Running Until You're 100

by Jeff Galloway

Olympian Jeff Galloway has worked with tens of thousands of runners in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. By using his run-walk-run method, most are able to enjoy running with fewer aches and pains. At the age of 60, Jeff reports no injuries in 27 years. This book explains how to achieve this, how to stay motivated, and increase the enjoyment.

Jeff Galloway was an average teenage runner who kept learning and working harder, until he became an Olympian. He also competed in the International Cross-Country Championships and was a member of the US National Championship team. He is the author of the best-selling running book in North America: Galloways Book on Running and is a Runner's World columnist, as well as an inspirational speaker for more than 200 running and fitness sessions each year. He has worked with over 250,000 people in training for specific goals and Galloway s quest for an injury-free marathon training program led him to develop group-training programs in 1978. Galloway is the designer of the walk-run, low-mileage marathon training program (Galloway RUN-WALK method) with a success rate of over 98%.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Fitness, Health

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2006

Reviews

[Teri-K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This may have been published in 2006 but it's terribly outdated. You have to ignore everything about nutrition and a lot of the assumptions about what older people can't do. What is still applicable is the need to start slowly, increase gradually, and listen to your body. Otherwise there's not much here that would be useful.

[Andrew Shipe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a few charts and tips that I flagged for future use. But for the most part, I'm glad I checked it out from the library rather than purchasing it. The prose seemed to have a lot of filler, a lot of we'll-talk-about-this-later (without giving a page number) and a lot of you-can-read-more-about-this-in-one-of-my-other-books.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource book for the individual who wants to keep running as they age. It covers an extensive range of topics that are relevant, i.e. healthy diet, pacing, running techniques, cross-training,etc. Jeff Galloway is a strong source for the individual who wants to exercise through running and yet remain healthy. It is not necessarily for the person who is young and wants to reach his full speed potential, not really concerned with how his body will react 20 years down the road.

[Brian Tooley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite running book. It was a lithany of information which I skimmed.

[Dan Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars. Some of the training advice is helpful, but for the most part, the book is outdated.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice for the "aging" runner. He's very cautious/conservative with his run/walk/run method. Which I suppose if you followed exactly, would allow you to run until you're 100! A good chapter on nutrition. One thing I didn't agree with him on though was his recommendation to NOT weight train your legs. I do weight training for my legs which I believe makes me a stronger runner. Good read though, I enjoyed it!

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I expected more from over 200 pages than the same simple message over and over again- to run/walk, rather than continually run. It might be a good book for a novice, someone forty or over who is thinking about starting to run but has doubts. For such a person, it has all the basic info needed, and is encouraging, too. But for someone who has been running already for many years, this book isn't of much value.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspirational general advice for middle age persons interested in run / walk activities. The book could have been strengthened with the inclusion of endnotes regarding the scientific evidence for the physiology and nutrition topics discussed.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to learn more about Jeff Galloway's run-walk method, and I did, but I still found the book slightly disappointing. It's thin -- which is good because there's not too much filler, and bad because there's not quite enough content. What it needed most was citations, more evidence on how and why this method works so well (or if it does). I also wanted more elaboration on why he recommends the schedule he does, which is unusual in that the long runs are so much longer than the short runs.

As a final complaint, I did not like the book design. Specifically, the font used for the sub-section headings was weirdly slanted, and printed in green which is not easy to read.

That said, there's enough in here to work with and it's nice that someone has written a book with strategies for older runners.

[Geoff]

This book, like most books on exercise, must be viewed with an understanding that what works for one person doesn't work for another.

I have no doubt that Galloway's advice has helped tens of thousands of runners. There are some elements that will help me. But is this book great for everyone? No. Was this book great for me? Not really.

A key elements that made this book seem amusing was the idea that I should run in 60F+ weather with a tank top and minimal to no sunscreen. If I were to do that I'd likely be dead of skin cancer before I was 70, let alone running until I was 100.

This is definitely not for everyone. But it is worth a skim if you can find it at your library.

[Karen M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Galloway is clearly an icon in running but I feel some of his ideas have been debunked with recent research (e.g. Must eat every 2-3 hours; strength training doesn’t benefit running).

There were also several moments where he referred to a training concept from a different book, yet he didn’t explain it for those of us who haven’t read his complete lineup. This was frustrating. He also self promotes his website and other books throughout which got tiresome.

This book provides good info but one would need to supplement with other books with more recent research to get a complete training regimen for wholistic health and fitness.

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Galloway's series of training books are an invaluable tool for runners. I have now read his "Half Marathon, You Can Do It" and recently completed "Running Until You're 100". I continue to refer to them as a source of inspiration and as a tool to help my training. I strongly urge all runners, especially the "mature", to explore Jeff's treasured collection of books on running. His knowledge has been an inspiration and motivation for me during the last 42 years. I keep these volumes open for period reference.

