How was this past week for you? Tell us all about it 😊😊😊
I have cross training on my mind as I'm working on a triathlon at the moment, so I'm in the land of cross training 😄 I got a badge from Garmin last week - the 'Brick' badge. A 'brick session' is doing two or more of the triathlon disciplines one after the other, but it always puts me in mind of English public school-type slang - I say, Garmin old chap, you're an absolute brick for giving me that badge last week 😊😊😊
So, who's enjoying a bit of cross-training as part of your half marathon plan? Tell us more!
By the way, don't forget that it's absolutely not compulsory to do cross training! If you hate swimming, cycling, etc. it may well be counter-productive to force yourself to do it. But I would just like to add that it may be worth your while to get some tuition - you're much more likely to enjoy doing something if you are better at doing it!
Hi Roseabi. I have just crashed out this week. A 13k on Friday, a 500 mile round trip drive on Saturday/ Monday and I can't stay awake! Age catching up with me! Will try a slow 5k this evening when it cools down a bit, and maybe a park run on Saturday. Attempt on 14k can wait until next week. I suspect one really long run every other week is probably my limit. Good advert for running in my healthy heart test on Tuesday though; everything was positive. Still a month short of my C25k graduation anniversary, I just can't believe what running has done for me, thanks to brilliant support on this site.
No I have been struggling with a balance issue!! Really frustrating. Good job it wasn’t part of the test.☹️ It tends to go as mysteriously as it appears..running shoes are by the door ready to go .
Well you’ve read my daily posts, so you know what’s happening with running.
I’m loving swimming in the outdoor pool here, with trees around and the river running past. I’m not a strong swimmer and only do breast stroke in the slow lane, but it’s strengthening my arms and helping my weak leg. And the walk there and back in the sunshine, past the ruins of the ancient abbey, is a joy. I’m also enjoying daily yoga: that’s a nice peaceful space. My other cross training is the daily dog walking, but that’s just a part of my routine anyway, so I never bother to track or post the walks.
Well I am really chuffed. I have done a longer post on B210k but I am pleased to say this morning I ran for 10 miles without stopping. Even 25 years ago when I used to do the Fun Run half marathons once a year ( end of August and always always scorching) I only ever ran/walked so I am really pleased with myself. No great speedy run but I’m happy.
I do need to crack on with some Core strength stuff though. Back on Pilates this afternoon. I’ve let it slip this last year and I can really notice it in my silhouette 😳.
Hi Roseabi, I'm not really doing any cross training, but I do a 20 minute walk to the station every morning. I've got a gym at work which I'm a member of so the facility is there, I just haven't got round to it. I don't know why I feel like a naughty schoolboy right now!
I'm following your HM plan, suitably adapted to my own work pattern and situation. So far I'm up to 14.5K with about 11 weeks to go until the Bournemouth HM so hopefully the rest of the plan will go well.
Ooh! time for me to polish my halo! I've never done so much cross training in my life, let alone my running career. My ratio of cross training to running is simply off the scale 🤣🤣🤣. The weirdest thing though - I'm enjoying it too
Go you!!! Trouble is I’m not that keen on swimming unless I have the pool to myself and then I get too hot and bothered in the changing rooms and by the time I’m dressed I want another swim!!! 🤣.
I do a fair bit of Pilates as I belong to an online Pilates club ( my friend in Braunton runs it) and I can just dip in and out and do a class whenever I want but I do tend to stick up the same ones, “legs including clamshells”, “fabulous Arms with Weights” , and “ the Mighty Psoas” which helps with my lower back. I know I should do more Abs and squats but I hate the Abs exercises ( 4 kids and a hysterectomy put paid to most of my stomach muscles) and the squats hurt my dodgy knee. So I tend to miss them out. 🙄need to do the core ones though as I have the shape of Violet Beauregarde in Willy Winka at the moment.
I normally hate cross training too, and avoid it at all costs - except pilates, I do like that. Swimming I hate. I've only started cycling because I can't run, but I'm sure it will remain as a cross training exercise that I actually enjoy and therefore might even do!
