Setting A Personal Best In The Army Ten Miler
I went into the Army Ten Miler feeling like I hadn’t trained for it, but after I finished with an all-time personal record, I have been reflecting on what I was doing during those weeks leading up to the Army Ten Miler. My best guess is that all that cycling combined with my solid running base helped me cross the finish line smiling. So, here’s what I learned about how to cross train for running your best race.
1. Choose an activity that builds up your cardiovascular endurance.
As I was starting across the 14th Street Bridge, about 7 1/2 miles into the race, I realized how good I felt. Even though I had been maintaining a pace a full minute faster than my usual training pace, I didn’t feel winded or tired. I think my long bike rides have made a big difference in my cardiovascular endurance, since I have gotten used to riding hard for 2 or more hours.
2. Choose an activity that builds up your mental endurance.
You’ve probably heard that running is a mental sport, and it’s true. It takes a lot of positive self-talk and encouragement to keep putting one foot in front of the other mile after mile. Sometimes you even have to play tricks on yourself, or talk yourself through one block at a time. While I am sure that my weekly spinning classes helped make my legs stronger, I also think they helped improve my mental game, as I learned to push through one interval after another, even as I was dripping rivers of sweat.
3. Strengthen your muscles with focused weight training.
Even as I added spinning and cycling to my weekly schedule, I kept doing a basic strength training routine 2-3 days a week. My basic routine includes good mornings, lunges, squats, push-ups, planks, and upper body exercises to help strengthen my weaker muscles and prevent muscle imbalances that can lead to injury.
4. Don’t forget to run!
Of course, you need to do some running in between all of this cross training. I usually ran 3 times per week, doing 4-5 mile runs on weekdays and an 8-10 mile run on the weekend. What I didn’t do (and why I feel like I didn’t train for the Army Ten Miler) is specific running workouts–hill repeats, hill intervals, track work, etc. It was hard enough to keep up with a basic running routine with all my travel, but I did it.
I ran in Boston.
I ran in Boulder.
I ran in Chicago.
Oops, I didn’t take a running picture!
I ran in New York City.
I even ran in Central Park the day before the Army Ten Miler!
And, I ran when I was home.
So, that’s what I know about how to cross train for running your best race!
I cross trained for my recovery too. The Monday after the Army Ten Miler I did the Forward Bends program on my Rodney Yee DVD, some extra stretching, and some foam rolling. Tuesday I went to a 6:00 am spinning class at RevolveDC. Wednesday I did three rounds of the HITC workout using 45 second intervals. Thursday I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (I was going to go for a run, but I was not in the mood to bundle up for our suddenly cold weather!). Friday I did a full body weights routine. By Saturday I was ready to run, even though it was still cold!
I have one more race on my calendar this year–a new 12K in mid-November. Despite my success not training for the Army Ten Miler, I think I will throw some hill repeats and speed intervals into rotation over the next few weeks. After my surprising 10 mile PR, I am tempted to set an aggressive goal for the 12K, but my fear of injury may hold me back.
Do you cross train, or do you focus on the one thing you love?
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I know Ive told you a million times 🙂 BUT I never did…until I was forced to out of paininjury.
I waited till 40.
I tell everyone not to be me: CROSSTRAIN as a preventative measure.
As I was reading your post, my first thought was that you also made it to the starting line injury free. There must be something to the cross training thing. YAY!! Congrats again on the PR.
I’m still loving that Washington Monument pic, so amazing.
Thanks! Yes, being injury-free makes a huge difference. I hope you get there soon.
How did your running mileage compare? I think you may have run more!! Not getting injured is key, and while I still don’t think cross training improves running the way running improves running, it helped keep you injury free. Bottom line is that you are in fantastic shape from all you do!
You know, I don’t track my mileage very closely. It might have been a bit higher since when I travel I might have time for a 5 or 6 mile run on a weekday instead of just 4.
I completely agree that cross training has a significant impact on running performance. Not only does it make us physically stronger, but I also think it has a huge impact on the mental as well. Just knowing that you’ve conquered so much definitely helps in building mental endurance for those long runs and races!
