I could use some help. I don't know why I'm not understanding the Galloway training plan. Maybe I'm just having one of those days...but I. don't. get. it. lol
The plans says it requires 30 minutes each day. But the calendar shows different times. 10, 13, 16 min etc. Is the 30 min just a guideline? Am I actually supposed to just follow the times on the calendar?
Based on the pace guidelines, it says my interval should be 5/30. So Day 1 says 10 minutes. So that means I'm only doing two intervals? Does that seem right? That seems way too easy to me.
And then I have to do math and adjust for the temperature?!
I'm so confused! I feel like I need a spreadsheet. I just want to run and walk! What is wrong with my brain tonight? lol
I'm not a run/walker, but I think I can answer some of your questions. So from your journal, I think you're doing 5k/10k, correct? and I expect you are looking at RunDisney Galloway plans. So I pulled up the 5k plan. And from your comment about pace, I expect you did his 800m test and/or have determined your Long Run pace of 18:30-20:00 min. Assuming this is correct, here's some comments.
First, the "30 minutes" for weekday runs is what you build up to. So yes, follow what the calendar says. Start with 10 minutes on your first day and by the end of training, you will be at 30 minutes.
Next, the way I read his plan is that for these
weekday runs, brand new beginning runners would just do 5-10 seconds running and walk the rest of the minute. So if you were supposed to be out there for 10 total minutes--like week 1, day 1--then you would be doing this 5-10 second run/55-50 second walk interval 10 times (for the total of 10 minutes). Over time , you increase the amount of running. So in week three, you increase the run interval up to 10-20 seconds (and the walk down to 50-40 sec). Week 5 you increase the run interval some more to 20-30 sec (and the walk down to 40-30 sec). And of course, if at any time this feels like too much, you can drop back down to the interval that works for you.
For the Long Run on the weekends,
that calculated pace he is recommending is for people who have been running for a few months. But similar logic. If the interval you are supposed to do is 5/30, then you would run 5 secs and walk 30 seconds and keep repeating this 35 second cycle for the duration of the long run, e.g. for 1.5 miles during the first week. So you'd be doing that cycle lots of times.
BUT, He does still suggest though that beginning runners/trainers stick to a long run pace like the 10-20 sec run interval/50-40 second walk. (Although if you are a real beginner, starting with the 5-10 second run interval, then I expect you'd start with that) Are we confused yet?
I don't know what your running background is, or if you are starting from scratch, but I will say this: Try the first couple weeks of the plan (forget about the temp adjustment for now--it's valid, but just one more variable that you can deal with later) and see how it goes. Then adjust your pace as needed.
The real run/walkers will chime in with info that will probably be much more helpful.