After talking to a coworker about her always being half-marathon ready when it came to her fitness level, and then later connecting with someone on Instagram about how she was training for a 50K, I spontaneously decided to run a half marathon on a recent day off. Nope, I hadn't trained whatsoever, and no, there was no race I had signed up for. It was just me, my earbuds, and the quiet dirt roads by my house.
I Used to Be a Runner
I started CrossFit in June of 2016 [1], and before that, I had been a runner for over 18 years. I ran four to six times a week and had a few half marathons under my running belt. I originally signed up for CrossFit to get stronger for the running I loved, but ended up loving CrossFit so much, I gave up on running [2].
We do a little running in my CrossFit classes, but it's never more than a mile, so I no longer call myself a runner. Over the Summer, I felt inspired to do some 30-minute trail runs once or twice a week with my dogs, and one time I was inspired to run seven miles, but other than that, I hadn't really run much.
I Remembered Why I Used to Love Running
Running a half marathon was probably not the smartest idea without specifically training for it [3], because I really could have gotten hurt, but I promised myself that if I was feeling too tired or my legs hurt, I'd cut the run short.
I was shocked that I was able to not only run all 13.1 miles, but I also felt amazing doing it! I was able to tackle the hills with power, I was able to keep a decent pace, and my muscles didn't really hurt. I didn't run it as fast as I've run half marathons in the past, but I also wasn't focusing on my speed. I just wanted to remember the pure joy I used to have running long distances, and part of that meant stopping a bunch to take photos of monarch butterflies and selfies with grazing cows.
CrossFit Was My Training
Since I had the day off, I did some stretching after the run and took an hour-long nap after my shower, but after that, I was good to go! I wasn't really sore that day, and maybe thanks to foam rolling [4] that night, I wasn't even sore the day or two after. I was talking to my CrossFit coach about it a few days later and he said it's just a testament to how well CrossFit trains you. You gain strength and endurance in class, so when you do something else physical that you love, like running, biking, or rock climbing, you're able to do it well.
I hadn't even realised that! All the weighted squats, box jumps, burpees, deadlifts, and sprints on cardio machines that I do three times a week had helped me get in physical condition to run. I guess I can still call myself a runner.
CrossFit Made Me a Better Runner
If running is your passion and you want to get faster or build your endurance for longer distances, CrossFit is the perfect complement to your training. Strengthening your entire body will not only help you gain power and prevent injuries, but the greatest benefit has to be the confidence and overall feeling of being a badass you'll gain. You'll feel inspired to set lofty running goals, and you'll believe you can crush them, so you will!