I get out when more than a couple of people are in my lane. And my dodgy knee means I have to miss out quite a lot of stretching exercises. Squats are impossible, though my sister, who used to be a physio, said use your hand and a counter top to pull yourself up and down.
Hello! I did 13k this morning and 11k last week. I am joining the plan in week 4 but I’m hoping this is okay as I regularly do a 10k and two 5ks each week. I am hoping to start swimming again as my cross training as it got replaced by running and I miss it. Thanks! Jim
Yes, the Wednesday long run version. I’m going to try and adapt it a bit to fit the sort of training I need to do. So I’m doing long run on Wednesday, Parkrun on Saturday and then either intervals or a hill run on Monday. Does that sound about right? I’ve signed up for the Chichester half marathon so as well as running longer I need to train for running up a hill too! I might share my scrawled-in-a-notebook version when it’s done. And I might try and fill in what I did for the last few weeks when I didn’t know I was training yet! Thanks!
Hiya! I’m laying on my sofa fairly shattered after my latest long run! Up to 15k now, I’ve been wearing Katnap out in the mornings by getting him up early to run around the countryside! I’ll give him a break next week. Didn’t help that we had to take eldest kitten to meet up for a foreign school trip at 4am the day before!
Apart from the early mornings it is going well so far. I have a little twinge in my left ankle which I need to keep an eye on, probably need to do some ankle rolling exercises?
Cross training? I mainly go to the gym, do 22 mins on the bike, weight training and some floor work. Also do at least an hour’s yoga every week. As the summer holidays are about to descend I need to take youngest kitten up on his offer to help me swim again - I’m not good at all; I was taking lessons before kids but stopped after they were born and the confidence has disappeared. Hopefully that might help my ankle.
So after bowing out of entering the Maidstone HM due to it potentially causing divorce, the running club friends want to do a mass entry to Folkestone Half at the end of September. They said i could train in secret and pretend i was doing a 10k. I'm at a loss as to what to do.
In the meantime, I'm cycling every Sunday morning with Mr L-L and my Thursday run after work includes stopping for a few dips and press ups. Not a lot of cross training but better than nothing.
I've just got back from a GoTri event, which was an absolute bargain at £7.50. I did a 300m swim and a 3.5 km run. I had a panic in the swim and couldn't get my breathing settled for a crawl, so ended up doing a really slow breaststroke. But it was good practice. The run felt okay, I got overtaken by a gazillion hunky dudes and lassies in all in one triathlon suits......but hey, I had a Mars bar and cuppa at the finish so I can't complain ....!
I am half way through week 3 of my half marathon training plan which is mid September. Did 8 x 3 min intervals at just over 5k pace last night a few hours after a brutal sports massage which probably wasn’t the best idea. I should have done 4 easy miles tonight but just couldn’t face it so am doing it tomorrow first thing instead. In terms of cross training, I really only do yoga 3 or 4 times a week as I find the stretching helpful for tight muscles.
Fine ta 👍. Not much cross training been done apart from my usual walking I’d rather walk than get the bike out 🙂
Running going well. I’m loving the new Nike Run Club app. I’m seeing SB’s and PB’s populating my stats now. Oooooh go me 💪😁. I did a two hour coached run the other day and really enjoyed it
I did a hilly ten Mile the other Sunday. Didn’t do as well as I’d hoped but I was fine afterwards
I’ve entered a 5k seafront prom race at the beginning of Sept, and before my marathon at the end of November, I have the town’s half marathon. So, keeping busy
Got a tough 10km race tonight It’s fun but there’s a pig of a hill involved.
Also, it’s one of those where the finish never seems to get any closer 🤷♀️🤨I swear they keep moving the flag further away 😜.
