Interestingly I have running marathons for seven years and I can honestly say that I have never truly incorporated cross training into my training schedule. Oh sure I would walk at lunch on cross training days or do some sort of bootcamp style routine, but I never truly ventured into the world of cross training as prescribed in many running articles and books.
Today, on my training schedule was rest or cross training. Since I cut my miles short yesterday and I haven’t been focusing on marathon training I felt that I didn’t really need a rest day. Actually my initial plan was to get up early this morning, and by early I mean when my alarm went off rather than hitting the snooze button three hundred times, and hit the gym to get in my last two miles and maybe a couple more. However, for some reason I slept through my alarm and woke up at 6:55am.
The more I thought about it the more I realized I didn’t want to add an extra day of running to the plan. Perhaps it was partly to help dissuade my guilt for sleeping in and not trying but I am being mindfully cautious with my training since I have to get so many training miles into a relatively short amount of time. I want to avoid any overuse injuries from ramping training up too quickly. But more importantly this week, since I have to do my miles on the treadmill (thank you Mother Nature) I didn’t want to run the risk of injuring myself by unnecessary treadmill running.
My change in plans meant that I officially cross trained for the first time by swimming for about twenty minutes. I was pretty pleased with how it felt. I can definitely tell a difference in my swimming strength from when I started pre-triathlon. My breathing is still a challenge since I can’t get a flow going with my breathing, but that will come with practice. But the strokes felt a bit stronger and I felt like I was pulling myself forward more with my arms.
Tomorrow I have four miles, figures crossed that I can get my butt out of bed and to the gym before work. I have changed my alarm tone to the Muppets Song, if you have never heard it-look it up. It’ll jar even the soundest of sleepers awake.
How is your training going? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy Running!
GeekyTriathlete 