Any fast runners doing Jeff Galloway run-walk-run?

As a 52 year old newbie, the Jeff Galloway method makes alot of sense to me - run-walk-run and a low to the ground running style - but does it work for fast runners as he says? Have any of you experienced runners used it successfully?

I did 5 mins 1 min at a Finsbury Park 15k on Sunday and did knock ten mins of my previous run all the way round time (but only 1.31, tho I was delighted with that!) but keep hearing it referred to as a beginners thing.  I fancy getting quite a bit faster and wondered if it kept on working as well as he says?

It is odd at first stopping and then overtaking people every five mins, I keep looking at my watch so people know that it is a scientific thing, not just wierdness!  

Any tips from anyone who has used it?

Personally I think those that say run / walk is only for beginners are getting it wrong. I imagine almost every experienced runner will have heard of and be familiar with the benefits of interval training. Well what is run / walk if it isn't doing intervals?

I'll be sticking with run / walk for my long runs as I get into marathon training. I think I got it wrong before when I followed the crowd (the crowd that up to about 3/4 of get injured every year) and ran slowly on long runs, pushed hard in other shorter sessions and aimed towards target paces. It makes no sense to me anymore to run like that.

Run / walk makes more sense to me. If aiming to run a marathon at 8 minute miles for example, doesn't it make sense to run at 8 minute miles, and take walk breaks, rather than training to run slower than that?

I used it a few years ago to run the Edinburgh marathon as I was carrying an injury. In fact I had to use it throughout my training. Still got a reasonable time too. The golden rule is that you have to do it from the start - the most important walk breaks are the early ones (even though, on race day, you won't feel like stopping at all). It helps if you can get a timer that beeps to you as it's very easy to forget sometimes.

Just pick a short enough run interval so that you don't wear out. If it all works out well, you may find you get to mile 23 or so and find you can drop the walk intervals - while all around you people are having to walk! 

That would be nice - speeding up at the end of a marathon, there's an aspiration!

Interesting re your Edinburgh experience, that's nice to know, I will keep it up then.  I have just got this RunKeeper app and an ArmPocket thing for keys gels etc, and that allows me to get a notification of time or distance. So will keep it at 5 min 1 min for the Royal Parks Half and see what happens.  I will keep the early breaks then, but you do feel a bit daft stopping after 5 mins and get a few funny looks!

Thanks for your post.  

That would be nice - speeding up at the end of a marathon, there's an aspiration!

Interesting re your Edinburgh experience, that's nice to know, I will keep it up then.  I have just got this RunKeeper app and an ArmPocket thing for keys gels etc, and that allows me to get a notification of time or distance. So will keep it at 5 min 1 min for the Royal Parks Half and see what happens.  I will keep the early breaks then, but you do feel a bit daft stopping after 5 mins and get a few funny looks!

Thanks for your post.  

Don't let the funny looks put you off - triathlon coach Bobby McGee has his ironmen athletes use run/walk, and some of them go under 2½ hours for the marathon section!

That is impressive, have to look more into this Bobby McGee guy

Thanks RS, that is interesting, will check him out.  

Anyone who can do an ironman challenge, no matter in what time, is incredible! I honestly don't know how they're possible.

I know it's amazing isn't it!

One of my friends did one and I honestly don't know how he did it. He wasn't particularly fit beforehand but trained his bum off -literally haha he lost loads of weight!

What do they involve? Swimming, running and...?

cycling.  It's the swimming I don't fancy.

swimming in open water? no thank you!

I was thinking, I reckon cycling would be the worst, which one is last? the running?

Yes, swimming first, then cycling, then running.  I can't swim at all well which doesn't help.  I quite fancy it though.  Pondering getting some swimming coaching.  Decided to get a marathon done first though!

Don't think I could run at all after swimming and then cycling! How far is the swim?

Oh dear! I don't think i could do this either! sounds like such hard work.  Yes I think I would invest in a swimming coach as well.  I would say I was a strong swimmer - however I've never swam properly in open water! with the strong and strange currents of open water, I'd definitely need some coaching! haha

Yes, didn't they do the Olympics in the serpentine!! Yuk!  Still I'm not trying to win the Olympics, just actually complete one without dying, so maybe it doesn't matter!

oh god! I could never do a triathlon - good luck!