Running and swimming

Looking for some advice for when I get home to UK in a few weeks please. I've recently graduated but swimming is my first passion... just wondering how I should fit it all in... I usually swim 3 times a week, I'm a distance swimmer, but now obviously I want to run as well, how much is too much? Obviously I will have to try it and see how it goes, but anyone here do more sports than running? I know triathletes manage to fit 3 different disciplines into their training week, but I'm not one of those....(the pool here in France is only open July & August and full of large dive-bombing teenagers, this is why I started running in the first place)

[AncientMum Graduate]

Don't swimming and running use different muscles? In that case perhaps you could alternate and have just 1day off a week. You'll be a fitness machine after a few weeks Lol Hope you're feeling happier today Curly

[squaremum Graduate]

Hi Curlygurly,

I'm a swimmer too and have found that it only complements my running. I suppose it depends how far you are running/swimming, but I've found that I can run and swim on the same day if I can't manage to alternate them. The only thing is you may have to sacrifice speed/power in the pool if you've done a long run the same day, but if you swim distance that shouldn't be a problem for you. Any aches and pains from running just disappear in the pool I've found and I appreciate my swimming even more since I started running last summer.

[Hidden]

Bugger! I hoped someone was gonna say "that's waaaaay too much Curly" so I would have an excuse lol! Really though, that's a great help AncientMum, ATM I'm running 30 mins or so, I usually swim a bit longer than that, one to two and a half KM (I'd call that distance swimming anyway) . I might try doing them both on the same day, I could run on the treadmill then pop down to the pool, that would get everything over and done with in one go, then I can go the pub on off days!

[dille Graduate]

Before school vacations I combined running and swimming, but I can only swim about 45 min (during the swim training of my daughter). I even did it on the same day and sometimes my legs were a little bit tired, but the swimming definitely helped with recovery. As swimming is not so strenuous on the joints etc. I don't think you can overdue it and it gives you a good training for the upper part of you body.

And the running did improve my swimming (I am asthmatic and after starting C25K the breathing was definitely easier while swimming). So for me running and swimming is a perfect combination and I will buy a pull boy for swimming to focus even more on the upper body.

[Hidden]

I did cycling until shoulder injury forced me off my bike which is one reason I started the running. Going back to cycling the improvement in aerobic fitness after doing the running is remarkable.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

I am training for my first baby triathlon in 2 1/2 weeks. I was a swimmer first and it's still my first sport, but I was advised to change my stroke from breast stroke to front crawl (freestyle) because breast stroke uses similar muscles to running so to avoid overuse I have changed my stroke. I have found it a lot easier than I thought I would and now am very comfortable with the new stroke. It took me a few months to transistion and now in training I do 20 of each and some drills and I don't feel it on my run days.