Does cross training make you faster?

Short answer: No

Long answer: Also no.

sent to steal your gains wrote:

say you're running 70 mph (arbitrary). whether or not you're physically maxed out mileage wise, won't cross training give you some aerobic gains (i.e. make you faster) as compared to doing 70 mpw with no cross training?

Would walking 2h a day make you a better runner?

somebloke wrote:

sent to steal your gains wrote:

say you're running 70 mph (arbitrary). whether or not you're physically maxed out mileage wise, won't cross training give you some aerobic gains (i.e. make you faster) as compared to doing 70 mpw with no cross training?

Would walking 2h a day make you a better runner?

The answer is no, just in case some dummy fails to get the sarcastic tone.

Bad2Good wrote:

14 hours? wrote:

14 hours of cross training on top of 70mpw?

I can' even make myself do 7 hours of cross training when i'm trying to get over an injury and get myself back running. i'd rather just sit on the couch.

Lulz, when I was injured last outdoor, I literally biked and swam for about 2-3 hours a day. I was too afraid of getting fat and becoming slow. Its all about your priorities and how much self discipline you have.

Same fears man, same fears.

I don't think anyone would argue that running is the best training for running. Specificity of training and all that.

Everyone seems to have that set point of how many miles a week they can run before the injury train comes a calling. There is also a limit to how fast one should increase ones mileage.

There have been numerous cases of very fast runners getting injured and going to pool running, and then getting back to close to previous running fitness levels within weeks of resuming running. That too me points to the fact that pool run is probably specific enough to net gains as a secondary activity.

If one is increasing their mileage gradually there comes a time where you aren't quite ready for another mileage boost but you could handle more training involving non pounding stuff. It seems pretty reasonable that comparing X mileage to X mileage and another 2-3 hours of pool running, one could reach a higher fitness level and in turn faster running. Then drop the pool running down add more mileage and repeat.

One other aspect that non running activities help with is recovery, swimming, pool running etc. (at least for me) seems to help my recovery for the next workout.

Finally there is weight loss/management, extra weight is not the runners friend, adding some extra workouts purely for calorie burning can help drop the extra weight etc..

The caveat here is that pool running makes baby pandas weep because it is so boring.....

Cross training isn't as bad as former D1 says but he has some valid point. Running is the most running specific training. Period. BUT: Cross training can help to keep your muscles relaxed, give you some additional aerobic benefit, help you lose more weight, become a better overall athlete. Oh. And stay healthy. But it really should be an addition to your running. Not replace it.

I never cross trained and found out 1 or 2 times per week on the bike in addition to my running (usually 100 - 120 MPWish in 9 or 10 sessions) even if it's short help my muscles to relax and 1 or 1 times per week in the weight room imrove my form as I have very weak glutes, etc.

So I am a better athlete with 2 hours or so cross training added because it helps my running volume and quality to break up the routine.

BUT: Again I have to say my running volume is already high. I run 29:xx for 10k btw and have run multiple marathons in the 2:15 - 2:20 range and look for the next step. So find what helps you running even more and faster. If that's cross training, fine. If not - so be it.

Videos of Geb on an exercise bike have been around long before he retired, idiot.

formerD1 wrote:

If youre going to make the claim that cross training makes you faster, which is a tall claim indeed, you should at least be aware that the vast body of evidence suggests that it doesnt.

Yet idiots continue to cherry pick the one example of an elite runner who does some cross training as proof.

We get it. Running is hard. You dont want to run anymore and want an easy "cheat code". Sorry, but cross training isnt it.

People who do succesfully cross train are usually those who are on the verge of injury. Or those who simply couldnt handle any more mileage, since they are already running over 100mpw. This does not apply to you or most anyone else on this forum.

Cross training will never make you faster. It may substitute for running to a degree, but that is 100% dofferent

Youre a moron who lets his emotions get in the way of logical thinking.

Cross-training is good, not because its better than running, but because it decreases your chances of injury and allow you to get more training done. People are different, some cant handle only running, some can. Injuries are a huge problem and if you decrease the chances of that you'll increase your chances of running fast. Theres plenty of great runners far better than you that do cross-train and have done it from a young age. Its not cherry picking, its what a lot of far greater runners than you do.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I never cease to be amazed at how quickly these threads get ugly and mean-spirited. But getting back to the OP, I agree with those who are saying that some cross training can help one become a better/faster runner. As some have already pointed out, Meb ran a PR at age 39 with some cross training in his program. I also think of Luke Puskedra, who ran a 2:10:24 at Chicago last month. I've read that he spends some time on a bike every week. But having said that, I do think that the original poster may be overdoing it. 14 hours a week on top of 70 miles of running seems a bit much. I would encourage him to cut back on the cross training in his next training cycle - to about 6 or 7 hours a week, and dial up the intensity on some of his runs. After he sees how that works for him he may want to try the "high running volume no CT" approach that the former D1 is advocating. Who knows, that approach may work best for him. There is no "one size fits all" training program. Every individual is an experiment of one!

according to Thomas Curtin of Virginia Tech, yes cross training makes you a better runner.

"Curtin did not get much of a chance to hit the weight room in high school. He credits his strength training at Tech for helping him blossom.

“I had no core strength. I had no upper-body strength,” Curtin said. “When I came here, we’d do weightlifting stuff and I could barely lift the bar.

“There’s a whole lot more to running than just running.”"

Please tell me Sam is short for Samantha and hot+sane. I volunteer as training partner for her.

Where did I say that I got laid for 4 hours a day? I never said that. I wish!

Listen, there are some valid points about cross training. But for Pete's sake, most of it NEVER APPLIES TO MOST RUNNERS.

YES, if you're running "on the brink of injury", meaning, your mileage is so high than any increase in running will seriously risk injury, then YES by all mean supplement with cross training (if you're running 40mpw this does NOT apply to you).

YES, if you're getting older and you can no longer keep up the mileage and would like to cut back on your mileage and replace with cross training, then YES, cross training can help you and minimize the loss of fitness.

"Oh but you can get injured running 50mpw!" - YES, if you are stupid and running like an idiot with bad/wrong shoes, overweight or terrible form. If you are getting injured on low miles (under 70mpw), then you have bigger problems than cross training.

What the OP was asking, is whether cross training in and by itself can make you faster. The answer is NO. It is a decent substitute, but for almost everyone in the world who is running well UNDER their total potential training load, the best thing is to run more.

But let's face reality. MOST people attempt cross training because they are either too lazy or too scared of actually trying to push their mileage load even higher. Patiently increasing your mileage base to 100 mpw takes a lot of time, patience and effort. Most people would rather simply just hop on a bike / in a pool, actually have some "fun" with the variation and stay in their 60mpw comfort zone.

Comparing the above hobby joggers with people like Meb, who strategically cross trains because he is already over 100mpw, is a complete farce.

Well, Ali Brownlee would beat you with closed eyes - and half your running milage.

So yes, crosstraining is for nothing.

Please dont make me laugh. Ali was running 5 minute mile PBs and 2:33 800m in 2000 when at the same age I was hittinf 1:50 and 4:10s.

He was a mediocore runner so he moved to triathlon. Wow. Posting 5k times in the 14s as a professional endurance athlete, I am so impressed.