In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight,’ let’s talk with Margaret Galloway. Margaret has been enrolled in my individualized programming option for 8-months now and I cannot be more impressed with her progress. Just recently we completed a re-evaluation/testing to gauge progress and determine the best next step for her program. Well… she blew it out of the water!

When I think about Margaret, what comes to mind is consistency and patience. Some movements which include single leg balance and stability were challenging at first. But, Margaret realized this meant she had to focus more and work on them regularly to get the results she wanted. And that’s exactly what she did.

Just a few months back, Margaret fractured her elbow. For most this would’ve completely stopped any progress while things healed. Instead, Margaret decided to work on the elbow with PT while continuing to use strength training on her unaffected side, core, and lower body. There were plenty of excuses to be made but we were able to create a program that was mindful of the elbow while still targeting the key areas which would move her closer to her goals.

Here we are 8-months later with great progress due to her consistency and determination. With that being said, I am very excited to see how she finishes the year!!

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Margaret Galloway

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I am originally from upstate New York, the town of Saranac Lake near Lake Placid.  Before moving back to TN in 2014, my husband, Tom, and I lived in Byron Center, MI near Grand Rapids.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: "Both my husband and I are retired.”

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: 'Well, based on the amount of time spent, you could say running and training are my hobbies J.. Other than that, I like to read, to experiment with photography, to be outdoors, and to go RVing with Tom and our lovely Australian Shepherd, Lil."

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running and being active?

A: "Maintaining my health, mobility and strength as I age is the top reason, But I do it because I love the way I feel after running or training; it gives me a sense of accomplishment and calm and improves my outlook.  The camaraderie and accountability I find from working with Garrett and training with Fleet Feet keep me coming back for more!”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: "I wouldn’t live any one place.  Rather, I’d fulfill the dream of traveling this beautiful country in an RV, exploring national parks and catching up with friends and family.”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: "I wanted to get stronger to supplement my running, and I wanted to improve my balance.  I also wanted to learn from Garrett about functional movement; I am fascinated and amazed by the capability of the human body.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start making changes in your routine?

A: "I was first introduced to Garrett at a strength session at Fleet Feet.  I was impressed with his knowledge, his professionalism, and his clear desire to help runners become stronger.  Since I was enjoying running so much (I only started in 2014), I knew that to get better/faster I needed to get stronger, and I knew Garrett could help me.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: "This is a great question as I just completed my best strength training evaluation.  My single leg split squat numbers are two to three times better than when I started with Garrett in October 2017.  I can hold a front plank for three minutes and was actually able to do four TRX pull ups having barely been able to do one at the beginning.  All this, despite working through a broken elbow early in 2018, is quite encouraging.”  

Q: Were these improvements easy to achieve? And, tell us a little bit about any struggles along the way.

A: "No, the process can be pretty humbling!  It takes a lot of discipline, dedication, and self-acceptance to get better.  I think the single leg deadlift will be in my corrective program forever J, but I recognize that if I don’t focus on balance, my running will suffer as will my general movement as I age.  I had a lesson in patience as I worked my way back from my broken elbow.  Garrett did a great job adjusting my program to accommodate the limitation; I had to stick to the training schedule and do my best.  Strength changes arrive quietly.  They show up during an evaluation or during a run or simply doing everyday tasks.  It’s fun to notice them, pat yourself on the back, and then get back to work!”

Q: What is your favorite part about the Individualized Exercise Programming option that you are enrolled in?

A: “That it’s individualized and that it’s so well supported by Garrett, his videos, and his steadfast availability and encouragement.”

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “Take a guess… the single leg deadlift!  Enough said!”

Q: If there is one piece of advice that you could provide to yourself when you first started this program, what would that be?

A: "Trust the process, accept the progress, recognize that improvements are often subtle but sometimes surprising...”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: "Garrett’s is the first individualized strength training program I have ever done.  It’s been a great experience for me, and I have a strong suspicion his programs stand out above the rest.  As I mentioned earlier, Garrett’s knowledge of functional movement, practically demonstrated and customized to your needs, makes his services worth the investment.  Also, Garrett is easy to work with and always fair and encouraging.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals/races you are working towards?

A: "I'm doing the Fleet Feet Speed + Play program.  Since I’ve spent no time on a track and am in total learning mode, it’s a challenge aimed at completing a November Half in under 2:30.  We’ll see…”

Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Margaret Galloway! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.