So, you’ve started running. You are beginning to love running, investing in equipment and gear, following a structured training plan, and being a regular fun run participant.
By now, you’re starting to collect medals, finisher shirts, and race bibs. You dream of completing your first marathon, breaking your PRs, and everything else in between.
You’re logging in more miles, doing long, slow distances every weekend, and pushing yourself to your breaking point every speed session.
But you suddenly ask yourself, “Are all of these enough to make me a good, if not a better, runner? ”
Let’s be honest: running is an addictive sport. Almost anyone can lace up their running shoes and go outside for a run. By the time they’re hooked, they are dedicated to the point that they are almost running every day. However, athletes who have been born with wings on their feet or have been running their whole lives know the benefits of cross-training.
Cross-training is your not-so-secret weapon to become a better runner. Ask any coach or look for those free online training plans, and they’ll dedicate a day or two for cross-training. Incorporating other activities like swimming, cycling, and strength training is not just smart but an essential part of the whole process.
INJURY PREVENTION
Running is a high-impact sport that puts constant pressure on your knees, joints, ankles, and pretty much the entire lower part of your body. This is especially taxing when a runner hits the same terrain during their workouts.
Cross-training entices your body to take a break from running. You’re still working out, yes, but you are also activating other muscle groups and giving your joints and knees the much-needed break that they deserve.
Cycling, for example, still keeps your legs moving but spares your joints from the pounding when they are used in running. Swimming, on the other hand, gives you that extra endurance and a whole-body workout.
EXTRA GAS IN THE TANK
What do swimming and running have in common? Both require athletes to have stamina and endurance. Put cycling in the mix, too.
Doing these activities will not only train your lungs to be at their peak but also work on other muscles that you need and use for running.
Cross-training can and will build a runner’s aerobic capacity, or the maximum amount of oxygen that your body can use during an intense workout.
Strength training will likewise offer the same results. Weightlifting, calisthenics, and bodyweight training build “supporting” muscles like your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core. This will give a runner better strides, which means less fatigue and more miles.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS AND BETTER RECOVERY
Again, cross-training takes the pressure off running. Think of it as giving your legs a vacation and for your body to take it easy.
Running can sometimes be monotonous, especially if you’re just running the same route day in and day out. Doing other activities will divert your attention and engage your mind.
No one wants to be bored. The same applies to running or any other sport. An athlete will most likely just force themselves to train if they’re bored; they become unproductive to the point that they become uninterested.
Cross-training, on the other hand, allows them to still be active during their downtime without the added burden. While they are still recovering from the previous session and injury, or if they are just plain tired, doing something else aside from running or their usual routine is a good way to recover without beating up those tired muscles.
