Gallagher Fitness Resources

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  • California International Marathon 12/6/09

    The California International Marathon was held in Sacramento on Sunday, December 6.

    Complete Race Results:  2009 CIM RESULTS

    Race Photos Site:  Sportphoto Site for 2009 CIM

    Here are results from people in the training program and additional Salem area runners. A few had PR’s and several qualified for Boston. Congratulations to everyone!

    • Kevin Hutchins, Salem 2:37:35
    • Raille Wilson, Keizer 2:55:44
    • Ron Coomes, Monmouth 2:56:28
    • Roger Dow, Salem 3:11:20 (PR)
    • Denise Coomes, Monmouth 3:19:08
    • Sue Schmidt, Salem 3:30:15
    • Beka Thayer, Albany 3:33:33
    • Doug Thayer, Albany 3:33:33
    • Susan Gallagher, Salem 3:36:48
    • Judy Mathison, Salem 3:36:50
    • Wes Markus, Salem 3:39:43 (PR)
    • Bob Boyle, Salem 3:41:23
    • Jeff Nemecek, Salem 3:54:06
    • Paul Holstege, Salem 3:58:29
    • Jessica Villagrana, Salem 4:05:07 (PR)
    • Kathy Wilson, Keizer 4:17:59 (PR)
    • Linda Cunningham, Salem 4:46:22 (PR)
    • Kelsey Reese, Salem 4:52:07
    • Susan Pierce, Salem 5:03:58
    • Deb Wallig, Salem 5:13:16
    • Gina Harris, Aumsville 5:28:52
    • John Howard, Independence 5:47:28

    I apologize if I missed anyone.  If you have notes about the course, how your personal race went, or any other comments about this event, enter it below.  Let’s hear what you have to say about this great late season event!

  • Recreational Level Guidelines

    RECREATIONAL LEVEL.
    Has experience running 5k’s, 10k’s, Hood-to-Coast, half-marathons, or marathons and prefers to keep goals general in the midst of a busy life. Sees running as a social outlet. This plan provides the structure necessary for improvement and the flexibility to run half-marathons instead of marathons. Be better prepared for Hood-to-Coast, or run marathons as active vacations in faraway places.

    This level offers a suggested “up tempo” day on either Tuesday or Wednesday each week. This workout helps build strength and develops pacing skills. It can be adapted to fit your goals. The best workouts are the FUN workouts!

    The workouts allow runners the flexibility of completing multiple half-marathons in a year or a few marathons at a leisurely pace. Most of all, the workouts for the Recreational Level are designed to keep the injuries away.

    AVERAGE WEEK: On average the Recreational Level Program calls for

    • Days Running – Four Days suggested (usually Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
      • Monday is an easy run day
      • Tuesday or Wednesday is occasionally a slightly more intense workout
      • Thursday is always a recovery/easy run day
      • Saturday is either a longer day or a second moderate workout depending upon the week
    • Days Cross-Training – Two Days suggested (usually Sunday and Tuesday or Wednesday)
    • Day OFF – One Day Off each week (usually Friday)

  • Advanced Level Guidelines

    ADVANCED LEVEL. Have a definite target time or pace in mind and want more intensity in your workouts? The Advanced Level is for you. The Advanced Level helps develop running skills and strengths and is higher on the “challenge” scale, but fun is still the emphasis! While the Recreational Level provides opportunities to do multiple half-marathons or marathons in a year, the Advanced Level focuses energies on one or two goal marathons or half-marathons. The mid-week “intense” workout and a wider variety of workouts for Saturday morning training runs provide a different emphasis. Suggested races on the Advanced Level calendar are shorter than the half-marathon.

    HOW DO YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN RECREATIONAL OR ADVANCED? If the goal is to do your half-marathons or marathons comfortably, or you plan to do MORE than 2 half-marathons or marathons a year, we’re going to guide you toward the recreational group. If the goal is to do 2 or only 1 marathon in a year and you really have a target goal/pace/or PR in mind, then the advanced group will be the appropriate choice. As much as possible we want people to choose Intermediate/Recreational or Advanced based on training approach and experience rather than pace or “ranking” by speed.

