Friday Five: 5 Tips for the Run/Walk/Runner

I'm going to make a WILD assumption: if you're here, you probably run Disney races or want to run Disney races. Since that's the case, you likely already know of Jeff Galloway, the father of the run/walk/run method and the official runDisney running coach. His plans are laid out beautifully on the runDisney website and are followed by tens of thousands of runners each year. I adopted this method when I took on Dopey in 2014, and it helped me PR my marathon (during Dopey, after running for 3 days) by over 26 minutes! I was sold! It also got me through both pregnancies, post-partum journeys, and a half marathon 6 weeks post-knee surgery. I'd say that gives it an A+ in my book. If you're a beginner, it's my go-to recommendation, but I also caution you that it's not just for beginners. Many runners can benefit from this type of running. 

6-weeks after knee surgery!

Before I go down that rabbit hole though, let's get to our Friday Five! I've put together 5 great tips for those Galloway runners out there! Let me know what you think!

1. Make your runs faster and your walks slower. Duh! Isn't that the point? About a month ago I saw someone giving advice in a big Facebook group saying "Your run and walk are almost the same pace." Um, no. That defeats the whole purpose! Run, and run fast. Walk, and walk to recover. There should be a difference. For reference, right now my run is about a 9:30 pace and my walk a 14:00 pace. Find what works for you, but don't sell yourself short. 

2. Stabilize your hands to help you catch your breath. I'd put this tip more for training runs than the actual race, but especially as a beginner, if your aerobic fitness isn't the greatest, you will find yourself winded after the run (see point number one). That's okay, and to help catch your breath, put your hands on hips, on your head, even on your running stroller. By anchoring your hands, you are allowing your chest to help expand your ribcage (and thus, your lungs) because it doesn't also need to move your arms. This is why we fall over and put our hands on our thighs, huffing and puffing, when we need to catch our breath. 

3. 30 second walk breaks are the special sauce. If you've followed Galloway for some time, you know he used to recommend a one-minute walk break. Over time, he's actually changed it to a 30-second breat, noting that runners slowed significantly in the second half of a minute and took longer to get up and go again. After doing both, I'd agree! Try different combos; that's what training is for, but seriously consider minimizing your walk break to just enough to get you ready to run again.

4. When in a race, please signal your walk breaks. It is commonly recognized that when you put your arm up, you are going to walk. Start practicing that now. When it's time to walk, KEEP RUNNING, put your arm up, take a quick look behind you, THEN begin your walk break. Putting your arm up does not give you a free pass to halt mid-step and put other runners (and yourself) at risk. Every single race I see major collisions. Don't be one of them. You should also aim to be towards the right side. Races follow the rules of the road. 

5. Utilize technology that you love. The options are endless. I use either the Gym Boss timer or Run Keeper. Both have served me well over the years. Jeff Galloway has his own app. You can pretty much set intervals on any device. Play around with a few and use what works for you. But for the love of everyone racing, TURN OFF THE BEEPING on race day! Hahaha! All you hear is that beep for miles and miles. Use the vibrate feature on your Gym Boss! 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram to see these tips in action! Happy Friday!