Out of my 3 marathons my best one was my third race at the Dallas White Rock marathon. I had followed a plan from Runners World that had me running only 3 days a week. I ran short intervals, mid distance tempo runs and long runs. I stayed injury free (even though it was the typical build up to a 20 miler 3 weeks out) and had a great run! Four weeks later, I won a 5k here in Waxahachie. Sure it was a small local race, but I was pumped!
A year later, I found CrossFit. The strength training was a challenge for me but I could still run well even though it was no longer my primary focus. Two years into CrossFit with zero extra run training, I ran the Cowtown Half and was only 5 minutes slower than my best! Again, pumped! This time for different reasons. I was enjoying the varied fitness CrossFit was throwing at me and at the same time I could still do well at another fitness endeavors that seemed totally unrelated.
Three years into my CrossFit journey, I really got into CrossFit Endurance. I used it as my training for a few endurance relays- The Texas Independence Relay and The Capital to Coast. I’ve run each of these races twice. This last race C2C5 (2014) I can say I honestly I ran five specific “training runs” for that race.
Say what?
That’s right. At the event, I ran 24 miles over the course of 31 hours with only 5 specific training runs. Want to know what they were?
1) 200m repeats x10
2) 400m, 600m, 800m x3 (rest was equal to work)
3) 3 mile run
4) 3 mile morning run/ 3 mile evening run
5) 5 mile “long” run
What else did I do? I rowed, squatted, performed muscle ups, did double unders (rope jumps), push weight overhead. I did rounds of running and kettlebell swings with pull ups. In other words, I did CrossFit. It’s my sport. I love it. But what I truly love about it is the preparation it gives me for just about anything.
The C2C5 was by far my best race. I enjoyed it. I loved running with my teammates. I loved the fact that 10 out of the 11 of my team were CrossFitters who like me scarcely prepared for this race.
Am I the “best” runner I could be? No. I’m not a specialist. I’m just a guy who enjoys doing unconventional things and preparing for them in a different way than most.
Could you benefit from some strength training? Will something like this work for you? Most likely.
Would you like to try it? Shoot me an email and get signed up for an Elements Class- Chris@CrossFitWaxahachie.com