Gallagher Fitness Resources

Category: Beginner Level

Posts, comments and articles especially focused on the Beginner 10k, half-marathon and marathon runner.

  • The Run/Walk Philosophy Really Works

    Run/Walk Philosophy, Team GFR Saturdays, Beginner, Recreational, Advanced, Competitive Runners
    https://activesalem.com/gallagher-fitness-training-programs/saturday/

    Why Run/Walk? Does it really work?

    Walk breaks are beneficial and have their place for everyone from time to time, more often for the beginner and recreational runner, less often for the advanced and competitive.

    Three Benefits of the Run/Walk Philosophy:

    (1) Extended Endurance – Walk breaks will allow you to lengthen your “long day” without added stress to your joints and connective tissues. Walk breaks help soften the blow, so to speak, as your feet, legs, and body get used to the increase in distance.

    (2) Quicker Recovery – Walk breaks will let your body recover quicker tomorrow from what you did to it today! Running is hard work, especially for those just entering the crazy world of half-marathons and marathons. Recovering quickly so you can go out and do it again is important. If you don’t recover, you’ll have to come up with some other excuse for your mildly insane behavior early on Saturday mornings.

    (3) Consistency! – Following from Extended Endurance and Quicker Recovery, is the long-term consistency you will achieve. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, consistency is the key. Without it, most beginners find themselves struggling with starting, getting hurt, and having to start over again (or worse yet – having to quit). Walk breaks help you build gradually and CONSISTENTLY over the course of weeks and months on your way to that half-marathon or marathon finish line!

    How should you do Run/Walk?

    For the Beginner Group, walk breaks may be suggested for nearly every workout. However, rather than staying locked into the same Run/Walk routine for months on end, as we progress through the program, the Run/Walk Ratio may vary with certain workouts, distances, and events. By adding variety in the R/W ratios and variety in the kinds of workouts you will be doing, you will see and feel the benefits of a more complete training picture.

    For the Recreational, Advanced and Competitive groups, walk breaks are suggested for the long EZ runs and optional for other workouts. Suggested walk break guidelines for long EZ runs are as follows:

    • Average pace > 12 minutes/mile – Run 4 minutes/Walk 1 minute
    • Average pace = 11-12 minutes/mile – Run 5 minutes/Walk 1 minute
    • Average pace = 10-11 minutes/mile – Run 7 minutes/Walk 30 seconds
    • Average pace = 9-10 minutes/mile – Run 9 minutes/Walk 20 seconds
    • Average pace = 7-9 minutes/mile – Run 10 minutes/Walk 15 seconds

    The variety in our training plans make them fun and interesting. The optional walk break suggestions make it accommodating for a range of ability levels. Which ever you decide to do, stay consistent and you’ll be amazed at the progress you will make!

    The Run/Walk Philosophy in training programs at Gallagher’s

    Since 1994,  we’ve offered training programs from track races and 5k’s to marathons. In those earlier years, we did no walk breaks. Then, from 1999 through mid-2006, GFR offered marathon training clinics in association with Jeff Galloway’s Training Program out of Atlanta, GA. While the combination of running and walking had been around forever, Jeff certainly did the most of anyone to promote it. All over the world, programs have combined running and walking in various ways enabling thousands of runners to successfully cross the finish lines of countless half-marathons and marathons.

    In October 2006, we brought training programs back “in-house” and began the Team GFR Marathon Training Program. In designing the workouts, we chose some of the best aspects of the former approach and blended it with what we learned from our Salem, Oregon audience.

    During the Spring of 2014, we renamed Team GFR Marathon Training Program to simply, Team GFR Saturdays. Runners can sign up for 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon or relays training. Each distance offers Beginner, Recreational, Advanced and Competitive training levels. In 2020 and beyond, we continue to accommodate the beginner, the competitive runner and everyone in-between.

  • 60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    Repeat after me – Endurance. Aerobic Endurance. Gotta have it or you won’t have any fun out there.