[Steven Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than expected.

Galloway’s extensive coaching and running of seminars has given him a depth of practical knowledge that few possess; there is wisdom from seeing so Kenyans runners try different methods. I enjoyed the practicality of this book on the subjects that you can see in the table of contents. I will reread this book every year or two to remember wonderful points about cross training, fueling, the Magic Mile, and other topics discussed by Jeff.

[Stan Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, motivating book, and covers all aspects of fitness, including diet and vitamins, proper shoes and clothing, etc. The run-walk-run method is most helpful and makes a long run less intimidating. Emphasizes taking your time in running and avoiding over exertion and injuries. I'll be referring to certain sections of the book often.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has great practical advice. My only complaint is that it seems to be written in a format for web reading instead of print media. (It repeats itself) I think it was segmented for blog posts. That being said, I am incorporating several tips and skills into my run training.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good solid advice on running and habits to support many years of running. I appreciate his run/walk philosophy.

[Stephanie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very quick read with great information for older runners.

[John Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful sections. But I'd suggest you borrow a copy or order from the library.

[Sarah Hartfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and very helpful. Convinced me to start implementing walk breaks in my runs--and I am enjoying running so much more now!

[Clarice Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

His advice on nutrition is super outdated (he recommends avoiding fat and eating every 2-3 hours). However, there are some good nuggets of wisdom for the over—40 runner.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive and somewhat outdated.

[A. Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-rounded advice and explanations of all things running, in regards to the over 40 population especially.

[amy riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I'll continue to refer to! Great directions for vitamins, food and mindset training.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit simplistic but maybe help to try and get a non mover moving. Unless losing weight is a prime motive not sure why food has such a large section and general medical view now seems to be don't take supplements unless doctors tell you they are required, or unless you just like to throw money away.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a 74 year old runner. I run4 to 5 days a week which goes against my this book. That’s the one part I disagreed with. The rest of the book is very informative and helpful especially for us older runners. Very informative. Glad I read this book.

[Elizabeth McInerney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to put this book down.

For starters, it wasts the reader's time with too many obvious statements that even the most ardent leftime couch-potato wouldn't need. "Running makes you feel better as it enhances health potential and life expectancy". "Pick a course that is away from car traffic and in a safe area - where crime is unlikely". "On long runs and on easy days, don't run with someone who is faster than you".

I am all for setting the bar really low, anything to get everyone out there moving their bodies is excellent. However, after obviously setting the bar at a beginner level (see above), the author then moves on to recommending walk-run intervals that are not aimed at the beginner! Depending on how fast one can do a mile, one looks in his various charts to determine how often to run vs walk. The problem is that his charts have as their slowest time, a 16 minute mile or 40 minute 5k! Hello, a 92 year old guy just set an age group WORLD record with a 42 minute 5k. Nice to know however, that once I reach a 5 minute mile, I should aim for a 5:33 pace in my next 5k.

I stopped reading about halfway through, at the description of the Acceleration-Glider Drills, which, despite the obvious suggestions such as "do this every week" and "don't sweat the small stuff", I honestly could not figure out.

The last straw for me was skipping ahead and reading his views on diet. I was encouraged early on when reading that "Many runners develop blood sugar problems as they age". Agreed, makes sense. This is followed on page 110 where we are introduced to the "Low Carbohydrate Scam". Reading on, I concluded that Mr Galloway's runners won't be avoiding their blood sugar problems! How many runners have to keel over with heart attacks before we recommend lowering carbohydrate consumption until your blood sugar & triglycerides come into an acceptable range?

Granted, someone on a keto diet may not be as fast as they could be, but isn't the point of this book "Running Until You're 100"? If the goal is instead "Running as fast as you can today", then by all means, pour on the carbs. Just realize your last day may come sooner than it could have!

I recommend the author hand this book to 10 beginners and have them cross-out any info contained that is not useful nor understood. Then cut out all of the outdated nutrition advice. He will find himself with an excellent article on how to start a running program and continue into later years.

[John Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of several books I have ready by Jeff Galloway. In this one, Jeff provides a thorough discussion of injuries and how to avoid them, as well as advice on how often you should run, considering your age. I have always found Galloway's advice to be useful, and this book is no exception. However, he does repeat himself some from book to book, and I have read some of this material in other books he has written.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have to say easily the best running book I have read, as a person who took up running at 53 and not in any serious form. Covers almost everything to about the right degree for me with emphasis on health but also technique with a bit of light humour. Hey, its only running. Have yet to see any of his other books.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

not overly impressed. Not a lot of information that I haven't see in his other books. more of a guide and not a book to be read at a go.

Again, this book was geared more toward middle aged or older runners who want to continue running late in life, not a lot of discussion about the needs of someone in my age range.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Galloway is great. My only caveat is that this book is mostly a restatement of everything he's already said about run-walking to prolong a running life. But what he's said and keeps on saying is so great!