The Wide-Body is investigating different plans for triathlon training, so swimming plans have caught my attention. In the January issue of Runner’s World, there is an article noting how swimming can tremendously benefit your running fitness. That sounds logical, but how does swimming help?

The resistance of water offers a cooling workout that taxes the body enough to maintain cardiovascular and muscular-skeletal fitness, while its buoyancy and zero-impact environment aids in recovery and injury prevention. A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness compared groups that did pool running with those that did tread-mill running and found virtually equal VO2 max values (aerobic capacity). Another study by California State University Northridge found that when runners cooled down in water, they reported feeling more recovered compared with when they cooled down on a treadmill.

So, where to start? Highlights are below. Go to this link for full details: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-238-263-266-13382-0,00.html

Swim Laps:
Start out with about 10 laps (back and forth across the pool equals one lap), which is slightly more than a quartermile at a typical pool. Increase your time in the water and minimize fatigue (and boredom) by sandwiching pool-running in between sets of laps.

"Run" In Water:
Running against the water's resistance, in the deep end where you can't touch, provides many of the benefits of running on land. A flotation belt will help keep you upright and give you stability. Keeping your body erect, with a slight lean, and your gaze forward, run as you normally would on land with your hands pushing back the water.
Your leg action can vary: Do high knees and march in place, bend your knee slightly and move your legs as if you were cross-country skiing, or do a more long-striding leg extension.

Water Works:
The ideal pool workout should include 30 minutes of lap swimming and 30 minutes of pool running to ensure a full-body workout, says Michael Joyner, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic. For the running segment, perform one of the interval workouts below.