    Face it. A half-marathon or a marathon is a long way. Pacing yourself evenly throughout the race is the fastest way to the finish line. Guaranteed. But most importantly, you need the endurance and the patience to cover the distance. Running at 60-75 percent effort on most days will extend your aerobic endurance. With aerobic endurance you can teach yourself to pace accordingly on race day.

    Think about it in these terms: Let’s say you have to drive 13.1 miles one way to work each day. Would you get there on time if you had to get out and push your car the last half mile or so? Veering out of that aerobic zone and going too fast on your easy days will rob gas outta your gas tank. Our bodies are not equipped with a visible fuel gauge. It won’t be apparent that you are out of gas until the moment you realize you are. You wouldn’t want to show up at work looking like you had to push your car a half mile to get there. Don’t do that to yourself on race day either!

    60-70 percent effort is CONVERSATION pace

    60-75 percent effort is important. You’ll know you’re there when you cover miles upon miles chatting, laughing, giggling, singing – and breathing deeply – as you run. Those runs when you feel as though you really aren’t doing much, but the miles just roll by. Those easy – seemingly effortless – days provide lots of oxygen and fresh blood flow to your muscles, tendons and joints. It’s like taking a long aerobic bath with your running buddies. Your body loves that stuff! Keep your easy long runs easy!

    That’s why 60-75 percent effort is important too. If your goal is to run your best half marathon or marathon possible, most of your training days should be in this range. We follow this philosophy in our Team GFR Training Plans. Take a look at our training plans and join us.

  • Why 85 percent Effort Is Important

    85 percent effort is important

    85 Percent Effort Is Important

    What does 85 percent effort mean and what’s the significance of that number?

    If you have read running magazines, books on running, or any of the hundreds of websites offering running or training advice, you may have come across the following terms:

    • Tempo Runs
    • Anaerobic Threshold (A/T) Workouts
    • Threshold Pace
    • Lactate Threshold Pace
    • Sub-maximal effort
    • Cruise Intervals
    • vVO2Max Runs
    • Steady State Runs

    In some of these more intense workouts you may see 85% as the suggested effort level. For the most part – without getting into minuscule technicalities – most of these terms represent essentially the same workout.  Over the last 40-50 years of research on long-distance running, most scientists have drawn fairly similar conclusions.  At this MAGIC pace (at either side of 85% of maximal effort) a lot of very special things happen to the human body.

    For the beginner/novice level runner: 85 percent is the effort that “feels like you’re doing something.”  You know the “no pain/no gain” mentality?  Welcome to the threshold where you will soon be in pain if you don’t back off!  When you are just getting into it – you may find yourself skyrocketing to 85% in no time at all.  This is why WALK BREAKS are so important in gauging your pace to keep you more in the 65-75% range for most of your training.  The 85 percent effort level is something to play with very occasionally.  Until you establish a true foundation of aerobic endurance (the 65-75% range), the 85% level will be pretty hard on you.

    For the recreational runner: 85% is the effort or pace that’s just slightly faster (I mean slightly – about 6-8 seconds a mile – just a step or two quicker!) than your half-marathon pace.  Doing some running at this pace a few times a week will help you gradually get more comfortable at a slightly quicker pace in your half-marathons.  As you may have figured out already, an improvement of just 6-10 seconds a mile is a BIG improvement in your overall time.

    For the advanced runner: 85% is the effort that you begin to feel strong.  Somehow when you hit this pace, you get the feeling as though you could “run all day long.”  The truth is, if you are truly at your Anaerobic Threshold, you can probably hold this pace for 50-60 minutes (a little short of that “all day” feeling).  Since none of us will be running any 50-60 minute half-marathons any time soon – the world record is currently just under 59 minutes – it is important to train sparingly at 85%.  The “minutes” workouts, “tempo” workouts, and “cruise interval” workouts you will see on your intensity day will allow you to play in the 85% playground for short periods of time.

