Cross Training 101

Cross Training 101

In the past I have trained for and ran five ½ marathons and each time I began the training for it I thought ‘This is the year I do some serious cross training and really kick butt’.  And each year the same thing happens.  I do the necessary training to complete the race and my cross training consists of playing hockey once a week and watching the NHL playoffs on the couch.  Not exactly what running experts have in mind I am sure!

This year is going to be different! After all I am going to run a full marathon this year (gulp!)
So what kind of cross training should I do?? Swimming? Cycling? Pilates?  Tough Call. 

Swimming seems like a good option, its low impact (good for someone my size), there is minimal equipment required (shorts not a speedo, trust me it’s better for everyone) and swimmers are typically very lean and muscular so it must be a great workout. (That being said the guys I see in the change room after my son’s swimming lesson look a lot less like Michael Phelps and more like Michael Moore!)

Ok, so maybe Cycling would be better. Again it’s low impact, I already have the bike and helmet so equipment is not the issue (no tight shorts for me thank you). Plus riding a bike makes you feel like a kid again, and like swimming cyclist tend to be very lean and muscular. (Blood doping is optional though right????)

Pilates?  My wife does Pilates once a week. Occasionally she comes home after a class and demonstrates some of the things they do during their workout. Let’s just say I haven’t been able to touch my toes since high school and my hamstrings are like guitar strings so Pilates is not going to happen.

What about walking???  That would work; I am doing a ton of it. How much you say??  Lots, remember my comment last time about my daughter being sick and helping me with time management?  Let’s just say she is now having a very hard time sleeping and we have been doing a lot of pacing at night lately. Let’s do some simple math to see if it qualifies as a workout.  My house from the back door to the front hall is approximately 20 feet or just over 6 meters.  Now, how many times would I have to walk from the back door to the front hall to have it equal a workout?  Let’s see if I wanted to walk 5km, that’s 5000 meters.   Divide that by 6, and you get 833. 833 divided by 2 equals 416. So that’s it, if I want to walk 5 km in my house I need to walk from the back door to the front hall, and back 416 times!  Sweet, based on the last two nights I can chalk up a total of about 10 km and two cross training workouts!!

Who needs the pool, bike or Pilates class.  There is obviously no need for me to share a pool with Michael Moore, squeeze myself into a pair of bike shorts or snap my hamstring trying to do some crazy Pilates move. I have my own gym at home and the only equipment I need for it is patience, infant Advil and diapers!