From The Couch To The Half Marathon By February
By Olympian Jeff Galloway, BCM Training Director
I hope that you are already into your training for the half or the full marathon at 26.2 with Donna BCM on February 21. If so, forward this article to your friends whose training circuit is moving from the couch to the refrigerator each evening, during the commercials.
If you haven’t started yet, it’s still possible to gradually increase the distance of one walk, or run/walk per week and finish this great event. Enter Now! The proceeds of your entry fee will go to Breast Cancer Research at Mayo Clinic and care for women who have the disease. Your entry will motivate you to get in shape.
The half marathon on February 21st has a 7 hour limit, which most people could reach by crawling most of the distance. The exhilaration of finishing this event, while helping to eliminate breast cancer, is a life changing experience for thousands every year--and it doesn’t have to hurt. Here’s how:
*Tuesday and Thursday: 20-30 minutes of gentle walking or run/walk/running.
*Weekend Workout: Follow the distance listed in the schedule below (Saturday or Sunday, not both)
*Runners can use the run/walk/run ratio, using the chart below. The goal is to avoid huffing and puffing--even at the end of the long ones.
*Walkers should take shuffle breaks of 30 seconds, every 3-5 minutes from the beginning of each long walk (most don’t need to use these in the short ones during the week). A shuffle is a very gentle walk, using a short stride, to let the legs relax from the continuous walking motion.
*Training groups: We have over 90 Galloway Training groups to help you prepare for this event. To see if there is one in your area, click on this link. http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training_groups/list_cities.html
| SCHEDULE | |
| Date | Distance |
| Oct 18 | 2 miles |
| Oct 25 | 3 miles |
| Nov 1 | 4 miles |
| Nov 8 | 2 miles |
| Nov 15 | 5.5 miles |
| Nov 22 | 3 miles |
| Nov 29 | 7 miles |
| Dec 6 | 3 miles |
| Dec 13 | 8.5 miles |
| Dec 20 | 3 miles |
| Dec 27 | 10 miles |
| Jan 3 | 3 miles |
| Jan 10 | 11.5 miles |
| Jan 17 | 3 miles |
| Jan 24 | 13 miles |
| Jan 31 | 3 miles |
| Feb 7 | 14 miles |
| Feb 14 | 3 miles |
| Feb 21 | Half Marathon |
NOTE: Over 1 million runners have been coached by Jeff Galloway through his training programs, beach retreats, running schools, individual consultations or books. Subscribe to his free newsletter at www.JeffGalloway.com
