Don't Leave Nothin' But the Corn Cob

Today is a cross-training day. I’ll be swimming laps at the local high school. My training program calls for three running days, and at least 2 cross-training days. When I started this program (FIRST) two marathons (1 year) ago, I struggled with the swimming. Along with stationary biking, it is the recommended non-impact aerobic exercise. I don’t know if I am much faster now, but I do feel more efficient in the water.

When I was recovering from the 2008 Chicago Marathon, and not running heavy miles, I tried to swim 1-2 times a week. I would usually swim 30-40 lengths. Today, my workout is
1 fast/ 1 easy
2 fast/2 easy
3 fast/3 easy
2 fast/2 easy
1 fast/1 easy
I rest 1 minute, and do 3 sets total. So, with 3 sets of 18 lengths, and 2 warmup lengths, that’s 56 lengths. So, it’s a step up. It took me about 35 minutes to do this workout, but I wasn’t flailing.
I think that swimming has helped my core strength. When I was near the finish of the Green Bay Marathon last May, and I was getting close to the time I needed to qualify for Boston, someone had jumped in to run with a friend of his at the end. He said “okay – arms and hips now”. I had known to pump my arms, but my hips had always given out so that my quads had to overwork. But I realized that my hip flexors were still strong, so I used them. I credit that to the swimming and biking.
Then this guy told his buddy ‘Give it everything. Don’t leave anything on the table” And the runner trying to finish followed up with “Nothing but the Corn cob”. And I decided to take that attitude, too – I was going to give it my all – qualifying time or not, I was going to cross that finish line knowing there was nothing left on the course. And I did.