Treating your training plan like a reliable family recipe is great until you realize Grandma never had to train for a marathon in July. Runners often resist changing their routine, but according to this piece from Outside, “Why You Need to Experiment with Your Training Recipe,” sticking too rigidly to the script can stall progress. Fitness coach Pete Rea learned this when an injury-prone athlete stayed healthy and qualified for the US Olympic Trials after swapping running volume for six to seven hours of non-running activities like pool running.
Since the weather’s heating up, embracing non-running activities like swimming can bring a lot of benefits. “The Case for ‘Wild Swimming’ This Summer” notes that immersion in frigid water has potential correlations with injury prevention, decreased blood pressure, and an increased metabolic rate. It may also trigger a rush of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin that can combat burnout. And of course, it helps you cool off when the heat is relentless.
As it turns out, the benefits of blue spaces might extend beyond your cooldown. According to “Living next to water could make you live longer: study,” researchers found a 12-17% reduced risk of dying for individuals living within 250 meters of a body of water compared to the rest of a city’s population, though the benefit fades beyond 500 metres. Before you start house hunting on the lakefront, consider the study’s limitations, as it does not account for factors like diet or exercise, meaning healthier people might simply choose to live near the water. Even still, if you’re in need of a change, substituting some miles for a wild swim could be the fresh ingredient your training recipe needs. And for even more ideas, you can check out Greg McMillan’s article on “The Best Cross Training for Runners.”
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