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.
I had already been swimming 5x a week and if anything was getting slower. Running helped me shed 20+ pounds and built up my aerobic conditioning so I could handle the longer swims.
I believe the question was, "Will crosstraining in running help my swimming?" Not, "are all fast runners fast swimmers?". For me it has been a huge success.
If you had trained specifically for the 800 and longer with the same intensity as you trained for your running, your 800 would be faster than it is now. I'm not denying some cross over benefit but the same amount of time devoted to the actual sport will yield greater results. You don't see a bunch of swimmers taking up marathoning here two months before the meet in Atlanta.
I had already been swimming 5x a week and if anything was getting slower. Running helped me shed 20+ pounds and built up my aerobic conditioning so I could handle the longer swims.
I believe the question was, "Will crosstraining in running help my swimming?" Not, "are all fast runners fast swimmers?". For me it has been a huge success.
If you had trained specifically for the 800 and longer with the same intensity as you trained for your running, your 800 would be faster than it is now. I'm not denying some cross over benefit but the same amount of time devoted to the actual sport will yield greater results. You don't see a bunch of swimmers taking up marathoning here two months before the meet in Atlanta.