    For the competitor runner: 85% is the effort that helps you control an opposing runner.  If you know where 85 percent effort is for you and you learn to stay “just this side of it” – holding on to your extra gears for later in the race – while the person you are running against is “just the other side of it” and beginning to struggle or fade, guess what happens?  Shift gears and good-bye.  The “minutes” workouts, “tempo” workouts, and “cruise interval” workouts you will see on your intensity day will allow you to determine exactly where your personal gears are and help teach you how to conserve, accelerate, recover, and GO when you need to!

    We follow this philosophy in our Team GFR Training Plans. Take a look at our training plans and join us.

  • How to Run and Walk Half Marathon

    How to Run and Walk Half Marathon

    TIP #1: Approach the Half-Marathon by splitting it into two equal halves. The first half takes you to the 10-mile mark and the second half is the final 3.1 miles (5k). Now before you question my math skills, listen to my reasoning. The first 10 miles should be your “warm-up” for that final 5k run. Patience in the first 10 miles will yield enormous results and pleasant surprises over the last 3 miles – guaranteed! The easiest mistake runners make is going “just-a-teensy-weensy-too-hard” during those first ten miles. If you hit the 11 or 12 mile mark and you find yourself wishing it were all over, then you probably made THE mistake. If you pass the 10-mile mark and you are “ready to rumble,” then you DID NOT make THE mistake.

    TIP #2: [More bad math] Mentally and physically split that first 10-miles into equal parts of 7 miles and 3 miles.
    While you are conserving your energy for that final 5k, taking it easy and feeling strong, those other runners around you will be dreading the second half of their race. You’re just getting warmed up! During that 7 miles, you should be taking walk breaks as in training.
    Once you’ve passed the 7-mile mark, you can increase your pace slightly and begin passing those people who are already beginning to slow down. This “second half of the first 10 miles” is only 3 miles! [See how this wacky math works to your advantage now?] At this point, you can keep the same run/walk ratio and pick up your running pace slightly -OR- you can keep the same running pace and decrease the walk ratio by 15-seconds. Either choice will increase your overall pace. Since you “took it easy” for the first 7 miles, you will be ready to “pick it up a bit.”

    TIP #3: [Final section of bad math] If you’ve done this correctly, you still have half your energy left to burn and there’s only a 5k to go!
    – No death march for you! Anybody can complete a 5k, right? It’s concentration time – time to be aware of “closing the gap” on those people in front of you. You will notice that they seem to be getting closer to you with every step. After a 10-mile warmup, it’s time to have some fun passing them up – you’ve earned it with your patience!
    Walk breaks during the final 5k? It’s up to you. If you know you can run a 5k with confidence – DO IT! If you need a walk break or two or three, put them in. If you want to walk only to get water, do that. This final 5k is yours to enjoy as you wish. You did the training. You did the walk breaks. You took it easy during the first 7 miles. Tear it up!
    During the last 25% of the race, many runners eliminate walk breaks. For the Half-Marathon, that would call for your last walk break to be around the 10 mile mark, if that is what you choose.
    Remember, you can also opt to spread the walk breaks out after 10 miles. For instance, if you’re trying to average 10 minute miles and are doing 5 and 1’s through the 10-mile mark, you could choose to take a walk break at 11-miles and 12-miles rather than continue with the 5 and 1’s.

    TIP #4: Start thinking about throwing kisses to the crowd at the finish line and having fun feeling strong! Go to the nearest mirror right now and practice your finish line smile!
    – ENJOY your success! If the weather is decent, hang out and cheer your buddies in. Hang out and visit if you can. Congratulate yourself and the other people in your group. Wear a silly grin on your face and take pleasure in that post-race buzz!

  • Beginner Level Guidelines

    BEGINNER LEVEL. The beginner level workouts include a combination of running and walking. By gradually adding time and mileage, these plans emphasize building a solid endurance base. Some hill work is also included. Progress gradually and learn the importance of varying pace and effort on your way to completing your first 10k, half-marathon, or marathon.

