Runners are notorious creatures of habit. Every week looks remarkably similar: The weekend long run, the Tuesday speed session, the Thursday tempo workout. So if a runner gets hurt and a doctor offers the terrible prescription of “a break from running,” the sidelined athlete may panic: There go the racing plans, PR aspirations, and carte blanche to eat dessert. Now what? What do people do on a Tuesday when a track workout isn’t an option?
Don’t despair. A sensible cross-training program can help you stay in shape until it’s safe to run again. “Cross-training workouts can mimic running workouts to help you sustain aerobic fitness,” says Tom McGlynn, a three-time qualifier for the Olympic Marathon Trials and founder of Focus-N-Fly, an online coaching service. Studies show that following a cross-training plan will help you make a faster return to your former fitness level when you resume running.
Having a structured cross-training plan can also help keep your psyche healthy, especially if you feel lost without a schedule, says Stan Beecham, Psy.D., an Atlanta, Georgia sports psychologist. “A schedule creates order, and runners like to maintain the order that their training brings to their day,” he says. “An injury that disrupts a training schedule can leave you feeling depressed, focusing on what you can’t do. A cross-training schedule forces you to think about what you can do.”
So, first, figure out what kinds of activities you have access to and discuss with your doctor which ones won’t aggravate your injury. McGlynn says to choose exercises that allow you to maintain at 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. “Your cross-training effort must be high to provide the same physiological benefit as running,” McGlynn says. “For example, on the elliptical, you’ll need to pump your arms instead of holding onto the bars. Just make certain that your injury doesn’t worsen as a result of these activities.”
Elliptical: Intervals—45 to 60 minutes: 5-minute warm-up; 8 to 14 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes easy; 5-minute cooldown. Maintain heart rate above 80 percent during intervals. Endurance workout—60 to 120 minutes: 10-minute warm-up; 7 minutes hard/3 minutes easy; 10-minute cooldown.
Pool Running: Pump your arms; lift your knees. Intervals—45 to 60 minutes: 10-minute warm-up; 3 to 5 cycles of 10 x 50 seconds all-out/10 seconds easy. After each cycle, do 2 minutes easy. Cool down for 10 minutes. Maintain heart rate above 80 percent during intervals. Endurance workout—60 to 120 minutes: 10-minute warm-up; 10 minutes hard/2 minutes easy; 10-minute cooldown.
Biking: Hit the roads if you’re experienced. Otherwise, stick with a stationary bike or spin class. Intervals—45 to 60 minutes: 1- to 3-minute climbs; recovery at 50 percent as long. Maintain heart rate above 80 percent during intervals.
Endurance Workout: Intervals—60 to 120 minutes: 10-minute warm-up; 10 minutes hard/2 minutes easy; 10-minute cooldown.
Swimming: An ideal no-impact activity, but you must be a proficient swimmer to obtain the needed aerobic benefits.