Run Walk Repeat

A Fun Life At All Paces

Jeff Galloway Running Retreat Weekend

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A running retreat with an Olympian at one of the most beautiful beaches in the US?  Personal running form analysis and evaluation? Need to hear about  training, nutrition, mental strength, stretching and getting better as we get older – in a small group setting?  How about running faster, fat burning, cross training, motivation and strengthening?   A weekend for elite runners only? Not at all!

Have you heard of Jeff Galloway? He’s a world class athlete and member of the 1972 US Olympic Track team. Along with an incredible resume chock full of stuff he has used to help motivate, train and inspire runners, he personally runs several running retreats.  Jeff Galloway Retreats are held several times a year and per Jeff’s website are packed with “Lots of Good Information for People At All Levels of Training“.  The locations are pretty sweet too:

  • Blue Mountain Beach Florida
  • Rome Italy 
  • Carmel California 
  • Athens Greece 
  • Lake Tahoe California (in the summer).  

Jeff is the official training consultant for runDisney races, which one COULD think that is why I love him.  Yes, I do LOVE him for that but I first learned of Jeff’s interval method back in 1999 when I was training for my first 10k, the Peachtree Road Race here in Atlanta. A friend of mine, Eve, had completed the Chicago Marathon after training with a Galloway group and she inspired me.  After I finished my first 10k, I decided to go on to train for the Atlanta Half with a Galloway group myself. I was intrigued by intervals – run a certain amount of time, walk a certain amount of time and continue til you finish.  I ran my first 10k – slow but yes I did it running the whole way. After joining that group, I found I MUCH preferred intervals of running and walking.  If it wasn’t for Jeff Galloway, I don’t think I would be running.  I got to thank Jeff in person at the runDisney Princess Half expo last year for all he has done for me – truly a highlight of my race weekend.

I heard about Jeff’s weekends years ago and have always wondered what they were like. Another runDisney lover, Kim D recently attended a Jeff Galloway Retreat  at Blue Mountain Beach in Florida and graciously agreed to share her experience with my readers. Thanks Kim!

Kim at the finish of the Donna 26.2

I know Kim from the ATLrunsDisney Facebook Group – and she is a Sparkleskirt Princess too.  She actually was my pacer in in the VERY WET Big Peach Sizzler 10k.

Kim’s intro:

“I’d been a long distance walker for years and decided about 3 years ago I needed a new challenge so I signed up for the runDisney Half Marathon with the intent of running it rather than walking it. I discovered the Galloway run/walk/run method of running and I’ve been hooked ever since!  I was 48 when I ran my first half and celebrated turning 50 by running a marathon – the Donna in Jacksonville. My pace is closer to 13mm now.”  Kim recently completed the 30 Mile 2-Day Walk For Breast Cancer. 

Truly an intimate retreat, there were only 18 attendees at Kim’s retreat weekend.  Here is a recap of the weekend in her words:

Day 1 started at 5pm with form evaluations & a short run. Jeff’s wife Barbara made jambalaya for dinner and that was great! After dinner we discussed the schedule for the weekend. 

Day 2 we met for coffee and went out for a run. He went over cadence drills, acceleration gliders and hill repeats. He actually found a hill in Florida! After lunch we had sessions about mental training and that included a session with Barbara about a technique used to control anxiety called tapping. Then she showed us how to run in a pool with a flotation belt. She broke her foot at the Tahoe retreat and she’s in a boot.

On Saturday we also covered nutrition & running, speed training and a few other topics.  After our afternoon session we had a bit of time to chill before dinner.  We went to a place called The Red Bar which was absolutely out of this world! After dinner I was wiped out so that was the end of that day!

Sunday Morning Run Photo with Kim and Jeff

Sunday morning we met for coffee and went for a run at a development called Seaside (Note: this community is where the movie The Truman Show was filmed).  It was very pretty and the trails were crushed & compacted gravel rather than the more natural trails we ran the previous 2 days. This run lasted about 45 minutes and then it was time for individual sessions. On Friday night I mentioned to Jeff that I wanted to set a Personal Record (PR) at Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January and, because of how crowded the course is expected to be, he tried to talk me out of it. Well on Sunday I told him that, even though he tried to talk me out of it, I was going to try to set the PR, anyhow. So this afternoon he e-mailed me a training plan for running Tink in 2:30. I have a lot of work ahead of me but I’m looking forward to it.”

HOW COOL IS THAT! Jeff emailed her a plan – post retreat.  I would LOVE to attend a
Galloway Retreat.  As a mid to back of the pack racer, its good to know even at my age I can improve and great to see how much Jeff supports the sport for EVERYONE.

Maybe I can talk some of my DisBroad friends into a group retreat. Any takers?

For info about Jeff’s clinics including dates and cost, here.   You can follow Jeff on twitter at @JeffGalloway and on his Facebook page.   

How does this weekend sound to you?  Which location would you most enjoy?

Julie @RunWalkRepeat
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About Julie @RunWalkRepeat

Wife, Mom, Southerner, Former Cubicle Dweller, Sting Fanatic and Reluctant Runner. I got started on family a little later in life than most and run for my health. A fan of Food, Entertainment, Travel, Galloway Running and Disney, I like to find the fun in all things in life.

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