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How to Balance CrossFit and Running

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Runners tend to fall squarely in two categories:

  • Cross training makes running more fun, by creating variety and speed.
  • Who wants to do anything but run, that is fun.

In either case, we know the benefits of cross training.

So what happens when you enjoy your cross training every bit as much as your run? This seems to happen most frequently now with CrossFit where people develop amazing friendships and enjoy the way being able to pull themselves up a rope makes them feel powerful.

In fact, it became so popular a specific type of training called CrossFit Endurance was created. Going through the founders book Unbreakable Runner, the main thing that jumped out at me was his style means you rarely run. It’s an afterthought.

That to me is the plan of someone who doesn’t love the run, but tolerates it.

I puffy pink paint on a cotton white shirt love my run. If you fall in to that category, this post is for you.

It’s how to balance CrossFit and running in a way that satisfies not just your body, but your soul. Knowing that I’m not a CrossFitter, you’ll be reading great things from others that I trust to see how they do it and why.How to Balance CrossFit and Running

Why CrossFit Benefits Runners

Jess of Blonde Ponytail first started transitioning from a distance runner to someone more focused on CrossFit in 2012 and shared her thoughts back then:

CrossFit is an outstanding way to enhance your endurance training by building strength, flexibility and speed.

As a former collegiate athlete, I appreciate the desire to get better every day, seek new challenges, and be a part of team, something running couldn’t offer me entirely even though I adore it.

So, can you do both?

As a distance runner, I questioned whether I could get an effective workout in just 20 minutes when I would run more than 90 minutes at a time. However, during those 20 minutes, I was pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I was uncomfortable. Challenged.Benefits of CrossFit for runnersCrossFit compliments my running performance.

Here is why so many runners are saying CrossFit has helped them:

  • learn to run on dead legs, mimicking the end of a race
  • another method of increasing mental toughness
  • improves basic movement patterns
  • creates more well rounded strength for better running posture and form
  • endurance building through high intensity moves 
  • workouts are short, so you can fit them in to a busy day

All of that being said, I think running coach SuzLyfe did a great job outlining why it’s so hard to balance:

  • The focus of the workout of the day (WOD) is out of your control, by and large. That means you could be doing major leg movements the day before a track workout.
  • Many power lifts focus on powerful, large muscles. Not necessarily a bad thing, but running requires that you also develop your smaller stabilizing muscles and tendons.
  • Marathon training is exhausting in and of itself; adding CrossFit to the mix (essentially another sport), could lead to overtraining and injury.
  • Marathon training workouts tend to focus on muscular endurance over power, strength, and hypertrophy, which are often focus of CrossFit WODs.crossfit overtraining

How Others are Balancing It

Let’s take a look at some examples of how others are doing it, so you can see there is no one fits all approach and find what matches your goals, injury history and mentality.

2 Days a Week
I love this approach from a Foodie Stays Fit because it jives with how I tend to think about my workouts:

I’m doing CrossFit 1-2x a week, and I’m doing it on the same day as my hard running workouts (Tuesdays and Thursdays).

By doing a hard run + CrossFit on the same day, it allows me a day of complete rest or very easy miles the next day. If I do a hard run one day and do Crossfit the next day, my body responds as if it’s under more stress continually.

faster crossfit

Get Choosey
Tina who also used to be an avid runner
and now tends to enjoy more CrossFit has some great tips as well:

  • Decide which is your priority
  • Choose workouts that most benefit your priority goal
  • Watch for signs of over training
  • Don’t try to do it all balance CrossFit and Running

5 Days a Week – Traditional CrossFit Endurance Style
Another example from Larisa, on deciding that CrossFit was her priority, but she wanted to complete a marathon. Instead of following a standard training plan, she did CrossFit 5 days a week and one weekly long run of no more than 9 miles.

She finished her first marathon in 6 hours with no injuries and felt fully recovered to workout by the next week.

Love your run, but want to try CrossFit? Checkout these tips on balancing the two #fitfluential Click To Tweet

Ultrarunner – Craving Long Runs and Structure
I really recommend reading Alexa’s full post on how she went through trying to follow the traditional CrossFit Endurance style and did enjoy the strength, she also found the workouts were often much tougher than a long run. She had some success, but a number of setbacks and eventually came to a schedule that allowed her to succeed in Ultra’s.

Monday: OFF
Tuesday: shorter run (tempo or interval) + CF
Wednesday: medium long run
Thursday: shorter run + CF (maybe)
Friday: CF (if I didn’t do day before, or if I’m feeling good that week)
Saturday: Long run
Sunday: medium-long run

CrossFit and running endurance As noted, you need to be ready to experiment and listen to your body. You have to see what volume of running and high intensity workouts you can handle or enjoy. It’s also so important to realize that you have to allow time for recovery and varying the intensity of your sweat sessions.

Have you ever tried CrossFit?

What helps you balance strength and distance?

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Posted by amanda Categories: cross training, CrossFit

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [email protected] the Long Way Home says

    February 19, 2017 at 11:34 am

    As you know, I work out with a CF coach. I don’t do the classes because I don’t think they would meet my needs. My coach tailors my sessions to what I’m doing on the road. Since I’m not training for anything right now, we’re in a strength cycle. This is to prepare me for the grueling marathon training I’ll be doing starting in March. As part of my marathon training, she does one day of strength stuff and one day of CF intervals. It’s just been great and has only made me a better runner.

