Running tips from Olympian Jeff Galloway

ATLANTA - He’s known as “America’s Coach,” and his books have inspired millions to lace up their running shoes and get jogging. Now that so many people are turning to running outdoors to keep up their fitness routines while still maintaining social distance, the Good Day team checked in with the legendary Jeff Galloway for some tips on how to be the best and safest runner possible.

Speaking to us via Skype, Galloway — a 1972 Olympian and winner of the first-ever Peachtree Road Race — said the key to running is to ease into it. 

“A good beginning program is not to even go out for 15 minutes, but to start with five to 10 minute and then later in the day, do another five to 10 minutes. It is the continuous running that really causes problems,” Galloway says.  

“The second rule is to insert walk breaks early and often. A beginner program would be only five to 10 seconds of running, followed by 60 seconds of walking.  And that allows the body to adapt to running, and yet you get all of those wonderful brain circuits turned on for a better attitude, for more vitality, and for personal empowerment.”  

For those using treadmills inside the home, Galloway offers the following advice: “You need to set the speed of the treadmill at a comfortable pace. The most common mistake on a treadmill is you dial something in, and then you get locked in to doing that. You can always change it up. And the key to change up, is your breathing rate. If you’re huffing and puffing, you’re exceeding your speed limit, so dial it down.”

Galloway also recommends that people working from home right now set an alarm, so that every half-hour they get out of their chair and do little jogging circles somewhere in the home.  “That really helps the brain turn on,” he says.

To learn more about Jeff Galloway and the Run-Walk-Run method he made famous around the world, click over to his website here.