The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide 69
Interval workouts are a great way to
improve performance.Varying Your Workouts
It is good idea to vary your daily running mileage so you have some “light” days in
between heavy training. Avoid running long distances on two consecutive days, unless you
are training for a marathon, to give your body time to recover. Listen to your body and pace
yourself accordingly.
Most importantly,
it is good to cross-train.
Consider biking, swimming, stair-climbing or other activities that will provide a
good aerobic workout while mainly using muscles other than those used during running. A
major benefit of cross training is that it prevents the onset of over-use injuries while
maintaining fitness. For information about cross-training see Chapter 3: Cardiorespiratory
Conditioning. Strength training, especially upper body strength workouts, have become an
important part of a “runner’s” overall workout. It is recommended that you strength train
two to three times a week (see Chapter 6).
Common Running Injuries or Problems
Most running injuries are due to “over use” from running too much, i.e. too fast, too
far, or too often. See Chapter 12: Training and Sports Related Injuries for more information
about injuries. The following table shows the incidence of various running injuries that
were reported by male runners in a recent survey (Adapted from Running Injury-Free By
Joe Ellis with Joe Henderson, Rodale Press, 1994).