Most runners are interested in improving running speed and technique and lowering the risk of injuries. Olympian Jeff Galloway developed the Jeffing Method to try to help runners do just that. Jeff is a lifelong runner who’s finished over 230 marathons, the author of multiple books on running and marathons, and a 1972 U.S. Olympic Team member in the 10,000 meters. Jeff was also a U.S. National Track and Field team member in Russia, Europe, and Africa. To this day, he remains a competitive athlete. Jeff introduced the increasingly popular Jeffing Method or the Run-Walk Method to help other runners cross that finish line and pick up the pace.
What is the Jeffing Method?
Running guru Jeff has been encouraging people to enjoy the benefits of exercise for over five decades. He developed the innovative Run-Walk-Run Method or the Jeffing Method in 1973 to help beginners start running. The strategic walk breaks assist runners in managing fatigue and lowering the risk of running injuries.
The Jeffing Method is a training technique where you alternate between running and walking to help you recover faster, run further and faster, and feel stronger overall. It’s a form of interval training for runners of all fitness and experience levels.
How does the Jeffing Method work?
The Jeffing Method is pretty straightforward: you run for a set amount of time before walking for a set amount of time. Repeat that for as long as you want to help develop your fitness and running abilities.
Jeff encourages walking before flowing into a jog and then walking again. By using his innovative method, Jeff says he hasn’t had an injury since 1978. If you’re a beginner, start by running for 30 seconds and then walk for 30 seconds. Soon, you can work your way up to running for 45 seconds but try to keep your walking interval at 30 seconds.
The huffing and puffing guide
Galloway says if you start huffing and puffing, you should use this as your guide to take a short walk break. You might start with running intervals of one or two minutes before trying longer running intervals. Over time, as you develop your running abilities, your running intervals become longer, and your walking intervals become shorter.
Interesting research
An interesting study revealed that non-elite runners who did the walk-run method reached the finish line of a marathon in roughly the same amount of time as nonstop runners. Jeff shared that in their database, he’s discovered that 30 seconds is the maximum walking time that delivers the most benefit. If you need to take walk breaks, the Jeffing Method shows that you can still cross that finish line.
