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Up to Threads in Jeff Galloway
4 Replies Last post: Dec 31, 2007 9:16 AM by weissjaz  
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mum2girls
129 posts since
Nov 12, 2007
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Oct 23, 2007 8:05 PM

Tips on run/walking Big Sur Marathon 4-08

My first time posting in the Galloway forum, so forgive me if this has been covered before...

After years of running and dreaming about our Ideal Marathon, my sister and I finally registered for Big Sur '08. We both ran Columbus last weekend: she BQ'd (w/ a 3:56) while I bombed with leg cramps (my training had me prepared to finish sub-4:30). She'll be running Boston (easily - she promises) the week before Big Sur.

We plan to enjoy the beautiful scenery of California and the Pacific Coast Highway, take photos, talk to other runners, soak in the moment. There is a 6-hour cut-off on the very-hilly course and anyone who doesn't reach the 21mm at 5hrs (14:00+ pace) will have to climb in the van and go home w/o a medal. We want our finishers medals but do not want to beat ourselves up to get them.

Run/walking this marathon sounds very attractive to us. However the recommended 4:1 (or 4:30") ratio of running:walking seems slow. Is this the recommendation for newer runners? What about us experienced folks? Could we get by with a higher ratio (say 7:1 to 10:1) at maybe a 10:30-11:00 pace for the runs?

We're hoping that those of you with Galloway marathon experience can give us some advice!

------------------
Jeanne in Ohio
(aging into a BQ when I reach 60)

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SLOjim
369 posts since
Nov 17, 2007
1. Oct 28, 2007 8:55 AM in response to: mum2girls
Re: Tips on run/walking Big Sur Marathon 4-08
I am not a Galloway runner but I have used run/walk approach in some my long training runs and even a few races with very steep grades.

You might want to study the course elevations and possibly plan most of your walk breaks on the uphills...... there's one very long hill you have to climb just before mile 10 that's over 2 miles long. It has some of the most spectacular views......seems like a great stretch to take a number of walk breaks snap lots of pictures.

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mum2girls
129 posts since
Nov 12, 2007
2. Oct 28, 2007 12:45 PM in response to: mum2girls
Re: Tips on run/walking Big Sur Marathon 4-08
jim - Ah yes, that BSIM elevation chart

I wonder if we could just run easy until the 10mm, walk a lot of that 2m hill to Hurricane Point, and continue to run the downhills and run/walk the uphills. This plan could be do-able.

I know that's not "pure" Galloway, not starting walk-breaks early on. But I think walking a downhill would make me crazy....

You're in California - have you done this race before?
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SLOjim
369 posts since
Nov 17, 2007
3. Oct 28, 2007 1:29 PM in response to: mum2girls
Re: Tips on run/walking Big Sur Marathon 4-08
I haven't run BSIM (yet) but I've driven that coastline many times.... usually thinking about running the marathon and how I'd attack the course. The hills aren't as steep as they look on the elevation chart, but going up to Hurricane Point seems like an endless climb, even in a car and I don't remember any places it levels out so you can catch your breath... it's 2+ miles of non-stop climbing.

Your plan sounds very sensible....... the few races I've run incorporating walking has been races with nasty hills. The first time I tried it was the Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon that had a couple of steep hills...... as I walked up sections of the grade I realized I wasn't going that much slower than the runners around me, and when we got to the top, as they were catching their breath, I blew by them running down the hill.
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weissjaz
8 posts since
Aug 21, 2007
4. Dec 31, 2007 9:16 AM in response to: mum2girls
Re: Tips on run/walking Big Sur Marathon 4-08
I ran my first marathon (Maui Sep. 07) using a 3:1 run/walk. Although not nearly as challenging as Big Sur, there were some hills that we hadn't planned on or prepared for. I finished comfortably at 5:09 and felt great the next day. (Probably means I could have gone harder, but what did I know.)

Walking doesn't slow you down as much as you think, and it seems to let me run the running sections at a faster pace than I would be able to maintain otherwise. I have since PRed a half using a 4:1 ratio, and am now beginning training for the Ogden full marathon using Galloway's run/walk strategy.

Good luck and have a great time. This race looks awesome and I hope to do it some day.
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