    AVERAGE WEEK: On average the Beginner Level Program calls for

    • Days Running – Four Days suggested (usually Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday)
    • Days Walking – One Day each week go for a longer walk.  Builds endurance and offers recovery from increased running  (usually Sunday)
    • Days Cross-Training – One to two days suggested (usually Tuesday or Wednesday and optional Thursday)
    • Day OFF – One Day Off each week (usually Friday)

    The Progression we suggest for most beginners is the following:

    10k Plan- 10 weeks – November through January. Designed to help the beginner build gradually toward an eventual half-marathon or marathon. This program takes you from a 5k starting point to the Cascade 10k in January.

    Half-Marathon Plan – 13 weeks – February through April or May.

    Marathon Plan- 22 weeks – May through October.

  • Uphill Techniques and Tips

    Negotiating hills can be challenging but you can improve your efficiency with some awareness. Here are some uphill tips, presuming you’re not having to be concerned about rocks, tree roots or other trip hazards.

    • Keep your eyes focused on the top of the hill. Don’t look down.
    • As you run or walk up the hill with your eyes up, visualize someone at the top of the hill pulling you up with a rope that’s tied to a central spot between your hips. Creative Visualization is an amazing tool that many athletes frequently use. If you practice this, you will actually “feel” your hips being drawn up the hill by this invisible rope.
    • Keep your hips going straight up the hill. Visualize small headlights attached to the front of your hip bones. You need to keep those headlights centered on the road! Don’t let them “weave” back and forth across the road.
    • Keep your head up! Looking up and keeping your head erect puts your body (especially your spine and hips) in the right position.
    • Maintain a quick cadence and keep your stride length short. Don’t over-stride. Think baby steps.
    • Use your arms, but don’t overdo it! Reach back with your hands far enough to brush the sides of your hips.

    Continue past the top of the hill and concentrate on using good form for several more yards after you have crested the top. Keep up the quick cadence. In other words, don’t lose your momentum when you get to the top. Going up hills with good form is important. Being able to continue after you have “conquered the hill” is what will make you more efficient and stronger.

    *************************

    Many look up at a hill and say, “Oh my!”

    Try this demonstration:

    • Look up, eyes straight forward – take a deep breath
    • Look down – take a deep breath

    You get more air with your head up and we need all the oxygen we can get when going uphill

    Eyes up – head up – oxygen

    Spine straightens up – hips align – increased efficiency

  • Three Stages of Aerobic Fitness

    You may have heard that aerobic exercise is the most efficient way to improve overall fitness. This is mostly true, but there is more to overall success in fitness than aerobic exercise. It is the necessary first step to improve overall fitness; and it is certainly the quickest step in the process.

    “Getting Fit” involves three major steps that occur in this order. Be aware, the human body is pretty wise to shortcuts!

    The Three Major Steps

    1. Aerobic Fitness – your heart and lungs get used to processing more blood and oxygen and your cardiovascular system responds by becoming more efficient. Major gains in aerobic fitness can occur in as little as 4-6 weeks.
    2. Muscle Fitness – your muscles adapt to the increase in exercise by getting stronger. This process takes a bit longer – about 8-16 weeks.
    3. Musculoskeletal Fitness – your bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints adapt to having a better cardiovascular system and stronger muscles. This process takes the longest time of all – about 3-6 months! (Depending on your beginning fitness level.)

    Whenever you try to shortcut the process, the human body usually responds with its most noticeable message – pain. Pain is the body’s defense mechanism and it can be employed at any time during these three major steps of getting fit. There are few things more discouraging than to get hurt after “I put all that time in exercising.” Listen to your heart, literally, and many of those aches and pains will never appear.