    AVERAGE WEEK: On average the Advanced Level Program calls for

    • Days Running – Four Days suggested (usually Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
      • Monday is an easy run day
      • Tuesday or Wednesday is a more intense workout
      • Thursday is always a recovery/easy run day
      • Saturday is either a longer day or a second moderately intense workout depending upon the week
    • Days Cross-Training – Two Days suggested (usually Sunday and Tuesday or Wednesday)
    • Day OFF – One Day Off each week (usually Friday)

  • Competitor Level Guidelines

    COMPETITOR LEVEL. For those committed to achieving top performance. Workouts suited for sub-3:45 and faster marathoners and sub-1:50 half marathoners. This plan balances racing and other endurance-based activities with a solid program of anaerobic sharpening and strength-endurance workouts to maximize training time. If you want that extra edge as a triathlete, or a Boston Marathon qualifying time, this level will get you there.  Overall the Competitor Level calls for about a 15-20% increase in total running mileage and features more intense speed/strength workouts than the advanced level.

    AVERAGE WEEK: On average the Competitor Level Program calls for

    • Days Running – Five Days suggested (usually Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
      • Sunday is either a run or a cross training day depending on the week
      • Monday is an easy to sometimes moderate run depending on the week
      • Tuesday is an optional cross-training day or recovery run
      • Wednesday is a more intense workout
      • Thursday is always a recovery/easy run day or optional cross-training day
      • Saturday is either a longer day or a second moderately intense workout depending upon the week
    • Days Cross-Training – One to Two Days suggested (usually Sunday and Tuesday or Wednesday)
    • Day OFF – One Day Off each week (usually Friday)

  • When should I replace my shoes?

    Q: I have a question about shoes. Specifically, when do I replace them? How long are they good to run in before they begin to break down? I know when I feel like I should get new shoes but is there an average shoe-life time if I’m running 4 days a week from 5-15 miles each time?

    A: Thanks for your shoe inquiry. The industry standard for replacing shoes is 350-500 miles. Some get the upper range, some get the lower range. At 120 pounds, I break mine down in 350 due to my biomechanics.

    In addition to biomechanics, other factors influencing shoe replacement may include: 
    Ball-of-foot, arch, heel, shin, knee, or hip aches; surfaces you run on; shoe type; original quality; other activities the shoes are used for; exposure to extreme temperatures and general care of the shoes.

    Here’s the info you provided: 4 days a week from 5-15 miles each time. 
    And here’s the math: 
    4×5=20 miles/wk = 80 miles/month x5 months = 400 miles. 
    4×10=40 miles/wk = 160 miles/month x2.5 months = 400 miles.

    So your shoe-life range at 5-10 miles per day is 2.5 to 5 months. 

    Hope this helps. Thanks again!

  • How Do the Training Levels Differ?

    When designing the four levels of training programs, I created plans that would differ in total workload by about 15% each as you move from Beginner to Recreational to Advanced to Competitor.

    In measuring the total workload, I looked at the following:

    1. Total Days per week
    2. Run/Walk Ratios
    3. Total Suggested Running Mileage
    4. Total Time Suggested Cross Training per week
    5. Total Time All Activities per week
    6. Progression of mileage
    7. Progression of workouts
    8. Types of Intensity workouts
    9. Types of Pace Specific workouts
    10. Intensity levels of certain workouts

    At each level, there are key workouts that form the framework of the overall training plan.  Also, there are assumptions made about the runners at each level based on experience.  My hope is that each level will develop its own personality.  There is no hierarchy.  One level does not “outrank” another, they are just approaching the training plan from a different perspective.

    Everyone is free to take a peek at the various workouts at the different levels.  To do that, you will need to go to your survey answers and in Section 1 under I would describe myself as: choose a different level.  Submit the survey and you can scroll through the workouts.  Just remember to return to your survey answers and re-select your level after you’re done peeking at the others.

    Hopefully your curiosity will be satisfied and you will quickly find that you chose the right level.  I really encourage everyone to find a level that seems appropriate and remain there for all the workouts.  In the first few weeks of the training plan, there will be some who will bounce back and forth between a couple levels.  “Fence-sitting” is OK for the first 3-4 weeks, but once we move toward the middle of the program (weeks 6-7), it will be important to stay with one level for all the workouts until the goal half-marathon or marathon.

    Can you switch levels for different goal events? Absolutely!  For example, you can try out the Advanced Level for a half-marathon and then do the Recreational Level as you move up to the marathon, or vice-versa.  However, a 2-Level jump is not encouraged at any time.