Coach Galloway 10k - really heavy loads

I agree this does not seem right at all. I'm tracking the same training distance as you. I know Garmin thinks this is correct, but what about Jeff Galloway? Has anyone heard back from them? This is my week 10 of 14.

I sent Jeff Galloway something on Twitter, got a response from him, but it just looked like him drumming up interest in his YouTube channel. 

The link he posted is here:

https://youtu.be/-fL38YtpJZ8

I guess at least his Twitter is being monitored, so it might be the best way to get official word from him.

Take a look at JeffGalloway (@JeffGalloway): twitter.com/JeffGalloway

So guys, I'm very happy I've found this thread. I'm doing the 10 km in 1h that for many of you is just a piece of cake but for a real beginner as me it is already something. 

I have finished today the 8th week of 12 and of course my personal best for the 10 km went down from 1h 10' to 59':12" so I'm very satisfied. But... this week Tuesday I had 22 km easy run (that was my first half-marathon) and today (4 days later with a hill training in between) another 21 km speed repeats. In total two half marathons in less than a week! And before coming here I checked that the next week is even longer! 

I can't imagine what it would have been following the plan for the half marathon! 

Does it really make sense? My goal is reached already,  I have the speed (please don't laugh!) and I have the endurance, why should I risk an injury running so fast and so long? 

Not to talk about the time required. These long runs are more than 2h.

One more point, the run-walk-run is not helping at all in this respect. If we have to reach a certain average pace, if you walk more you just have to run faster and anyhow the 800 m are always 800 m. 

I'm a very determined person, so I don't want to quit the program now that I am more than half done, but I'm really exhausted and I don't want to overdo it. 

Did anybody tried another trainer? I remember there were other two.

Stay healthy! 

Hi Toto,

I think for a beginner this course is brutally hard. My wife has been following the same course with me. She is in a similar situation to you where she is somewhat of a beginner and she has been picking up injuries quite early on in the course. Whereas, I am a field hockey player, play 5-a-side football and have been running up to 3 times a week depending on my sport - each run is usually 5km at a challenging pace.

I originally was jogging 50-70% of the recovery periods between speed/pace repeats, but when I got above 14x800m I started to walk the full 3 minutes. Regardless of more caution, I picked up an injury that I've never had before last weekend doing the 18x800m speed repeats (22.96km workout), but fortunately it only took around 5-6 days to heal. I did the 20x800m speed repeats yesterday (24.48km workout, 2 hours 35min), but I gave up on pace targets for it, it was hot too so I didn't want to push it too hard. I brought a 1.5L camelbak rucksack with me and 2x isotonic gels. I felt my calf muscles a few times towards the end, but carried on anyway, fortunately nothing but muscle soreness today.

As I was injured I skipped my 24.12km "long, easy run", but I notice that its been scheduled in for next weekend now. There is good news that tapering is arriving in week 12, goal pace repeats is back down to 4 and hill repeats is now only a drill workout - which is basically the warm up activities (cadence & glider drill), then a cooldown. I'll probably run anyway as the drop off is substantial.

I'm not sure if the "race" is supposed to have walks in there, it can be better to walk up a hill in some circumstances as you expend a lot of energy running up a hill. You can gain time from tactical walks. I'm planning on doing the 10km run in one constant run. Although, I'm not entirely convinced that the walk-run-walk method will allow me to piece together a good 10km run as I'm not really used to running constantly. I'm confident that I am fitter for sure, but in the right way, I'm not sure.

I'll probably try a different trainer when I've completed this course, like you I am determined to get it done. The end is in sight for me now, but it's been hard work getting here.

Whatever you decide, good luck

I can't believe garmin support told you that this plan is accurate. It's just insane to do that many speed repeats for a 10k. Unless you want to get yourself injured, don't follow this plan.

Garmin support can say very little. we should contact directly the coach, but apparently he also confirmed that is all correct. 

I decided to continue with the plan, but not necessarily doing all the repetitions or the suggested length. 

thanks

toto

ps. my knees are still hurting

Today I had "Drills" which was literally the warm-up, cadence and acceleration glider drills, then a warm down. I actually thought that alone was a little pointless, so I did a few fast 1km intervals on top of what virtual Jeff prescribed.

It seems my thoughts that tapering was happening was a little premature though. Jeff has scheduled another 20x800m speed repeats for next Wednesday (week 13 of 14).

I can't complain about that now though, I have my 24.14km long, easy run on Saturday yet.

Well I'm not a trainer, ....

... but I think you'll have no problems with a 10k in 49 minutes if you can do 20 800m repeats at a 4:30min/km pace. Both the intensity (I think it's too fast for your target) as well as the number of repetitions (I think it's too many for the 10k target distance) are off. Even when I'm training for my ultra's I don't do this many repetitions. If you can handle this kind of load (In the case you don't injure yourself) I think you'll have no problems breaking 45 minutes. 

Toto said:

my knees are still hurting

listen to your body, take extra rest and ditch this plan.

btw, the acceleration gliders are still a mystery to me. I simply can't do them.