    Pain is highly avoidable if you exercise patience. You have all been told to avoid huffing & puffing and to keep your pace at a “conversation level.” The primary reason is to keep your heart rate in the right zone. The aerobic zone is between 60-80% of maximum heart rate. Keeping it there for 3-6 months during the majority of your workouts will allow your body to adapt gradually to your new level of fitness. Follow this advice and you will be truly amazed at how much higher that new level will be 6 months from now!

    Monitoring heart rate, during & after training, is a great tool to develop and maintain proper workouts. Heart rate gives immediate feedback on how the body is responding to exercise and to the conditions of the particular day. (See Factors Affecting Your Heart Rate.) The pulse is a direct measure of the effort being put on the heart and the body. Trust it! It’s the best indicator we’ve got.

  • Factors Affecting Your Heart Rate

    Factors Affecting Heart Rate
    Happy Running Heart

    Factors Affecting Heart Rate

    There are certain factors affecting heart rate when exercising. Your body relies as heavily on the oxygen/fuel ratio as your car does. Much like your car’s engine, your body uses oxygen and various fuels (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) to yield muscle energy. When this ratio is not in balance in the body, a whole series of physiological events occur.

    These events can be gauged with your body’s tachometer — your heart rate. And much like the automobile engine, the true efficiency of the body’s engine is dependent upon a multitude of parts working efficiently together. Your heart rate will indicate if there is any sign of trouble in your body’s engine.

    A Brief List of Factors Affecting Heart Rate

    These factors play a role in directly affecting heart rate while running or walking:

    1. Emotions and anxiety can raise your heart rate! Unlike an automobile that is purely mechanical, we are not solely governed by working parts. Some days you can “feel” your way to a higher HR.
    2. Body Temperature: If you become too hot or too cold your body senses a thermal stress load. Blood is sent to your skin to enhance heat dissipation to cool you or increases blood flow to warm you. Apparent temperatures (which account for humidity or wind chill) above 70 degress (F) and below 35 degrees (F) will increase your heart rate at least 2-4 beats per minute. Over 90% humidity can equal as much as a 10 beat increase in heart rate.
    3. The terrain. Walk or run uphill and your HR increases. Walk or run downhill and your HR decreases.
    4. Wind. Walking or running with the wind at your back is easy, therefore HR decreases. Walking or running into the wind is more difficult: HR increases.
    5. Dehydration. As you become increasingly dehydrated during a long walk, hike, or run, your blood becomes thicker and waste products build up in bloodstream. Your heart will work harder to maintain constant cardiac output. A fluid loss of 3% of body weight increases pulse rate because of decrease in circulating blood volume.
    6. Diminishing glycogen stores — your muscles primary fuel source. As the fuel depletes, in order to maintain the same walking or running pace, your HR rises.
    7. Insufficient nutrition. HR increases.
    8. Insufficient sleep. HR increases.
    9. Insufficient recovery after a long hike, run, or other hard workout. HR increases.
    10. Recent illness — or — a signal of impending illness. You guessed it!
    11. Medication – depending upon the medication, heart rate can either decrease or increase. Be certain to ask your physician about any medication you are taking and its effects on your exercise heart rate.

  • Your True Resting Heart Rate

    Record your “true” resting heart rate. First thing in the morning, before rising from bed, take it for 15 seconds and multiply by four. Take it 3 or 4 times a week and note the lowest recording. It varies depending on how rested and calm we are, how hydrated we are and generally how healthy we are, or not. Track how it changes, both with life variables, and over time. Happily watch your “true” resting heart rate go down as your fitness level improves. This tells you your consistency is paying off! This gives you proof that you are getting in shape.

    Next, practice taking your heart rate in various situations. For example, take your HR while sitting and relaxed; following a bit of typical daily walking, such as from one room to the next or through a parking lot; after a meal with various beverages; following a “heated” discussion; following a hectic commute, etc. You get the idea. Then practice bringing it down. In my experience, focusing on breathing is the simplest method of bringing it down. Practice, practice, practice! “Are you breathing?” We’ll talk more about breathing in another session.