Half Marathon Plan: Strength and Cross Training 💥

[roseabi]

Hello, me again!

I have indicated in the training plan a day set aside for strength training, and a couple more for cross training.

Why do strength and cross training?

Strengthening, particularly of the legs and core, has many obvious benefits for endurance runners. Increasing your overall strength over time will help you to run farther and faster, and may reduce your susceptibility to injury.

Cross training gives you a break from running whilst building strength, suppleness, and overall fitness. It can give you a chance to do some of the other activities you enjoy, increasing your overall well being. And of course, cross training is great for keeping in shape if you are injured and cannot run.

💥STRENGTH TRAINING

A lot of you will already be doing some of this, and there are plenty of suggestions available online.

I have adapted the strength circuits I have been using recently, so that all (except one, which needs some sort of weights) of the exercises can be done at home, with no equipment needed other than a couple of common items of furniture to assist you.

There are 10 exercises in the circuit, with variable numbers of repetitions ("reps") of each.

If you want to try these circuits, I suggest starting with one (running through all the exercises once), and building up to three. Also build up to doing the maximum reps for each exercise. It takes me 45-50 minutes to get through three circuits, doing maximum reps for most. It works really well with some music or a podcast - lippy is optional 😄

Access them here:

docs.google.com/document/d/...

Printable version is linked at the bottom of the doc, or click here:

docs.google.com/document/d/...

From my research I feel that these circuits include many of the most beneficial workouts for runners. NOTE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE CIRCUITS: I have included Step Ups as an alternative to Box Jumps.

Strength training, particularly circuits, is often combined with running for short periods of time - or even done after a run. I have suggested a short run as a warm up, but have decided to include strength on a separate day from running to give us a break 😊

💥IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ANY OF THESE EXERCISES, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE A CURRENT OR PAST INJURY - SKIP THEM!!! ALSO, YOU MAY BE BEST OFF CHECKING WITH YOUR GP BEFORE TAKING PART IN ANY ENDURANCE SPORT TRAINING PLAN.💥

💥CROSS TRAINING

It's a great idea to do some cross training the day after your long run, to allow you to get sore muscles moving, but without the impact of running.

How long is a cross training session? That's really up to you. I will be mostly swimming for my cross training sessions, and this may take me anything from 15 to 45 minutes.

Ideas for cross training:

★ Swimming

★ Cycling

★ Walking the dog

★ Yoga

★ Gym work - the elliptical trainer is particularly good

★ Strength training - more is more!

★ Windsurfing - I hear Dean Karnazes is a fan!

★ Rowing

★ Hiking

You get the idea 😊

roseabi xx

[LoungeLizaard]

Excellent Abi (as usual). Thank you for posting this up.

Ps - You really REALLY don't want to see me in lippy - I'd look like something out of "Greatest Showman" 😂

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Thanks LL xx

But now I need to see you in lippy!!!! 😄😄😄😄😄💋

[Tbae Metric Marathon]

This is just fantastic Abi.

It is not in my plans to join your HM group starting next week.

But I will read up all your published information and continue to follow with great interest.I will also cherry pick and apply all that is appropriate at this point.

This is just amazing experience and knowledge from you.

What a team you are on all the three stages of HealthUnlocked everything running.

💥🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️💥

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Tbae]

Thanks, 'Bae!! 💥💗😄

[Jay66UK Half Marathon]

Brilliant. Now I have zero excuse to do zero on my non-running days, damn you! 🤣

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Jay66UK]

I'm terribly sorry... 😄

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Thanks again for all this.

Yay! I hate those stair jumps with a passion - and the dog (who sleeps in a crate at the bottom of the stairs) is absolutely terrified and makes off into another room as soon as I start. I'm sure I used to be able to jump .... but I find it incredibly hard now 😀 i will maybe still try some, but an alternative will be most welcome 🙂

Edited to add: reply typed from swimming pool changing room ! 🏊‍♀️

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

Win win for you and your dog 😊 Poor doggy - I do apologise! xx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

[Lordi Marathon]

I've never done any cross training apart from regular long walks, a bit of rowing and playing cricket. I'm a bit "old school" i.e. if it ain't broke don't fix it! My extra curricular activities phobia stems from seemingly always getting a niggle from group sports' warm-up/loosening routines! I've never picked-up a niggle on the field/bike/a run! I tend to shun warm-ups or anything fancy outside of the main event as a result. Yes, I'm a bit odd as you've all gathered by now! My Ma always said I was a bit " special" ! Have always been able to plant my palms on the floor knees together and scratch my opposite armpit, arm behind my back even without any "loosening-up" routines! Having said all that, I do recall my lower back and stomach feeling stiff towards the end of my marathon, so I might do a bit of home gym stuff in the new year to see if it makes very long distance runs easier.

Great work Roseabi!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Lordi]

Thanks Lordi!

There was someone who commented on one of the earlier posts that he just doesn't want to do cross training so he jolly well won't do it! I guess if there's nothing one enjoys doing (other than running) it doesn't make sense to force cross training on oneself! And I would suggest to at least go for a walk on some rest days, but then I have a friend who hates even that!!

I know what you mean about niggles too - I am wary of yoga for that reason, and I don't do much stretching.

Since I am working from experience and research, I have to recommend cross training with the plan 😊

But Lordi being Lordi seems to work pretty well from what I've seen 😊😊😊

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

I've edited this post to add a link to the printable version of the workout, and also a note about suitability of the workouts if injuries are present.

