It's Me or the Bike...

Whilst I am gradually, albeit still painfully, transitioning back to running, I thought I would write about something I now hope to be doing less of...cross training. I can appreciate having done it; cardiovascualrly I feel like I have hardly lost any fitness at all despite not running for months. However, I am not going to lie and say that I have enjoyed it. In fact, a lot of the time, I have hated it! I think a lot of runners can empathise with this; after all, we are runners, not aqua joggers or cross trainers (if there are such things). The tv screens in the gym are poor substitues for the visual stimulation of the outdoors and the endorphins released by pool running are nothing compared to the high of flying around a track...

During, my period of not running, my attitude to cross training has undergone a bit of a makeover. One thing that got me thinking a bit more about my approach to cross training is what Bryn does when injured. My boyfriend cycles at a pretty moderate effort whilst playing on his video games. At first I was outraged by this. 'What's the point?', I thought. 'His heart rate must hardly be above walking!'. But somewhere along the way the penny dropped and I got it...

When we are able to train running takes up a big part of our lives. And that's fine with me because I don't mind making sacrifices to do what I love. I will turn down the pub if I have a session the next day or miss out on a lunch out with colleagues if I have a run to do. However, at some point I realised I am not prepared to make these same sacrifices for cross training. I could spend hours and hours in the pool or on the bike but injury is also an opportunity to experience a more 'normal' life for once. If only to remind myself it isn't what I actually want. So, sometimes I will choose my social life over a cross training session and that's okay. Sometimes, if I really can't face a solitary aqua jogging session or cross training workout, I might sign up for a spin or pilates class at my gym. It might not work quite the same energy systems or be as transferrable to running fitness but that's okay too. Because, injury is depressing enough without boring yourself to tears on the cross trainer.



So, I admire Bryn and his playstation cycling sessions. It's better than doing nothing because you can't face another gym session. Exercise is supposed to be fun. Do what you enjoy and you might not come back quite as fit but you will be a lot happier. And theres nothing like positive thinking for helping you recover from injury...So be kinder to yourself during your downtime. Use it as an opportunity to try a new sport, meet new people at a gym class and be a bit less disciplined. Have a bit more of a social life and do things you wouldn't normally have time to do when injured. Of course, thats only if you want too...



And any cross training is better than no training at all!