Galloway's Half Marathon Training. Jeff Galloway
HOW HARD SHOULD I RUN THE TEST
During the first month of the program, run the magic mile once a week, in the middle of a Tuesday or Thursday run. The first one should be only slightly faster than you normally run. With each successive TT, pick up the pace and beat your time each week. By the fourth week, you should be running fairly close to your potential.
Run the first lap slightly slower than you think you can average. Take a short walk break as noted in the walk break suggestions in this chapter. If you aren’t huffing and puffing you can pick up the pace a bit on the second lap. If you are huffing after the first lap, then just hold your pace on lap two–or reduce it slightly. Most runners benefit from taking a walk break after the second lap.
At the end of lap 3, the walk break is optional. It is OK to be breathing hard on the last lap. If you are slowing down on the last lap, start a little slower on the next test. When you finish, you should feel like you couldn’t run more than about half a lap farther at that pace (if that). You may find that you don’t need many walk breaks during the test– experiment and adjust.
GALLOWAY’S PERFORMANCE PREDICTOR
Step 1:Run your “magic mile” time trial (TT) (4 laps around the track).
Step 2:Compute your mile pace for the half marathon by multiplying by 1.2.
Example:
Mile time: 10:00
For half marathon pace, multiply 10 x 1.2 = 12 min/mi
For long run training pace, add 3 minutes per mile = 15 min/per mile
| One-mile Time | (x 1.2) FAST Half Mar Pace | (add 2 min/mi) Long Run Training Pace |
| 5:00 | 6:00 | 9:00 |
| 5:30 | 6:37 | 9:40 |
| 6:00 | 7:12 | 10:15 |
| 6:30 | 7:48 | 10:50 |
| 7:00 | 8:24 | 11:30 |
| 7:30 | 9:00 | 12:00 |
| 8:00 | 9:36 | 12:40 |
| 8:30 | 10:12 | 13:15 |
| 9:00 | 10:48 | 13:50 |
| 9:30 | 11:24 | 14:30 |
| 10:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 |
| 10:30 | 12:36 | 15:40 |
| 11:00 | 13:12 | 16:15 |
| 11:30 | 13:48 | 16:50 |
| 12:00 | 14:24 | 17:30 |
| 12:30 | 15:00 | 18:00 |
| 13:00 | 15:36 | 18:40 |
| 13:30 | 16:12 | 19:15 |
| 14:00 | 16:48 | 19:50 |
| 14:30 | 17:24 | 20:30 |
| 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
| 15:30 | 18:36 | 21:40 |
| 16:00 | 19:12 | 22:15 |
| Note: | The 1.2 multiplier assumes that you will be running about all-out effort by the end of the half marathon. Below 8 minutes, take a short break at the 800 or run continuously. |
WALK BREAKS DURING THE ONE-MILE TIME TRIAL
| Pace of the one-mile TT | # of seconds walking |
| 8:00 | 5-10 sec every 2 laps |
| 8:30 | 8-12 sec every 2 laps |
| 9:00 | 10-15 sec every 2 laps |
| 9:30 | 12-18 sec every 2 laps |
| 10:00 | 5-8 sec every lap |
| 10:30 | 7-10 sec every lap |
| 11:00 | 9-12 sec every lap |
| 11:30 | 10-15 sec every lap |
| 12:00 | 11-16 sec every lap |
| 12:30 | 12-17 sec every lap |
| 13:00 | 13-18 sec every lap |
| 13:30 | 14-19 sec every lap |
| 14:00 | 15-20 sec every lap |
| 14:30 | 16-21 sec every lap |
| 15:00 | 17-22 sec every lap |
| 15:30 | 18-23 sec every lap |
| 16:00 | 19-24 sec every lap |
FIRST-TIME HALF MARATHONERS: RUN TO FINISH ONLY
I strongly recommend that first-time half marathon runners should not attempt a time goal. Use the one-mile time trial to determine your long run pace (adding 3 minutes to the time multiplied by 1.2). During the race itself, I recommend running the first 10 miles at your training pace. During the last 3 miles you may run as you wish.
TIME GOAL RUNNERS MAY MAKE A “LEAP OF FAITH” GOAL