Cross Training for Marathoners

The musculoskeletal system and all its subtle nuances are subject to the biological limits that are placed upon it by the lifestyle of its owner, as well as its genetic and physiological predispositions. Running is a harsh, stressful, impact-laden kind of aerobic workout. It is quite a bit different from sports such as swimming or skiing, in that the athlete “hits the wall” much sooner and is pushed a great deal harder. Any other aerobic activity can be used to condition the heart and increase cardiovascular health without stressful injuries and destructive activity. So long as the heart can pump more blood and help circulate oxygen and nutrients more effectively, the exercise is beneficial.
Running is, however, a sport unto its own and without actually running and pushing the body to run more often, marathons will be out of reach. Cardiovascular health is not the only factor that brings runners to victory. Different muscle groups are trained during cross training activities and the proper body ergonomics are not able to be practiced if running is not regularly practiced. Therefore, runners should continue to run, cyclists should ride a bicycle, and swimmers should stay in the water. Each athlete will fail at the other’s expertise.
When injury rears its ugly head, cross training can also provide the rest and alternative activity needed so that an athlete can more easily regain his former prowess. While training for marathons, the odds of being injured rise every time the runner goes out to run, and getting injured is physically traumatic for the body. If training has to stop completely, to allow time for an injury to heal properly, this can also be mentally traumatic. Most veteran runners become accustomed to the daily routine and when they get injured it all changes. This is where cross training comes in. Cross training uses a different style of activity to train the same parts of the body.
There are different activities that can be done if an injury arises. Finding one that works the same muscles and gets the heart rate up without adding extra strain or tension to the existing injury can be difficult. For a runner, the best kind of cross training includes water running, skiing, and even the use of a step machine. All of these activities use most of the same muscles as running without most of the harmful stress. Cross training in the aforementioned areas can even continue to improve a runner’s target heart rate. With water running over the body, it will feel weightless. This will help with the pain of the injury as well. Cycling does not work the same muscle groups, and, as such, should be a choice only if it is a priority to enhance one’s cardio respiratory fitness. Doing some cross training is better than doing none at all. Risking the loss of everything is what waits without any cross training.
When doing cross training activities, do not do them for the same distance. Train for the same amount of time. Small breaks may need to be taken between training sessions if the target heart rate cannot be reached. For example, if the runner needs to cross train for forty minutes, the time of his daily run, he may need to break that up throughout the day into smaller workouts. Increase the duration of the training slowly until the total time can be reached continuously.
Overtraining situations are another common excuse to engage in cross training. Of course, if the program is being followed carefully, overtraining should not occur, but if it does, the idea is to swap activities for one that no longer over-stresses the injured area, but allows for an unbroken progression of gradual adaptation for the body. A runner might switch to swimming or cycling, both of which maintain the cardio respiratory system but also significantly reduce the trauma to the body in general.
These methods can even be used as a recovery or relaxation tool. A short bike ride or a swim helps to recover from a long run the previous day and helps the muscles safely warm up prior to a run as well. Other usages for cross-country training can be found on poor weather days, when running is not always a good idea.

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