Crossing off cross training!

[MissUnderstanding]

One thing that I’m loving about my current training plan is it cross training written in to it. This means I can go to my weekly Zumba class and come home and tick it off the plan on the fridge. Small things make a big difference…those ticks are like a star chart as a kid!!! Plus, when I’m tempted to drop everything else and just run, having cross training explicitly on the plan keeps me doing other things. Just running means I’m at more risk of getting injured.

This is what Hal Higdon says about cross-training…

“Aerobic exercises work best. It could be swimming, cycling, walking … , cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training. …. Cross-training days should be considered easy days that allow you to recover from the running you do the rest of the week.”

halhigdon.com/training-prog...

I doubt anyone uk based is snow shoeing or cross county skiing!! It’s interesting he includes walking-I’ve heard on other podcasts that walking doesn’t get your hear rate high enough to “count” as true cross training (unless you’re hiking hard terrain) but obviously it’s still a great activity to do.

My favourite ways to cross train are swimming and dance based classes. Dance became it’s so much fun. Swimming because I go with a friend and we have a long hot chocolate and chat together afterwards!! I wish I could get on with outdoor bike riding but at the age of (a lot!), I’m still not confident in not falling off!! I’ll very occasionally get on a bike at the gym with a podcast but I’ve got to be in the mood or it’s really boring. I love Pilates, yoga and weights for strength and flex.

What do you all like to do that’s not running? I’m always up for a bit of inspiration!

MissU

Image from Unsplash unsplash.com/@georgiadelotz

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Sounds great, I do like a plan stuck on the fridge 😁 at the moment anything pushes my heartrate up, so even a bit of walking works, but I'm hoping I'll soon be able to go swimming and I love dancing. I've started squats again....but they aren't like the deep slow squats I used to do, and 10 puff me out 😕 but it's got to be better than nothing

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

You’re doing brilliantly. Hopefully you’ll be swimming and dancing again soon. ❤️

My local leisure centre has aqua zumba…maybe swimming and dancing at the same time could be fun!!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I did aqua fit once years ago and got cold, used to do deep water aqua fit which was more fun, but it'll be a success if I can get in the pool now

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

I too have a plan that includes other things. Mine are walking and cycling (I do have a brown square in my key that says ‘gym work’ but I seldom use it as I’m not in the mood for yoga or Pilates these days).

Mine is on a spreadsheet rather then the fridge but I too get pleasure from the weekly ‘update’ session where I amend the sheet to show what I actually did and then adjust the following weeks to compensate. The colour coding is particularly enjoyable.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

I absolutely love a spreadsheet…especially one with colour coding. That sounds like a thing of beauty!!

Nice mix of activities too. Maybe I need to be brave and try a bike again. ..

[Shake-and-run Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I love Autumn rides as I love to be out in all those colours. The shorter days mean there is no pressure to do long rides and it is lovely to come home and snuggle up by the fire with hot chocolate and toast. But maybe it is not the best time to start bicycling if you have not done it for a while, perhaps wait for the fresh sunny days of Spring.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

I like that idea! The trouble is round here it’s all fast country lanes with hills to get to anywhere a bit less extreme, so that means driving first. Perhaps when spring comes I’ll give it a go!

[Rebounder in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I bought a second hand electric bike to get to my exercise classes. It’s been an absolute game changer. I know people say it’s cheating but an electric bike gives you more oomph in traffic and gives me a bit more confidence. How much electric assistance you have is entirely up to you!

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

have a look on the British Cycling’s women only programme called Breeze. It organises small group rides for local women of all abilities. letsride.co.uk. And it’s free.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

That sounds absolutely brilliant-thanks for the recommendation!

[Cmoi Graduate10]

I'm always impressed by how much you do MissUnderstanding and your use of plans and spreadsheets. 😀👏

I keep running away from them (double meaning entirely intentional) as for me they're a source of pressure rather than satisfaction. Similarly, I'm averse to labelling my other non-running activities as cross-training - too much stress!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

I love this!!’ It’s really interesting how we’re all different. Plans appeal to both my good girl and rebel tendencies! I love the structure and reassurance that if I follow it, I should be ready to take in whatever distance it is. I also hate being told what to do, so I really enjoying switching weeks around, substituting runs for different ones, basically doing my own thing…sort of. I need to feel like I’m in control of the plan rather than the plan being in control of me.

I absolutely hate “do this every day” challenges because they don’t give enough room to move things around and I feel under pressure to keep up!

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Definitely agree re the preparation aspect of plans, and moving things around. Nonetheless plans just don't motivate me. If I've committed to doing something, then actually doing it seems like the minimum requirement to me! I don't cope well with challenges or "streaks" either, they become unhelpful *all or nothing" for me.

Basically, if I can't find motivation within myself, I'm done for. 🙄

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

I do like a chart on the fridge - which reminds me, I have to download and print off my runr monthly mileage tracker for November!

Cross training for me ( have not been brilliant recently😳) is a combo of home- base workouts and using the resistance stations at my local gym.🙂

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

Fridges are great places for charts! I often wonder what people with built in fridge freezers so with those sorts of random bits of paper!

What do you think of runr? I’ve been toying with the idea of trying something new!

[Sandraj39 Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I like their free downloadable trackers - just to monitor my runs and cross training.🙂

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10]

You're making me feel a bit of a slob MissU😂The only activity I do regularly other than running is walking.

The nearest swimming pools are both at least 20 minutes away and not very nice.

The roads, like yours, are busy country lanes full of very young and very old drivers and horses so cycling isn't great.

In an ideal world I'd run, swim, walk and paddle board but as I am where I am I'll just run and add the 1km walk to the CoOp instead of a hundred yards to One Stop 😁

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

Absolutely no shame is needed! We’re all different and I absolutely love that!!! I think we just do the best we can with what works with life and what we enjoy! Walking is great. I can’t remember where I heard it but apparently most ultra runners come to it from walking rather than running. I can’t guarantee that’s true!!!

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Sounds good to me, I'll be quoting you next time someone suggests walking isn't proper exercise