I can’t believe tomorrow I’m driving down South for a few days for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon.  It almost seems depressing that I’ll only be a few hours from home yet I won’t be in the VA Beach area.  My post isn’t about VA Beach or traveling though. 

I have often wondered if cross training when you don’t feel like running is beneficial.  I’ll preface this by saying that I have absolutely no idea the correct answer to that.  I’m not going to sit here and throw around facts that I made up. I’m also not going to say, I blog therefore have the credentials to give you unwanted training (or life) advice. I will, however, tell you what has worked for me in this training cycle.  (I consider everything past my cyst injury this training cycle really).

Since roughly January, I’ve taken a day off weekly to either cross train or not work out at all depending on my mood.  Often times, it’s because of some weird problem I’m having of the day…sick…eye problems…sleeping…but other times it’s because I am focusing to taper (like tomorrow).

I’ve found that I’m still able to run the next day and didn’t lose all my endurance…go figure…not all of us hate days off…  I am the first to tell you that all while preparing for an overzealous cross country season last year I didn’t take a lot of rest days.  It wasn’t because I felt “compelled” to hit a certain mileage (because I’m hitting roughly the same mileage now with an off day).  It was because I was training differently.

Everyday I’d run roughly 5-8 miles before it got to be 100000 degrees.  Then maybe I’d run a few more in the form of a speed workout in the afternoon.  Heatbox speed…only made me stronger.  I don’t know, I hit my fastest 5k in 90 degree heat back in July.

I’d cross train on top of an 8 mile run sometimes…other times I’d just take PM off.  I took a few rest days sometimes.  What I’m telling you is that I basically cross trained and ran the same amount just layed out differently.  Instead of an entire day dedicated to just cross training, I’d run lower mileage throughout the week and just cross train…or take pm’s off.

Now I run higher mileage 6 out of 7 days of the week and then take a day away from running.  Not purposely but that is just how the cookie has started to crumble.

I think in this self guided thought processed blog.  (ie: my thinking about my training out loud),  I think I somewhat like having a day to just cross train as well.  It makes me crave running the next day.  (not in the same way I crave cookies though…).

Everyone’s body works differently and to think that you can umbrella yourself into one particular style or training method.  Sure there is a general method to improving, but how I choose to run may or may not work for you…just as you choose to train and run may or may not work for me. 

Questions for you:  Does your training change?