Olympian shares running tips with local Airmen

Published Oct. 27, 2008
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Huffing and puffing, achy knees, injuries - who actually likes running? Jeff Galloway loves it, and he says it's possible for just about everyone to get as much out of walking and running as he does.

Mr. Galloway, Olympian and running coach, stopped by Peterson Oct. 22 to talk to Airmen about the benefits of walking and running and share his tips and advice on the sports. Speaking to a crowd at the Peterson Sports and Fitness Center, Mr. Galloway said just about everyone can run, walk, even train for a marathon - and enjoy it.

"Running and walking are two modes of exercise that anyone can do," he said. "Even when done in small segments, you can reduce your risk for all kinds of disease. And the best part of it is the vitality you receive. You feel better, and you're going to see benefits in all other areas of your life."

It's a lesson Mr. Galloway took some time to learn. He wasn't always so dedicated to running - or any exercise, for that matter. Growing up, "I was a fat kid. Lazy. Hated exercise," he said. That changed in eighth grade, though, when he was required to join an extracurricular athletic team.

"I picked track, not because I was interested in it, but because I had asked all the other lazy kids what the easiest one was, and they said winter track," he said. "All you had to do was run off into the woods somewhere, splash yourself with some water and then come back and pretend it was sweat."

But he quickly made friends with some of his team members who were more serious about running and wanted to keep up with them. Pretty soon, he was hooked - but that didn't mean he was a success.

Mr. Galloway ran through high school and off-and-on during a stint in the Navy, but he wasn't particularly talented, he said, and didn't really hit his stride until he left the Navy and dedicated himself to running for two years.

"I showed no early signs of great success," he said. "My major benefit was that I did not give up. I was stubborn."

That stubbornness paid off when he made the 1972 Olympic team and traveled to Munich for the summer games. When he returned to the U.S., he opened his first running store in Atlanta and started offering classes and running clinics. Mr. Galloway eventually started Galloway Productions, and now devotes most of his time to holding fitness seminars and running clinics around the world and writing books about his training methods.
At his extensive question and answer session at the Fitness Center, Mr. Galloway offered the following advice for Airmen looking to improve their running, get back into an exercise routine or just improve their "Fit to Fight" times:

- The (un)importance of stretching. Mr. Galloway said stretching, contrary to what most people believe, can sometimes lead to more injuries in running than it prevents. "I'm going to absolve you of all guilt for not stretching," he said. "Stretching is actually the third leading cause of injury." Runners and walkers should focus on their warm up, and, if they want to stretch, should be very careful while doing it, he said. Personally, Mr. Galloway said, the stiffness he has developed as a long-distance runner has helped keep his body in line and prevent injuries more than stretching has.

- The best form when running. Most people should just run or walk as they naturally would, Mr. Galloway said. "Running was a survival activity for our ancient ancestors for millions of years," he said. "All of us are adapted to be long-distance runners. Your body intuitively finds its form." For those having problems, though, the most common issues are the result of three things, he said:
- Posture. Bodies should be upright, with head, shoulders and hips in line.
- Too much bounce off the ground. Every extra amount of bounce increases shock to the body and increases the chance of injury. Try shuffling and keep feet as close to the ground as possible.
- Stride mechanics. Some people tend to kick back too far or incorporate odd flips and turns into their running. Running in water can help cut these oddities out by increasing resistance.

- Knee problems. Running actually helps joint strength, Mr. Galloway said, and runners who don't push themselves beyond their limits should experience little to no problems with their knees.

- Breathing. For those who find themselves huffing and puffing a few minutes into their run, it's probably because they're going too fast. Stay within your limits and slow down, and be sure to ease into exercise with a sufficient warm-up. Also, taking deeper breaths is more efficient than taking short, shallow breaths.
- Shoes. Everybody is different, so it's best to go to a running store with experienced staff that can advise you on what shoes work best for your particular needs, Mr. Galloway said.

- Increasing walking/running times. Mr. Galloway recommends working in long, slow runs every few weeks to help improve running time. For walkers who want to ease into running, he recommends running for 10 seconds of each minute and then walking for the rest of the minute during a workout. Eventually, walkers should be able to increase their running time to 30 seconds of each minute and more, if they prefer.

- The most common walking and running mistake - doing too much, too fast, too soon. Runners and walkers should be incorporating rest days and, if running, plenty of strategic walk breaks during their workouts. And no one should ever push through pain; if something hurts, stop, Mr. Galloway said. "A lot of people want to do more or go faster than they're able to," he said. "But as long as people stick to gradual increases, incorporate plenty of rest breaks and never push through the pain, they can stay injury free."

Running Clinic