Patient Education

Runners are notorious for suffering over use injuries. Stress fractures, various types of tendonitis and fasciitis, IT band syndrome and shin splints are all terms common to many a runner. The high impact nature of the sport in combination with the repetitiveness of distance running tear down the human body and the result is often an overuse injury. Many of these injuries can be avoided with the incorporation of cross training into the athlete’s routine. The goal of cross training is simple. Reduce the overall amount of high impact activities by introducing smooth gliding activities into the runner’s routine. These gliding activities should compliment the runner’s cardiovascular training and work similar muscle groups as running. In addition to gliding activities, strength training can benefit the runner and reduce the incidence of injury.

The reasons for cross training do not end with decreasing injuries. Cross training also adds variety to training. This is beneficial not only physically, but also mentally. Many coaches and physiologists preach the idea of “variety” in the athlete’s training. Cross training by its very nature adds variety. This keeps the body “guessing” and prevents muscles from accommodating to the same routine. Mentally, cross training will keep a routine more fun and help prevent burnout. Cross training can also improve the runner’s overall fitness by adding volume and variety to their training without consequences of pounding the pavement. Cross training is also a great way to avoid the dreaded “junk miles”. These are miles of running the athlete endures, which have no real purpose in their training routine and can encourage overuse injuries. Lastly, it is the author’s opinion that cross training allows the runner to enjoy seasonal sports throughout the year. This also adds for variety and a change of environment.

Runners have many options when choosing another sport to cross train. Such examples include: cycling, swimming, cross-country skiing, in-line skating, weight training and pool running. Of course, most gyms have cardio type machines such as stair steppers and elliptical trainers, which are great indoor choices. All these activities are low impact and work the major muscles of the lower body used by runners.

Cross training can begin anytime a runner substitutes a running work out for an alternate low impact choice. It can be as casual and simple as throwing in a bike ride instead of a run or a strict schedule of training used by many triathletes and other endurance athletes.  There are times when cross training can be especially important.  When a runner begins to feel the onset of any running caused injury they should immediately decrease or even discontinue running and cross train until the symptoms resolve. Most over use injuries could be avoided if caught soon enough. If a runner starts to feel burned out or bored, that’s a good time to venture out and add variety with cross training. After a particularly important event that a runner has trained for there is the “off” season. This is a great time to try some different things and cross train. As mentioned, during the different seasons of the year especially winter, a runner may find it difficult to continue their training schedule. Why not try some cross-country skiing? Cross-country or Nordic skiing is unquestionably the most demanding cardiovascular sport known to man. The physiology textbooks prove it. The highest VO2 max (the measurement of aerobic capacity) ever recorded were on Olympic Nordic skiers. It is the ultimate in cross training. The winter is also a great time to get to know the gym a little better. Lifting weights (strength training) may not only decrease the chance of a runner’s injury, but it can improve the economy of running. This is the effort needed to run. Because each stride is demanding less from a stronger muscle, the effort needed to run a set pace is less.

Finally, for those runners who are interested in attempting a triathlon, cross training is going to be in your vocabulary a lot. One of the legends in triathlon, Scott Tinley, once wrote that a triathlete only needs to run three times a week. This would be in addition to their swimming and cycling training. Each of these three runs carry a purpose. One run is a distance day. This could be a long slow pace perhaps on dirt trails. The second run of the week would be a speed day. Formal intervals on the track, more casual speed play and hill repeats are all great forms of speed work. Lastly there is the “brick”. Triathletes have coined  the term brick to be a run immediately following a bike ride. This will teach the athlete how to run on tired legs after a hard bike workout. Next to actual racing its one of the most sport specific ways to train for a triathlon. While these run workouts are specific to triathlon training, a runner can use the same principles of specific training goals to ensure that each run has a purpose. Minimize those junk miles.

Now that you are convinced that cross training is right for you get out there and try something new. Who knows, you just may like it!