Be honest....

[Curlygurly2]

How many of you regularly cross train, and what do you do? And do you really feel a benefit....

[TortoiseRegretsHare]

I ride a bike, do Pilates and yoga. It's definitely beneficial doing something else, along with running. I had a bit of a slump over the summer, and stopped the Pilates and yoga, but have started again over the 4-6 weeks, and it's made a huge difference. I try to do yoga every morning (a free online course) and Pilates twice a week, and ride my bike when I can - usually a long-ish ride on a Sunday, but not too strenuous. Being on the bike just to go shopping or on a visit means you keep some activity going on your rest days too (otherwise I tend to spend the day sitting for work). What are you thinking about doing?

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to TortoiseRegretsHare]

Weights or running specific stretch exercises.I walk a fair bit anyway, just not as "exercise" if you know what I mean.

How does it help your running?

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

I do yoga regularly - sometimes it’s restorative, sometimes it’s strength/core based, and I find it’s helped with my running no end 😀

[Coddfish Graduate10]

I stretch and work with weights for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, working with a personal trainer for 1 session and on the programme my personal trainer sets me for the other(s). It's very helpful especially for glute, quad, shoulder strength. At the start of lockdown I bought a number of items so have a fairly well stocked home 'gym' with kettlebells, handweights, a TRX system, various elastics etc.

I swim twice a week plus do at least one Aqua aerobics class. These are what I missed most when gyms / leisure centres were closed, as it soon proved to me that my view of how essential this was to my mobility was spot on.

I rarely run more than twice a week, 1 5K and 1 other which varies between intervals work or longer runs, depending on what I am trying to work with.

I can't ride a bike with any confidence so don't, but I do like walking too.

[TailChaser Graduate10]

I try to do a bit of yoga everyday, a Joe Wicks HIIT session at least once a week, some weights and a 30 minute indoor rowing session at the gym. Anything that can strengthen your core and upper body is worthwhile as it helps support you particularly on the long runs when you’re getting tired.

[mrrun Graduate10]

I stretch lots (up to a few hours daily over two sessions) and do martial arts. There will be planks, push-ups and raw weights for my arms. Legs got much stronger, my stride got longer and quicker which in return has made me a faster runner (let's put that 'fast' in relative terms) than before. And if I have to go somewhere, I'll walk it rather than use buses.

[2718281 Graduate10]

Hi Curly, I do weight training + core exercises twice a week, I don't know if it's helped with my running but I haven't had any pains or injuries so far. I also do some cardio in the gym, the days I don't run, I don't think that helps with the running, just for fitness. And I started playing football recently, which hasn't helped with the running as I feel really sore after and struggle to run the day after, but I guess it might help in the future, and it's really fun

[a_in_gsr Graduate10]

I bike around the city? But not as exercise per say, just to get places. But thats 10k + a day biking which must count for something. If I feel like it I'll stretch, and maybe add some planks / pushups and things. But I don't do any planned activities no.

I think when I start consolidating my running / reduce the intensity I would try and start strength again, but I'm increasing to the half marathon distance and its taking it out of me!

[Cmoi Graduate10]

Honestly? Never.

I walk a bit. I dance a bit. I used to do daily yoga, which I really enjoyed, but got out of the habit in the summer. I'm now nervous about going back to yoga because since I stopped, a number of concerning symptoms - fairly severe and chronic hand, wrist, arm and shoulder pain, tingling and numbness - have gone away. I can only think I was overdoing it.

If I'm honest, though, I don't want to start thinking of running as something I have to train for. If I ever decided to run a marathon, then I'd have to take it seriously, I guess. But not right now, I'm enjoying myself just going with the flow.

[sTrongFuse Graduate10]

I do a lot (2½ to 5+ miles) brisk walking every day - the 2½ on run days, the 5+ on "rest" days. I'll dig the bike out of the shed on occasion too if I'm feeling particularly energetic.

[nowster Graduate10]

To be honest, very little. I try to get a walk in when I can and do some additional leg exercises, but I often forget.

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Hi Curlygurly, I only walked until I got my achillies injury and Plantar faciitis last year. Since then for rehab I have been doing two differenr combinations of strength conditioning exercises (clams, bridges, lunges, squats, one legged sit to stand etc) three times a week, and a daily yoga practice on YouTube. Just doing two runs per week presently.

My physio told me I would definately see results in my running from the core and glute strenghening. The yoga makes me stretch in an enjoyable way.

Still go for walks but the plantar fasciitis still looms it's head if I go too far.

🏃‍♀️🙏💪xxx

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

I barely fit running in but I know I need more core strength

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

I’m not sure it’s cross training but we do squats, i started with 10 in the mornings while brushing my teeth back in january now i do 10 every so often through the day, a colleague was up to 80x i tried that but got dreadfully bored, we also do press ups most days, oh and Willow does planks. I do heel raises and walking on my toes to help my calves and a bit of skipping sometimes

Does it make a difference? there is more spring in my step, my arms are fairly toned, my thighs are stronger, but don’t know really that could be the running