It is pretty common knowledge that to train for something, you should do that thing. "Specificity" in training is the term. If you want to run fast, go out and run. However, it is easy to get burned out from one type of training exclusively, and it's also more likely to get you injured. When you perform the same motion a lot you'll get better at it, but you also open yourself up to repetitive use injuries. This is why I always promote for you to find your "Spin Night" at least once a week as well. High RPM cycling is a great exercise to mimic running speed work without the impact. I love the music as well. When I was in college at the University of Pittsburgh, I co-founded the position and was the original "trainer" at Carnegie Mellon University (now a program with 6+ trainers from Pitt). Making my own mixes of Classic Rock and Top 100 was a blast and motivated me to exercise. Think Europe "Final Countdown" blending into Gnarls Barkley "Crazy". Things like rocking out to some good beats can keep you motivated as you add variety to your routine.
Here are a few training recommendations and why they compliment your "specific" run training.
Weight Training
1. Will require energy system changes, you'll often be using ATP-CP, rather than Aerobic pathways, during lifting to provide the movement
2. Improves neural connection and variance to muscle (ability to recruit power, which can give you that mid-race burst to pull away)
3. Focuses on individual recruitment of muscles. Can manage weaknesses and variable deficits that occur when only one activity is performed over and over
Swimming
1. Full body exercise including proximal musculature at hips, trunk, and shoulders that assist in efficiency of distal muscle use
2. Breathing control and resisted breathing which has been hypothesized to improve an individuals vital capacity
3. "Weight-less" environment to train in when feet get sore or when swelling develops
Any sport you perform is going to improve your fitness, but it isn't necessarily going to make you a faster runner. You know you'll need to do speed work and focus on running to become better at running. That doesn't mean that everyday and every workout must be focused on running. When you do focus on running, remember that you have 4 primary energy systems and that each should be trained, tested, and honed. You cannot run an 18:30 5K if you can't run one 6:00 mile. This logic can go on and on with all distances. Remember to specifically train your ATP-CP (hard efforts of <10 seconds), fast-glycolytic (10-30 seconds hard effort), slow-glycolytic (30-120 seconds hard effort), and aerobic (>120 seconds activity) systems. A focus should be made on the system that will provide your primary energy pathway during your event, but neglecting the other systems will put you in a bind when you ignore them prior to an event.
Want an example?
Here is a short "All-Energy System Workout", a ladder workout including multiple distances
1 mile warm-up
1 x 1600 meters (10K pace) ::: aerobic
3 x 500 meters (5K pace) ::: slow-glycolytic
3 x 200 meters (Mile pace) ::: fast-glycolytic
4 x 60 meters (90% effort) ::: ATP-CP
3 x 400 meters (5K pace) ::: slow-glycolytic
1 x 1600 meters (10K pace) ::: aerobic
1 mile cool-down
What do you do to vary your training?
What methods do you use to train your multiple energy systems?
Remember, specificity is important but variety in both running and exercise type can make you both more adaptable and stronger. There is no wrong answer but there may be a better answer for you.
Good luck in your journey!
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