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How Garmin developers got Galloway's 10k training plan wrong

I set up a 10k training plan selecting Jeff Galloway as coach.

It is 3 activities per week, and has a nice progression EXCEPT the running activity which translates back to english, from norwegian, as "An easy run".

The exercises are:

  • speed repetitions: repetitions of 800m that is quite hard. I'm currently doing x12 of them, and each repetition it high lvl4 pulse rate.
  • hills repetition: 15sec up and 15 sec down a hill. No sweat
  • running: this started with a mysterious 11.25km, then progressed to 14.48km, 17.7km 

I'm annoyed that these runs are translated to norwegian as "an easy run". These runs (after the hard speed repetition exercises) has caused my knees and heels to start aching. Pensive

Looking on mr. Galloway's own webpage I see that distances in Garmin's plan are crazy for a 10k plan: http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/5k-10k-training/

Where I think I can blame the developers is in the unit conversion. I'm convinced Garmin use imperial units in their software (yey, go Liberia, Myanmar and USA). I bet mr. Galloway has put in the length of the runs in km, but the developers has interpret them as miles. Or perhaps more realistically: there is a formula given to the developers how to calculate the next length of the run, but they have mixed up the units or something badly.

  • 11.25km = 7 miles
  • 14.48km = 9 miles
  • 17.70km = 11miles

So are you as me, doing 2 exercises a week, running 4-10km per exercise, then I strongly suggest that you do not put the extra strain on you body following the runs in Garmin's "Galloway's10k plan". At least not until there is a update on the plan.

  • As the OP need to add the following: I got an indirect feedback from the Galloway team through Garmin support. They said that the long runs are not meant to be a continuous running exercise. The "run-walk-run" principle is to be used. This is briefly mentioned in the Galloway videos.

    So to put up with these long runs you are supposed to run for 3 minutes, walk for 3 minutes and repeat. 

    This information did not convince me to start a new Galloway 10k program ever again.

  • Oh wow I think you might be right! I recently asked for experiences with extremely long runs in this plan on the Garmin runners Facebook page. I did notice that the lenghths I had to run were actually miles converted to KM, but I never realised that this could have been a mistake from Garmin. I was doing a 5k plan with a time goal, but in week 4 I was already running 7.5 KM, and this week it was 9. I just quit my 5k program and changed it to a 10k without time goal hoping that the time goal was the problem, because I just could not get faster with these ling runs. But now that I've read this, I think that the problem is with how Garmin programmed this plan. 

    I find it strange that Garmin still has not looked into this. Because this post is over a year old, and I have read other posts that are even older that also describe this program to be to hard with too long distances. I wonder whether Garmin actually reads these posts. 

  • Wow, this issue seems to persist.  That said I’m a total try hard and Jeff trying to kill me is motivation for me. 
    with that said I’m closing in on week 6 and already at 10x800 and an 11 mile “easy” run. 

    The plan makes no sense but I’m still able to complete his crazy goals.  I’m on 10k in 44 minutes plan. 

    the only issue is time really.  His speed repeats sessions are already 75 minutes long and that cutting down the 3 minute rests to 2 mins.  

  • and all, 

    I am sorry that this thread has not been updated, but we do read these posts as much as we can! is correct. Galloway's plan focuses on his philosophy of using the Run-Walk-Run method throughout long runs. In the 'Choose Coach' process of setting up a plan, Coach Jeff does explain that his focus would be on long slow workouts that increase beyond race distance while utilizing the Run-Walk-Run method so that you will know you can go the distance. So if you are completing the workout in this format, his theory is that it is not over training.

  • Mmhh, it seems to me that you don't get the point. Galloway is correct, but his plan is for a 10K miles run, that translates in 16Km. But when garmin converted the plan did a mistake, so if you are not in the US and/or are not using imperial units, you think you are training for 10K (i.e 10km) but that's 16Km. And you get these workouts 

    • 11.25km = 7 miles
    • 14.48km = 9 miles
    • 17.70km = 11miles

    No hope that Garmin will correct this, I wrote to them few times and got ridicoulous responses, now they reply here without readin the original post.

    As said: if you are not using imperial units, you are training for a 16km run, full stop. The plan is perfect!

  • I’m in the uk and have to agree.  I think the plan is using a base of 10 mile run instead of 10k.  I’m in week 6 with an 11 mile run.  

    while I appreciate the Garmin answer, I’m afraid that interpretation of what should happen and what the coach tells me are 2 different things.  Nowhere in the plan does it mention walking for the long run.  


    I would add a picture but the plan essentially says the below.  

    <

    Long Easy Run

    ปี:

    Overview

    Run at an easy pace.

    Warm Up

    5 min

    Walk or jog lightly.

    Run

    11.00 mi

    Run at an easy pace.

    Cool Down

    5 min

    Walk or jog lightly.

    Notice walk is only mentioned on the warm up and cool-down. 

    There is an article explaining his workouts.  Long run is noted as the following. 

    Long run 

    As the name implies, this is simply a long run that gradually increases in distance throughout the plan. You'll begin each long run with a 5-minute warm up, and end with a 5-minute cool down. Run at a pace that is about 3 to 4 minutes per mile slower than your race pace.

  • I’m in the uk and have to agree.  I think the plan is using a base of 10 mile run instead of 10k.  I’m in week 6 with an 11 mile run.  

    while I appreciate the Garmin answer, I’m afraid that interpretation of what should happen and what the coach tells me are 2 different things.  Nowhere in the plan does it mention walking for the long run.  


    I would add a picture but the plan essentially says the below.  

    <

    Long Easy Run

    ปี:

    Overview

    Run at an easy pace.

    Warm Up

    5 min

    Walk or jog lightly.

    Run

    11.00 mi

    Run at an easy pace.

    Cool Down

    5 min

    Walk or jog lightly.

    Notice walk is only mentioned on the warm up and cool-down. 

    There is an article explaining his workouts.  Long run is noted as the following. 

    Long run 

    As the name implies, this is simply a long run that gradually increases in distance throughout the plan. You'll begin each long run with a 5-minute warm up, and end with a 5-minute cool down. Run at a pace that is about 3 to 4 minutes per mile slower than your race pace.

  • My schedule this week is

    Workout 1.  Hill repeats. 

    basically 6x15 seconds run up a gentle hill.


     Workout 2. Speed repeats

     12x800 6.25 -6.45 pace

    Workout 3. Goal repeats

    6x800 6.55 to 7.15 

    1x magic mile  

    I’m quitting, this training makes no sense at all. It all started so well. 

    • Hi!  I’m doing the half training with Galloway and I’m in the same cycle of waaayyyy too many 800m repeats in a week. I thought the 12x800 was definitely the max but yesterday I did 14x800 for the speed repeats and it has be doing it again next Monday!  Like. What?! Also the long runs are up to 17 miles now.  I’m starting to get shin splints at this point.  What a drag as I am seeing progress but it just seems excessive.    Right?!
  • I went to garmin. They told me it was working as intended. I’m calling bs on that and quit the program. 

    it certainly pushes you but I’m not sure in a good way.