    Interestingly, she did tell me not to read Unbreakable Runner! She doesn’t agree with his philosophy of training. And that is why she’s such an awesome coach. She does not drink the koolade.

  2. Emily Swanson says

    February 22, 2017 at 8:20 am

    I like how you showed the benefits and showed how to structure your plan so your body has time to recover too. I tried Crossfit once, and I really enjoyed it. But I think I could probably only handle 1-2 of them a week. Running is a bit easier on me, but the strength and movement in Crossfit (I think) would definitely benefit my running.

  3. Ken William says

    October 5, 2017 at 2:35 am

    I’ve tried crossfit for a while and I love it. Every week I do CrossFit 1-2x. Running is always easy for me, but for myself, I always combine CrossFit and Running to balance my health. With me CrossFit always benefits me, I am passionate CrossFit.

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Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
SHARE THE ONE that resonates most with you. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏾🏃🏽‍♂️
 
It’s true, I’ll never stop talking about the warm up 😂. But right now the idea that running is HOPEFUL really strikes a chord.💜
 
We show up mile after mile always looking to what’s ahead and what’s possible.
 
Which one hits home for you?
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#runningmotivation #runninginspiration #medalmonday #fitnessmemes #runningmemes #runningquotes #runnerslife #runnerlife
AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review befor AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review before races) -AKA  Bonking. UK friends giggle at that, but it’s a term just like fartlek.
.
It’s that painful moment when your mind tells your legs to stop and it feels like there’s nothing you can do to turn the tides. It leaves emotional scars!🥵
 
WHAT TO DO!
1️⃣Train differently - seems obvious, but consistent training that follows a plan which progressively and smartly builds your miles and strength and speed...ya it works.
 
2️⃣Fuel, fuel, fuel - force yourself to eat before races and long runs even if not hungry.
.
Starting fueling sooner than you think you need to and keep doing it. During races your body is running on more carbs and needs that steady flow of energy. 
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🧠 Your brain functions on CARBS, stop depriving it or it will tell you to stop running. If food while running is an issue for you, checkout something like @genucan.
 
3️⃣Pacing - Stop going out too fast because you’re excited, it absolutely catches up to you. Ideal is even pacing start to finish.
 
4️⃣Pay attention to your brain. @fitzgerald.matt in How Bad Do You Want it does a great job of showing how the brain can limit performance if you don’t know what’s happening up there.
 
5️⃣Recover better - Stop over training and give your body tools to help it destress from all the work...the best one is SLEEP. I also love @resiliencecbd to help with nerves prior to a race and quality sleep during training.
 
❓❓Helpful?? Have more race day questions?? Or an epic story of hitting the wall?? I wanna know.❓❓
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Thanks to @moxie82co for capturing this weird moment, it worked great for this post.
HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mo HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mobility workouts, now we add strength!
//
🥳For the next 30 days in the Virtual Run Club we’ll be going hard on all the pre-hab work for hips, glutes and abs. Because running isn’t just about the miles.
//
That’s one of the reasons I’ve been consistently doing @insidetracker bloodwork since 2015.
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It’s helped me identify low Vitamin D causing fatigue or catch my wayyy high cortisol to embrace easy runs as key part of the process.
📌 (Save this post because the last screen has a 25% off discount code and you can get free access to the 30 Day March Challenge.)
👉LINK IN BIO FOR BOTH
✅✅✅✅
3 CORE MOVES
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You can use these as a progression or do all three, they’ll target the hips, glutes and core in different ways with each variation.
 
Aim for 15 reps prior to a run or do multiple rounds as part of a workout!
 
1️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Hip Raise - Really focus on your core engaging to raise up and keeping your elbow under your shoulder.
 
2️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Leg Raise - Again core should be tight to keep hips lifted, not sagging towards the ground. Then focus on your hip and glute to raise the top leg.
 
3️⃣Straight Leg Side Plank Leg Raise - Engage the core to keep hips high and press the bottom foot in to the ground to really engage your glutes. Slow and steady to remain stable while raising and lowering top leg.
❓❓❓❓
Talk to me!!!
Who’s in for 10 min a day in March?
Who’s gotten blood work to improve their health?
Who’s excited it’s almost spring?
👉👉Me to all 3! And more info in stories!
 
 
 
#runtothefinish #insidetrackerpartner
RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips RUN DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS😊 I had training tips planned to share today, but really just wanted to say I hope you get in some miles today and they make you smile.
 
Let go of the pace.
Let go of the distance.
Let go of HR for a day.
Just run.
We GET to.
 
Where in the world are you running today?
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I’ll be embracing one warm day before snow here in Boulder, CO.
EMOJI POLL: Round or no? ⏰ give me whole numbers EMOJI POLL: Round or no?
⏰ give me whole numbers
👍wherever I stop, it stops
🙃I don’t use no stinking watch
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THAT’S A LIE 😂. I can’t do it. I need the round number and when I get that close to a whole number...I need it!
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