TCO-
Thank you for the most thorough post! Seriously I am gonna try and do kinda the same thing but minus the heart rate monitor. Just use the garmin and see what me times are for 4x1 vs. 5x1 . Then see where I want to go from there.

Zpoint2-
About 4 years ago I took a nasty spill down some stairs at work that Herniated a disc in my back and it hurt for a long time, then while I was in Iraq, lets just say me and my soldiers had to get out of an area pretty fast, so me and one of my guys picked up our 450LB generator and threw it in the back of our truck. Something Popped in my back and by the time I got to the hospital 4 days later I had 0 bowel or bladder control and it was a messy situation. So the Army DR's say that the disc ruptured somehow my Sacriatic nerve was being pulled on. Once I had control of my functions again, I conned my way into staying in the Army and going back to Iraq with my troopers under directions to never run again.

Since then I gained about 45 or 50 lbs and feel like a bum.

So about a year ago I met girl who made me want to do better things and helped me to realize that the only thing holding me back was accepting other peoples assessment of the situation.(she is a marathoner by the way) So I started loosing weight currently down to 200 even about 20 or so lighter than at my heaviest, and being way more healthy if I could just kick smoking. I am currently working on finishing off the c25k thing and training to RUN the Army Physical Fitness Test, I might not be as fast as I used to be, but I will meet the minimum standard. Then a 1/2 marathon, eventually I will finish a marathon as a way to say thanks to that chick, as a way to spit into the eyes of everyone that made me feel like bum (if you cant run some people in the military think you are worthless), and as a way to remember 2 soldiers that didnt come home. But I am being careful about aggravating my back, hence the interest in the Galloway Run/Walk.

I hope that isnt to long for such a simple question

Reagiesmom, I see you found me on here. Yes I have the book and it has a lot of good information. and for everyone else, I did my 1st 10 miler this weekend. 1/2 is on 2 april. Thanks yall

Well i finallly did it, and I think I managed to negative split but I dont know. Did a run/walk when I could remember to walk. Maybe a 8/1 ration or something for 10 miles. Then I just ran the last few.

I had 3 goals going into this race.

1. 2 hours

2. 2 hours 20 minutes

3. FINISH!

Woke up really nervous but confident. Met up with the running group at around 730 and headed up to Bockenheim. We drove the route this morning and I immediately decided that my goal of 2 hours was not gonna happen. So I just thought I would see what I could do. We all watched the marathoners start and headed to the starting line. After the gun went off, I didnt move for like 3 minutes and didnt get to the start line for another 3. Already 6 minutes behind schedule since they only used GUN time.

Mile 1 (10:51) wanted to start slow, this is good. Cant hardly move there are so many runners. Nice crowd support

Mile 2 (11:05) Still really congested. NO CROWD SUPPORT AT ALL! Oh look a water point. OOPS grabbed carbonated water and almost vomitted.

Mile 3 (11:12)UPHILL 1. Ok going up a hill. Didnt slow down too much. I can do this. Water point at 5k no water, grabbed what I thought was apple juice, turned out to be wine. OK whatever. Little crowd and drumline. that was nice. NO MORE CROWD SUPPORT TILL I GET BACK HERE.

Mile 4: (10:48) still uphill, managed to pick it up after my wine break. Start descending into vineyards.

Mile 5: (10:47) still no crowds, decided that no more race walkers will pass me! start to find my rhythm a little bit and just get in a groove.

Mile 6: (11:20) Super steep downhill, that actually makes me wish there where an uphill area again. Downhill is hard on my knees

Mile 7: (10:39)WATER!!! I am thirsty hit the water stop, actually get real water and 2 spoonges (god I love these things) This is actually the steepest hill on the course. I start to pass alot of people that I didnt expect too. Feeling really confident.

Mile 8: (10:38) downhill again no big deal I am back to the same route we ran out on.

Mile 9 10:17) I think this was the only flat mile. Still passing people. Doing great.

Mile 10: (10:11) back to the band and small crowd. Water, sponges, and energy gel. Start to think maybe a 2:10 is possible. start heading up last hill.

Mile 11: (10:42) this is officially further than I have ever ran before. Heading uphill still.CRAMPS both of my quads cramp at exactly the same time. So bad that I actually think about quiting for 2 seconds! decide to keep on running.

Mile 12: (11:38) legs hurt so bad. 1 more mile, almost at the top of this cursed hill.

Mile 13: (09:46) It already hurts, lets make it hurt worse and get it over with. There was one point during this mile I actually cried, from the stress, knowing that I could finish, and the pain all at once.

.1 2:06) Its done enjoy this last little bit. Get my medal Go home

I didnt make my time goal but I am happy with the effort, (managed to negative split, again i think) exspecially when the cramps kicked in. I freaked for a second then got control of my emotions and finished the race.

One of the people that went up with me (first race for her too) wound up winning 3rd in her age group.

Thanks to all that helped me out