why we cross train and why you should too and how to have fun with it

When I first started running, running was the goal. I thought the best way to get better at running was to keep running. Run harder. Run faster. Run longer. Light run day.

Hmmm. That works up to a point.

You develop a relationship with running. You like it, it's an attractive idea. You start to get to know it better. You spend more time with it. You invest in it. You start loving it. It loves you back. It shapes up your body, gives you confidence, makes you stronger.

But then you start falling out of love. It happens. But rather than fix the relationship, you start to let it go. It becomes an obligation. More like a lunchtime appointment with your dentist than a lunch rendezvous with your lover.

You don't fight with running. It doesn't call you to ask where you've been and what's wrong. You just start ignorning it.

One day you're sick of your iPod music, your shoes are no longer comfy, your route is boring and you just feel like you NEED to watch just one more episode of Jersey Shore and then, oh darn, it's dark out, too late to go running. All those things that were attractive- alone time! - become the things that drive you crazy- alone time :(

Running is sad. Running wants you back.

Becky and I have immensely different approaches when it comes to running. First of all, she does love running more than I do and Becky is better about getting in her small runs than I am. Me, I run about twice a week. One short day for speedwork. One long day. That's it.

I don't know of many other marathoners who would tell you they only run twice a week.

The reason I do it that way is because we also do a lot of cross training. Cross training offers so many benefits and I'm just going to highlight a few:

1)-- Boredom buster! when you're tired of hitting the asphalt, take a cruise on your bike. Or roller blades. Or work on upper body strength. Or take a class. You have so many options! You don't HAVE to do a Wednesday night 3 miler. You CAN take a boot camp class or yoga. You won't lose your conditioning if you decide to ride bike for 30 minutes instead of running for 30 minutes. When you don't want to go running because it seems like a boring idea, ask yourself what kind of training you'd like to do instead and by all means, go do it!

2) Tendons and Ligaments-connective tissue are the most prone to damage due to repetitive motion. Matthew Fitzgerald (sports nutrionist and writer for Competitor) explains it like this:

Tightness in certain muscles and tendons also contributes to some running injuries. For example, runners who develop iliotibial (IT) band friction syndrome typically have tight IT bands. Stretching can loosen tight connective tissues and thereby prevent such injuries.

Finally, by replacing one or two weekly recovery runs with easy workouts in non-impact modalities such as bicycling and pool running you can reduce the amount of repetitive impact your lower extremities are subjected to and in this way reduce injuries (without sacrificing fitness). Impact forces are the true origin of nearly every running injury.

Everytime one of us starts feeling a bothersome knee or shin or hip, we tell each other "ride bike for a week! Strength train! Squats and Lunges!"

3) Love of Power-- stronger muscles= stronger running. Leaner body = lighter running. Plyometrics = burst in muscles = greater stride = faster running.

4) Balance-- runners are notorious for over developing, under balancing their muscle groups. Quads get stronger while hamstrings pull tighter and are set up for injury. (Hint: Squats and Lunges!) Upper body training gets neglected and weakens, resulting in poor running form. Strength and yoga can help relieve some of the tension of overdeveloped, underbalanced muscles. This will help prevent injury and smooth out your running profile. Becky loves Power Pilates for strength training. There are so many classes, DVDs, youtube videos to check out!

5)Anaerobic threshold-- anaerobic means "out of oxygen." Technically, it's the point before you reach homeostasis, that is, your muscles getting the required amount of oxygen to perform the elevated work. You know that feeling where you're huffing and puffing trying to catch your breath and your heart is racing and it feels like your lungs are going to implode but maybe you're going to vomit first? That's your anaerobic threshold. The point where you're pushing your body to that feeling- the hard working out of breath feeling- can be pushed further and further out as you build up a tolerance and your muscles-- including your heart and lungs-- learn to work more efficiently. Runners will tell you it takes a little while for them to "get their rhythm"-- they are referring to that pace where the stride and the breathing completely mellow out and fall in sync. The further away your anaerobic threshold is, the sooner you'll hit your stride. Cross training efforts in swimming or aerobics classes like kickboxing will challenge your heart and lungs, making them stronger and more efficient, thus, pushing your anaerobic threshold further and further away.

6) Engaged-- you know how taking the afternoon coffee break helps you come back to the last few hours of work with a little more patience and focus? You know how taking a break from your family makes you miss them and come back with more love? You know how taking a break from Facebook makes you more productive in your daily activities?.... my point is, when you take a break from running, you will become more engaged with other things in your life and then you will come back to running more focused and ready to engage in running. Sometimes, you just need a mental break. If you would consider taking a "mental health break" from work, consider that you may need to take a "mental health break" from running every now and then. A few summers ago we trained for a triathalon. (Well, Becky and our friend Jodi V. trained for the Triathalon. I hate swimming.) So we took our bikes out for looooonng summery bike rides! What a refreshing change of pace. Coasting downhill with the wind in your hair makes you feel like a kid again, with a huge smile on your face!

Cross-training will give you a whole new set of skills. Consider that it will break you from your routine and shake things up a bit. You'll train your body and your mind to work more efficiently and more balanced, you'll reengage your love for running. Chances are, you'll even meet some new friends who can share their advice in swimming or boxing or cycling.

Get out there and have fun with it. Find a new adventure. Don't be afraid of the weights. Make some new friends at the swimming pool!

Happy Cross Training!
~Jen

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Jen is a certified NETA fitness instructor, and also used resources and publications from the internet, like http://www.running.competitor.com/ and also http://www.ultrarunning.com/