[ju-ju- Marathon]

Gorgeous pic of you, and this is looking fab..... love the cross training ideas. I would so love to windsurf

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to ju-ju-]

Aw thank you! I am hoping to nail windsurfing next year...

[ju-ju- Marathon in reply to roseabi]

such a cool sport!!!

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon]

Thanks for all the ideas and details roseabi . Feel I’ve a better idea what I’m aiming at now as far as length of time spent on the cross training days etc. 😃

Need to go back over your great details about different run speeds from yesterday next. I’m a bit worried I could never easily chat while running at the moment for the Easy pace runs, but if my breathing feels easy and relaxed then I’ll see that as my Easy pace for now.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

I have the same issue. A few weeks ago I came across this calculator from Runners World runnersworld.co.uk/rws-trai...

I put in my very fastest time for 5k, then again for 10k and then for 10 miles. It was an eye-opener. Whichever way I looked at it, my calculated 'easy' pace was slower than I ever run (on the flat anyway). So now I do try to keep my 'easy' pace down ... but invariably some part of my brain takes over and sneakily tells my legs that's too slow! I noticed yesterday that the average pace for my 'tempo' run (20 mins easy, 30 mins tempo) was only 3 seconds per km faster than my long 'easy' run on Friday! I clearly have a way to go to crack this

Try the calculator and see how it compares to what you are running as your easy pace

[SlowLoris in reply to linda9389]

That works quite well for me though the only guide I have is my 5K PB. I haven't tried for a fast time at anything longer. I think I would struggle to do the 800 intervals at the pace set. The other paces look about right though.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

Easy and relaxed breathing is fine as a guage for your easy runs.

Personally I don't tend to talk to anyone on training runs! I might mutter to myself sometimes 😊

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thanks - yes, as Linda mentions above, I’d forgotten to say I’d been using the runnersworld calculator and aiming at the speed given by that for Easy. I can go that slow, but am still not entirely sure I could chat. (I don’t usually have anyone with me anyway, and suspect I’d look completely nuts if I try to chat to myself too much!😂)

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

Easy should mean what's easy for YOU

An online calculator cannot know that 😊

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

The calculator gets you to put your race pace in for a set distance, then calculates Easy / Tempo etc training paces for you based on that. So I think it’s fairly personalised. (Easy for my speedy husband is about the same as my Tempo pace.)

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

It's of course up to you if you want to use those paces, but the generally used definition of an 'easy' pace is one during which it is possible to talk.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

I must add, though, I just put my last half marathon data into the calculator and the paces it gives are pretty close to those I was using for my marathon training this year 😊

I've mentioned to Linda before that I think it might make more sense to put a goal time into that calculator - for those that have a goal time in mind, of course!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Haha. If I put my goal HM time in it gets even slower

And yes, I probably do have too long a goal time

At the end of the day it does at least make me think about it. I've rarely run with anyone I can talk to so I'm only guessing whether I can chat or not. I do sometimes manage to shout good morning to people as I 'fly' past them if that counts

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

The only way is to mutter to yourself 😁😁😁

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

There's plenty of that happening And the odd apology to people (pedestrians) I make jump as I go past - how does that even happen when I'm thundering along?

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

I often wonder that 😂 I suppose a lot of people are wandering along deep in thought...

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Someone made me jump when I was walking the dog yesterday. I had no headphones in but he was making no noise as he ran through the grass and I was probably away with the fairies! My running on the other hand .. thud, thud, thud ..

[Sqkr Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I tried muttering to check I was running at a conversational pace, but it was quite hard to tell without speaking out loud and looking a bit mad. I pretended to be on the phone one time to test it out too but felt awfully daft. What I have discovered after a year and a bit though is that during my easy run I'm able to breathe through my nose, ie, I'm not breathing hard at all. That's my best way to tell if I'm running at easy pace, where is my breath coming out 😄

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Sqkr]

I'll have to try that! 'cept in this cold weather my nose is always blocked or running

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to Sqkr]

Nose breathing is sadly not something I can ever manage. I tried it during C25k, and felt like I was going to die from lack of oxygen! 😂

I’m not sure it’s a fitness thing, though, as my nose membranes feel swollen all the time and limit how much air I can take in. I think it may be due to the years I had coldsores in my nose (an autoimmune thing) and had to use steroid cream on the membranes.

[Fat_stab]

Sorry, not been around much recently and certainly not followed all the threads. In terms of 'cross training,' a good activity is power walking with some weight on your back. The speed ideally should be over 4mph walking for 4-6 miles. That will also condition your body to exercising for a longer period of time. The problem is that due to technology, we have less time to do what we want to do!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Fat_stab]

Great suggestion - and it's good to see you again! xx

This post is part of a thread about a half marathon training plan that is starting next week!

Yeah, all these "time saving devices" 😊

[Fat_stab in reply to roseabi]

I try and do one or two tabs a week 4-6 miles carrying 15 kg on my back at sub 4mph pace

and thank you

[CBDB]

Look what I’ve come across: really useful post from two years ago! (I was looking for rowers as I’ve just dropped a rowing interval workout review in the Strength and Flex Forum. healthunlocked.com/strength...

But you are already there! 👍🏽💪🚣🏼‍♂️👏

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to CBDB]

Get me and my lippy 😂😘

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to CBDB]

There is a newer version of this with no burpees in it (EVERYONE complained about them!! 😂)

Full length with pics: drive.google.com/file/d/1y-...

Printable quick sheet: drive.google.com/file/d/1Ft...

[CBDB in reply to roseabi]

Oh yeah! Add me to the burpee haters! 🤣🤣🤣 great stuff!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to CBDB]

🤣