When I get back tonight I take delivery of the hound dawg for ten days. He’s got a poorly foot, and is not very well. At least he won’t be pulling my arm off as he usually does. I think our dog jogs could be over 🙁
Long run up to 15k last week & feeling super strong and fit right now ☺. Whilst trying not to overdo things especially when it's quite hot and muggy, I've also been enjoying speed /recovery sessions, although the speed parts are still well below my previous 5/10k race pace, just hoping that what feels like hard work in the heat will pay off during a (hopefully) cooler October HM! 🤞
Does anyone else have days when their posts get the message...something went wrong try again later...later never comes!!! It’s so frustrating!!!
I wrote a long post explaining my lack of stamina concern and asking for help...post a disappointing charity 1mile swim which I found so hard and struggling to get beyond 8k other than on a race day!! But gave up on the 29th press! So if this gets through to anyone advice on building stamina for the HM please x I’ve now learnt to copy before pressing post!
Oh that's so frustrating, I am sorry this happened!
Also, I am very sorry to see you have been struggling. When you say you can't get very far except on race day, I wonder if you would prefer to run with other people? If so, are there any clubs you can join?
If not, and you're training alone, the secret to building endurance lies both in slowing down and speeding up, strange to say!
For your long runs, slow down, and consider taking short walking breaks - or even look up the Jeff Galloway run-walk method if you haven't done so already. You may feel that walking is wrong or even that it represents failure. But it will actually help you to build up your distance with a little less effort, while at the same time training you to spend a longer time on your feet - invaluable! You will start to get closer to your half marathon goal, which will give you confidence, and then you can think about reducing the duration of the walk breaks.
The other type of training is to run faster intervals at varying speeds. For example, start off with a slow, comfortable jog, then switch to a 5k-level effort for a minute or 30 seconds, take a jogging recovery break for 2 or three minutes, then repeat your faster/recovery intervals a number of times, then finish with a cool-down jog. You may well have already done something like this as part of your training plan? There are many variations, but the point of speed intervals is that, apart from training you to run faster, they also help you learn to keep going when you are starting to flag. A great interval session to try is just to speed up for a period during the middle of your long run, or practise a sprint finish.
And finally, a useful addition is to include some hills within your runs if you can. They also build stamina, and since the Cardiff half is mostly flat it will feel easier than your hilly training runs 😊😊😊
Oh gosh roseabi that is so helpful. I think I have been feeling that walking is failing so have tried to keep going and then feeling I’ve given up. Have been running with a friend who’s better than me!! That’s been good but she likes to run in the evening, like most running clubs, and I’m so much better in the morning. Will look for the Jeff Galloway method it sounds like my sort of thing.
I think my problem was I trained so hard for the 1 Mile swim and on the day my legs just wouldn’t function. So I ended up just using my arms so it took me so long and I was so late getting to ither side! My husband was rather concerned 😬😬🤪!! But I did it... it just doesn’t feel much like a success at the moment!
From Padstow to Rock across the Camel estuary. It’s an annual event for Marie Curie. It’s a lottery for a place and this was my try. Was so delighted when I got a place...not quite so enthusiastic now I’m afraid. I was so lucky a lovely girl in a pink safety canoe just kept encouraging me. Without her I think I would have taken the safety boats offer to be pulled out. That would have been awful!! 😱🥰
Wow that's amazing!! I've just been checking out their Facebook page. I think you should feel very proud of yourself for doing it, especially as you had such a bad wobble xxx
I haven't been on here for a week ot two so thought I'd post a quick update. My distance is almost at my target (although it's very tempting to keep adding distance). I guess I need to keep reminding myself of the HM target! I'm still doing hill climbs on most of my long runs so that's going OK.
I've changed my 5k & 10k runs to intervals (currently 7 * 1 minute and 2 * 20 minutes) and I'm finding them hard going (especially the second 20 minute interval). Not sure if I should keep to the target pace that I'm (almost) reaching or maybe reduce my target pace.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I've invested in a water bottle belt and am waiting to see if that makes a difference.
For cross training, I've just joined the local council gym. Now all I have to do is go there! It could also be a good excuse to go for a swim.
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That's a great achievement, well done 👏👏👏
