striker1064
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2018
Interesting to hear your experience with different training balances! I like doing other kinds of workouts, especially strength training, in addition to running, which is what drew me to the Higdon novice plans as well for my upcoming HM. But I wonder if I might be better off switching to something with more running when I start training for the marathon.
@DopeyBadger is very much the person who would know about this, but almost everything I've ever read states that the main thing that will make you a better runner is more running. Running more easy miles for a longer duration will make you a better runner over pretty much everything else. The only exception is if you're pushing 90-100 miles per week already without any injury issues; then it makes sense to incorporate strength training and other kinds of workouts. But at the weekly distances the vast majority of us are running, the gains made from other types of workouts are always going to be marginal compared to the gains made from running. And I think that tracks pretty logically. When I'm trying to hone a specific skill, I practice that skill, not other things. There may be other things I can do that help around the edges of whatever I'm trying to improve, but by and large the thing that makes me the most better is practicing the specific skill. Anecdotally, this has tracked for me with running as well. I did other workouts along with a little less running volume for my first HM. I did really well at that race, but that's also when I set out to really improve my running, and I started running more and doing other things less. It's made me a better runner. Conversely, I'm a much worse power lifter than I was when I was deadlifting and squatting 3x times per week, but those things aren't my personal goals anymore. At least not right now.
All that being said, I think it's important to remember one thing -
Try and find ways to make running not something you have to do, but that you get to do. A privilege more than an obligation.
If you like doing other workouts, they're certainly not hurting you! They may not make you as much of a better marathoner as replacing them with more running would, but if replacing all your other activities with running makes running something you have to do, then that's going to be worse in the end than keeping your normal routine.