I also think spinning/cycling helped make me a stronger runner. You’re right, those 2 hour rides really gave you a solid endurance boost without the pounding on your body. Great tips!
Great point on spinning being easier on your body too. Although using “spinning” and “easier” in the same sentence doesn’t seem quite right!
Nice work! I’d love to run my fastest 1/2 ever this June. I’m injured now, so it’s going to be amazing to watch a few months of bodyweight training and cross training to see what I can do! Great post….xo
Oh, you have a lot of time to recover. I was dealing with injuries earlier in the year but I was really good about doing my physical therapy exercises and keeping up with those darn planks!
I completely agree that cross training has a significant impact on running performance. Not only does it make us physically stronger, but I also think it has a huge impact on the mental as well. Just knowing that you’ve conquered so much definitely helps in building mental endurance for those long runs and races!
Yes – I totally cross train! I can’t run more than about 3x a week anymore but I like to sweat every day so cross training keeps me sane!
I love that you PRed even with less running thanks to the cross training!
Great tips! Esp Choose an activity that builds up your mental endurance!
Always the hardest part.
Yes, so true. Although running on the treadmill might be the best way to really test my mental endurance. 😉
Great tips! I’m definitely with you on mental endurance. If there’s one thing I’ve learned….you have to learn to surpass the negative thinking when your mind tells you you can’t! Because, you can 🙂
That’s so awesome and these are such great tips. Cross-training is so important and really helps to balance things out. And I agree with you and Kierston – mental endurance is so important.
Congrats! Glad to know it all paid off.
I’m thinking about running the 12k also! (since I am not running my Richmond goal marathon due to injury in late August….) Maybe I’ll see you there. There really isn’t enough time for me to do any training specific for the 12k since it’s <3 weeks and it takes a couple of weeks to get a training effect, but I'm doing a few hills/intervals and some tempo work along with my long runs. May just see what I can do on the day. It's a fairly unique distance, so an automatic PR. 🙂
I hadn’t thought about the time it takes to see a training effect. Interesting. I’m not sure I’ve done a 12K before. I’ve done an 8K and a 15K, so you’re right, it could be an automatic PR!
I definitely believe in cross training. So very important. I know people who primarily focus on the running aspect and while that is GOOD I think they are taking the easy way out. You MUST lift to get stronger to ENDURE the hills, declines plus other challenges along a run route.
Sounds like that bike and weight training really helped you out. Congrats on your PR!
this is great! I cross train as well. Like you, I’m a fan of the bike. I like that it’s a non-impact sport. I try to keep my run training to 3x per week so that my knee doesn’t get all cranky with me.
Running three times a week seem to be the right balance for me too. Enough to train well, while not too much to tempt injuries!
Congrats on your PR!
I love your list of cross training tips, it’s so important. When I was training for my marathon I wasn’t sure if I had trained enough but what I was doing was a lot of cross training, weight training, hills, and just running! It worked out great! I felt great during and after the race.
Weight training is so important but I found that I had to stop lifting heavy weight with my legs (squats, etc.) because my legs were always so fatigued and the muscles were knotted. When I cut back or did other strength training exercises it wasn’t as bad.
Always learning something new! 🙂
thanks,
Sami
Ah, yes. When I do my strength training M/W/F, I always go light on my legs on Fridays so they are not tired for my long run on Saturday. I’m focusing on my back/shoulder, in the hope that strengthening those muscles will help them not get so sore on my long bike rides. 😉
Great post! I’m so tempted to run and only run. My crosstraining is weights and yoga.
Yoga is great. I need to keep doing it, and probably should do it more often.
When I started running, I was only running 3 days a week. The other days were cross training days.
I now run 4 days a week, and still cross train those other days. Cross training has definitely made me a better and faster runner.
My cross training is weights, pilates & yoga.
I will be trsvekw to Chicago for the first times in a few weeks and hope to get a nice run in around the city. I never heard of a 12k distance before. Goodluck in your training.
Man, you get to run in some great places! So jealous!
Says the woman who just ran in Napa!
Santa Barbara wine country, not napa….yea, but how often does that happen….every 6 years!
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