speedy champions like Scott Jurek, for most others, and
for
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:past distance champions of the 6-day races.
- Tony
David Stracener wrote in message
<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:I ran the Marine Corps Marathon last year and was impressed with the
Galloway groups (even though in the early miles I thought they were a
menace). They were passing me easily in miles 20-23. I'm hoping to
run faster than 3:30 this year and am interested to hear your thoughts
on the Galloway method of pacing/finishing the marathon.
TIA
--