[Parts one, two and three of Malindi’s four-part series on “How To Become A Faster Runner Through Cross Training” can be found here, here and here.]
By Malindi Elmore
When I was a “pure runner” who supplemented cross training in times of injury or for the purposes of injury prevention, I was very skeptical of the benefits, and rightly so, because I was not doing it properly!
What I have tried to convey in my previous posts is that cross training should be approached as actual training. It should also be structured and goal-oriented, just like your running. Doing an easy 30-minute spin session with your heart rate barely above resting does not qualify as cross training; nor does going at a frantic heart-bursting intensity.