Seeking a better country...

I try to keep my mouth shut about crossfit b/c I never know when its going to get me in trouble... but if you want something good to read, check this out:

http://www.scienceofrunning.com/2012/01/crossfit-endurance-tabata-sprints-and.html

I'm not saying crossfit / crosstraining / etc is bad - but for 99.4% of people, if you want to get better at RUNNING, then you should spend the majority of your time RUNNING. Even slow recovery runs. They add up, and they matter.

Also - I should have told you this yesterday, but a good way to not feel guilty about drinking mtn dew is to mix in an EmergenC packet. That way you get your Vitamin C, electrolytes, and the nectar of the gods. The lemon lime EmergenC blends in perfectly. Just don't shake it up b/c it will EXPLODE!

I think there comes a point when you know yourself and your body well enough to know which shoes will work for you and what won't. I may by horrible, but I don't really believe in jumping on the barefoot wagon. I'm a pampered princess with my shoes and I like it that way. I think there ARE benefits to it, but you know your own body better than anyone else.

I think x-training is great to keep up our muscular balance and strength since endurance athletes tend to lose muscle mass, but we have to balance it with our training plans for running. Maybe once a week on your easy run days? When you figure out a perfect balance, let me know, will ya? :)

i agree that to get better and faster at running, you need to RUN. just remember jakes' blog title: there is no secret...

i DO think that incorporating different forms of cross training into your weekly schedule to *supplement* your running (rather than replace it) can be very, very beneficial. the form of cross training will depend on the person. maybe you need to focus on strengthening your core, maybe you need a weekly spin session to help move the "garbage" out of your legs, or maybe you just need a lot of walking and stretching, etc. i think it's a matter of experimentation to see how your body responds and discover what helps you stay strong and healthy through your training cycles.

Totally agree, allie. Extra ancillary exercise is absolutely beneficial. It can turn weaknesses into strengths, and improve the quality and quantity of running that you can do, injury-free.

I guess I get frustrated when I read the "train for the marathon w/ crossfit and only do 6 mile long runs" type articles. Unfortunately there are a lot of them these days.

Rad, jumping on any moving wagon is a dangerous game. You could miss, slip and hit your head. I'm with you in that I benefit from the cushioning. Why require your body to absorb all the impact when there is better living available through the magical world of polymers? If I were serious about eliminating my dependence on fossil fuels, I would have to forgo running shoes, but for now I just pay lip service.

Jake, training for a marathon with a 6 mile long run is pretty much a guarantee that it will be your only marathon, and a miserable experience. I read the article you linked; very entertaining.

Allie, I mean, allie, you just won't stop with the planks, will you? I need to make it a habit at the end of the treadmill sessions to get down on the cold cement and engage the core. You are spot on that it is beneficial.

i liked the article as well, especially this line: "if i took off 6 months and did nothing i could still finish a marathon. it doesn’t mean my program of doing nothing worked."

i think if people can get something out of crossfit and find enjoyment from this type of exercise, then they should totally go for it. it's definitely better than nothing. it seems like it's a good program for general fitness/building strength, but i don't think it's a sound training method if one is preparing for a marathon. i find it very irksome when i hear claims about crossfit providing better results without having to commit all that TIME to training and running. marathon training takes time...lots of time. time spent running (and even more time spent blogging about running). there's no way around it...

anyway, back to my original reason for commenting: jill wagner is most definitely a comidienne extraordinaire (so is dawn french).

Lots of good points and references in this discussion. At the end it comes down to choosing science and experience over marketing stunts. I would just add that when recovery runs keep you tired and un-recovered, then those runs are just too fast/intense. I only recently discovered myself how a nice and very slow 45-60 minutes jog will feel like you're actually gaining energy as you go, like you're charging up and at the same time loosening up and relaxing, rather than the opposite.

Nice week ! I need to do more speed work. I need a partner for that more than I do a long run maybe. How could we get two treadmills together? Hum.

I'm with the majority on the xfit discussion. I think it can be beneficial as far as stregthening less used muscles, but I totally disagree with their philosophy on running.

Kinvaras are nice, but I have to rotate them out every other run for a more supportive shoe or my legs start to feel achy.

I'm sure xfit is a killer workout, but it definitely doesn't seem well suited to distance running. At this point, I'm already so buff, huge and powerful that I already frighten small children and many adults, so I'm going to leave those workouts to someone else.

Claudio, I need to do a better job of ignoring pace and competitive urges sometimes, and just let those slow miles unroll.