Running. Does it help your swimming or is it an interesting diversion? A lot of people here seem to cross train with running. (Some are obviously triathletes). USS teams now have their swimmers running. But does running really help swimming?
For me, I'm not so sure. I think it helps a bit on the cardio side and may build leg strength. I do it to tighten everything up, because I like being outside and it gives my shoulders a break. But I'm not sure I wouldn't be better off with more pool time if my body could take it.
Running helps me swim faster!!! Really it does. I don't know why this is true but it is. I used to think of my meet preparation as 48 hours before the meet (run 2 days before, don't run 1 day before) but now I recognize up to one week as being significant. This is not a mini-taper since my weekly volume (other than weights) is normal. Here's the current schedule for a Saturday meet:
Saturday prior: Last weight workout. No more weights or drylands until after the meet. Swim normal-length workout with a race-pace swim of the longest event that I'm going to do the following Saturday (e.g. the 500 free prior to the upcoming PNA Championships).
Sunday: Bike around 10-15 miles, run 30 minutes, do yard work (yes yard work counts! As... something! Get it out of the way early!) No swimming unless I've got an early meeting on an upcoming weekday.
Monday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout with race pace of second-longest event included (400 IM)
Tuesday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout, including race-pace third-longest upcoming event (200 fly). Run 18 minutes.
Wednesday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout, possibly including race-pace fourth-longest upcoming event (200 back).
Thursday: Bike-commute normal miles. Swim normal workout, possibly including race-pace fifth-longest upcoming event (100 fly). Run 12 minutes, completing normal volume of 1 hour/week (yes that's quite low, since these days I'm not training for any events that actually involve running).
Friday: Bike-commute normal miles, completing normal volume of 100 miles/week. Swim short workout (1500 yards, no main set, just some 25 fly sprints).
Saturday: Watch out. If I've done the above correctly, some fast swims are coming. All the meet warmup/warmdown more than makes up for Friday's lack of volume. Swimming volume for the week ends up a bit above normal.
Running helps me swim faster!!! Really it does. I don't know why this is true but it is. I used to think of my meet preparation as 48 hours before the meet (run 2 days before, don't run 1 day before) but now I recognize up to one week as being significant. This is not a mini-taper since my weekly volume (other than weights) is normal. Here's the current schedule for a Saturday meet:
Saturday prior: Last weight workout. No more weights or drylands until after the meet. Swim normal-length workout with a race-pace swim of the longest event that I'm going to do the following Saturday (e.g. the 500 free prior to the upcoming PNA Championships).
Sunday: Bike around 10-15 miles, run 30 minutes, do yard work (yes yard work counts! As... something! Get it out of the way early!) No swimming unless I've got an early meeting on an upcoming weekday.
Monday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout with race pace of second-longest event included (400 IM)
Tuesday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout, including race-pace third-longest upcoming event (200 fly). Run 18 minutes.
Wednesday: Bike-commute normal miles plus a few extra to account for no biking on upcoming Saturday. Swim normal workout, possibly including race-pace fourth-longest upcoming event (200 back).
Thursday: Bike-commute normal miles. Swim normal workout, possibly including race-pace fifth-longest upcoming event (100 fly). Run 12 minutes, completing normal volume of 1 hour/week (yes that's quite low, since these days I'm not training for any events that actually involve running).
Friday: Bike-commute normal miles, completing normal volume of 100 miles/week. Swim short workout (1500 yards, no main set, just some 25 fly sprints).
Saturday: Watch out. If I've done the above correctly, some fast swims are coming. All the meet warmup/warmdown more than makes up for Friday's lack of volume. Swimming volume for the week ends up a bit above normal.
