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:
Thank you for sharing this, as well as your whole routine. I know that I've gotten faster from running, but I also started and got serious with lifting around the same time. My times in practice now are faster than when I last did meets some time ago.
I really appreciate the schedule too, as someone else who also does multiple sports it helps to know what I could/should do, if I decide to swim in another meet.
The major problem I have with swimming and running at the same time is my feet + legs cramping up while swimming. this happened quite a bit last summer when I was running mornings and swimming evenings.
I used to be a half decent runner when I was in the military...they gave us a great incentive. If we scored 100% on our PT test, we were exempt from regular PT. I probably did much more on my own, but it allowed me to sleep in most of the time...except for the rare battalion, brigade, or above runs. I've accepted I'll never get back to that speed, which is why I also won't run a 2 mile for time anymore ;)
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:
Thank you for sharing this, as well as your whole routine. I know that I've gotten faster from running, but I also started and got serious with lifting around the same time. My times in practice now are faster than when I last did meets some time ago.
I really appreciate the schedule too, as someone else who also does multiple sports it helps to know what I could/should do, if I decide to swim in another meet.
The major problem I have with swimming and running at the same time is my feet + legs cramping up while swimming. this happened quite a bit last summer when I was running mornings and swimming evenings.
I used to be a half decent runner when I was in the military...they gave us a great incentive. If we scored 100% on our PT test, we were exempt from regular PT. I probably did much more on my own, but it allowed me to sleep in most of the time...except for the rare battalion, brigade, or above runs. I've accepted I'll never get back to that speed, which is why I also won't run a 2 mile for time anymore ;)
