Fitness Schedule

Walls

As a result of my changing jobs, I will no longer have free access to a swimming pool.

Therefore, to ensure I can still eat now and again and also keep fit, I'm going to be doing a lot more running from March onwards. At the moment I'm doing 7k once a week, which ties in perfectly with the short half hour sessions in the pool i do three times a week.

I am of the opinion that a straightforward substitution should really suffice - that is, about three half hour sessions consisting of sprints or speed work. (this also fits in with my schedule, in that I should be able to do it after work and before dinner and the like).

Anyone any tips, suggestions, or warnings? I'm hoping to post back on progress and obstacles as they come up.

tunney

Doing only speed work is a bad idea. In fact most running coaches will recommend that people get up to doing 20-30 miles per week before even starting spped work.

Doing only speed work will result in poor performance and increased injuries.

When switching from swimming to running the main thing to consider is the impact difference. If you approach running wrong you WILL get injured. Get a copy of Bod Glovers "Runners handook" or "Competitive Runners handbook".

Walls

Excellent, thank you very much.

I'm planning to start the training in March (not long now) so will report back then.

tunney

Why wait the month?

(not that I can talk, I've had to cut back to only a few hours a week cause of work commitments for the next 2 months)

Reyman

One piece of advice in moving from swimmimg to running.

You may be very aerobically fit from the swimming but lack adequate leg strength to run hard initially.

Swimmers 'never have legs' so careful of injuring yourself early on!

Walls

Why wait the month?

Because I'm here until the end of the month and until then, I still have the pool to splash around in.:)

You may be very aerobically fit from the swimming but lack adequate leg strength to run hard initially

I've noticed this already, but hope to firstly train on a soft surface (i.e., grass) and secondly have good absorbing running shoes.

So the plan would be to start slow, lengthy jogs, with only occasional speed works, and then reduce the ratio between the two. Anything else I'm missing?

tunney

Form, form, form. As a swimmer you know the importance of body position, posture, and getting each movement right. The majority of people thinking "running? you just put one foot in front of the other, and do it over and over very quickly". However if you want to avoid injury and use energy effieciently you have to have good form. Back straight, head up as if you're being pulled up by some rope coming out of your head. Pelvis stable is the big one, the one that will help avoid injuries. To keep your pelvis stable you have to work on your core stability. Basically when you run your pelvis shouldn't move a centimetre. Practically everyones does but the less yours does the less you are likely to be injured.

Trojan

Originally posted by Walls
I've noticed this already, but hope to firstly train on a soft surface (i.e., grass) and secondly have good absorbing running shoes.

Dunno how relevant this is to your situation, but I find running on a treadmill a lot easier than grass or concrete. Depends on the machine I guess, but they're quite absorbant (and also give me less blisters).

Al.