I've been poor and inconsistent about my running in the last couple of years...

However, I'm getting back to rowing. I like to use running for cross-training to improve/support my cardio fitness... but to be honest, I've never been strategic about it. So I'm looking for some input.

In the past, my "goals" have been things like, run all the way around the lake twice a week. But I don't bother with keeping track of pace and don't really bother increasing distance... except when I get comfortable with "around the lake", I might one day a week go "around the lake and over the hill".

Anyway, I think that if I make a running plan, I'll get more benefit from it.

So, those of you who run to support other things, and particularly if any of you row, how do you approach the running part of your training?

I've been competing in flatwater kayaking for 11 years now and started running this year. I also recently started surf life saving and with this they are getting me swimming as well!

I basically started out building up my distance (and I still am). I don't try and do every session hard, most of them are at a moderate pace. I'm really just interested in getting out there and doing the kms. At least once a week I try and do a faster distance session and aim for a PB. Since starting running I decided I want to do a half marathon, so I've been told I need to do some speed work so that will start soon, I'm not sure If you would need to do the speed work if you were doing it simply for cross training...but then again it may mix it up a bit more for you! Since starting running and swimming I have noticed my fitness improve significantly. It really helps.

I hope this was useful in some way :-)

yeah, it's useful, thanks Lex

part of me wonders if I should be adding a short, fast run in the week... the race I row is 6 minutes, tops... I do anaerobic training on the rowing machine... the race is practically a sprint... on the other hand, I know that sustained aerobic excercise helps with overall fitness...

good for you for swimming... holey shirt, despite the fact I'm willing to get into a boat, I have zero interest (due to sheer terror) of actually being IN the water

I'm in terrible shape right now, so I might couch-to-5k to start, just to reintroduce the running (try and avoid injury and maybe improve my chances of not hating running this year).

I used to row over summer and run over winter, but over summer I'd bulk up a lot in my legs and really struggled to get back into running shape. Rowing is a real power activity where you push with your legs, whereas running is more an efficient sport.

Not too sure the two sports are overly compatable.

Few weeks ago there was a cardio seminar in Melb., reported on this forum,

1 of the presenters was former rowing olympian ( sorry forgot his name), sharing his training experiences, he is currently rowing coach ?

It was not untill he and austral;ian rowing team of those days, discovered the pure aerobig rowing, thye incresed their performasnce significantly.

It can be loosely translated Lydiard way of rowing, strictly for months, I think he went through 18 months long aerobic only training to really increase his cruising rowing speed and to become able to go hard all the 2000metsres of it
and winning some medals.

Before it was anaerobic rowing and the suffering and struggless.

Running suporting rowing should be teh same - just easy aerobic running, there is no need to push for distance,

runs of 1 hour - 90 minutes are really fully sufFicient

any suggestions as to alternative cardio xtraining? I'm this || close to giving up running althogether as it is... but because I dislike it, not because I'm worried about acheivement...

Don't give the running away! I use rowing on the concept 2 to supplement my running and find it helps my running no end. If I don't have time to do a hard run I get on the erg and do a 2km or 5km effort and have found my running fitness to stay quite high. Have had an ankle injury for past 2 weeks and have used rowing to maintain fitness but can't wait to run again.

I recommend you use running the same way I use the rower - use it for variety. When you break down the energy systems for rowing 2km it is still highly aerobic so having a 30-60min easy run does translate to help with this. Use hills and stairs to work anaerobically which will help the drive phase of the rowing rather than track work which you may find boring based on your comments WRT running.

Both sports are the best aerobic and general fitness workouts there are - try to find a happy medium and realise that running can help you be a better rower just as rowing is helping me be a better runner.

Good luck!

Do you like aerobics or dance? Before I started running I did aerobics everyday and it did build up my endurance and fitness, Also I was probably more flexible then, I'm only starting to do a bit more now again as I did it too much back then and made myself completely sick of it. But alongside running I still enjoy it now and then as it can be more uplifting change jumping and stretching than doing the same movement monotonously.

I do enjoy spin class, but that's about as close to coordinated group movement as I'm willing to get. Oh, other than that I've taken up yoga recently (to improve balance mostly)... but although it's coordinated group movement, the lack of a best of the '50's or dance party 1992 soundtrack is quite a relief to me.

I admire people who can take those classes without feeling completely out of their element. I'm not so well suited to them.

But, in summary, youse b'ys are saying generally that my cross-training doesn't need to be any more strategic than just doing something else than usual?

'Any Rowers Out There?'

No.

They are all at CoolRowing.com or are in Noo Zilland where going backwards is normal.

Dog.