Cross-training for dirtbag (and sandbag) ultrarunners

Coach Rundle's tips for developing 6-pack abs

For most of you that consider yourselves dirtbag ultrarunners, you know that there's more to running than drinking craft beer and wearing trucker hats and jean-shorts. To run effectively and injury free, you have to cross train. And no, carrying that case of beer home from the brewery does not count.

Sure you can hire a coach or a trainer, but many of us can barely afford to eat after replacing our shoes every other month and paying race fees quietly at night when our spouses aren't watching. So what's a spendthrift dirtbag runner to do? Well, you have to be a little creative. This will cost a tiny bit of money up front, but in all seriousness, besides my slightly more expensive cycling and surfing habits, this list constitutes all the equipment for my actual cross training regimen - no joke!

• One pair of dumbbells - should be heavy enough that you can barely do 10 curls. About 30 lbs, 18 kg for me. I prefer rubber coated hex dumbbells. Cost ~ $60
• One pair of 5-gallon buckets from the hardware store. Cost ~ $6
• One pair 50 lb sandbags (35 lb for women) from same hardware store. Cost ~ $10
• One roll of heavy duty duct tape. Cost ~$8
• One pair of work gloves. Cost ~ $10-20

The sandbags and buckets may need replacing once a year. With duct tape, that just $24, equivalent to the cost of a cup of coffee once every 3 months. You can do it!

Ramiro got suckered into a bucket mile on a rainy day

Here are some workouts I've actually done or do regularly. Most of these only take 30-45 minutes, so you can't use lack of time or money as an excuse for not doing them. An abundance of common sense, maybe, but if you had that, you wouldn't be an ultrarunner.

Dumbbell workout #1

Farmer carry the dumbbells, like in the picture above, about a 1/4 mile to a spot where you can work out. I'm fortunate enough to live next to a steep trail, so both the carry and the walk itself are taxing. You can drive to a trail, do a lap around a park, or just chase your tail around in circles.

3 sets of 10-15 squat presses, 10 curls, and 15 shoulder rolls. For the squat press, squat and let both dumbbells make contact with the ground. Stand up and press dumbbells above your head. Repeat for sets of 10-15. For curls, try to isolate your movement to your arm. Keep your upper body stable - don't swing your torso to get leverage. One arm at a time is easier, but try both at the same time for more of a challenge. Release slowly on the way down. For shoulder rolls, while holding the dumbbells down at your sides, just rotate your shoulders forward and then backward.

3 sets of lunges and pushups. Carry one dumbbell in front of you with both hands. Take 20 lunge steps with your front thigh parallel to the ground and back knee almost touching the ground. Drop and do 10-20 pushups. Repeat for 3 sets.

Planks. Front plank on elbows for 1 minute. Side plank, 20 seconds each side, twice. Front plank for another minute.

2 sets of plank rows. Get into a straight-arm plank position with your hands on the dumbbells. Alternate pushups with a "row", using one arm for support while lifting a dumbbell with the other arm to your chest. Do another pushup, row on the other arm. About 20 reps per set.

Crawl back as best as possible. Don't forget to bring your dumbbells home so you can do it again next week!

Bucket workout #1

The bargain fun begins. Generously cover each sandbag with duct tape. This will be your buddy for many fun days ahead so make sure to protect him/her. Name your twins, and double your pleasure.

Put each sandbag in a 5-gal bucket. Farmer carry both for 1/4 mile or more. If you have a hill like I do, even better. You may find yourself taking a short break every few steps. That's fine. Just don't linger.

Squat variations with boat. 10-20 repetitions, 3-6 sets. Take one sandbag and do squats doing (1) just holding sandbag in your chest or on your shoulder, (2) pressing your sandbag up from your chest overhead each time you stand up, (3) ground-to-overhead presses, where the sandbag touches the ground on each squat and you press the squat overhead each time you stand. In between these sets, set your ass down on a sandbag and boat (lift your legs and chest in a V-shape) for 20-30 seconds.

Sandbag lunges. 3 sets of 20 lunge steps while holding a sandbag to your chest. Do a set of push-ups in between sets of lunges.

Sandbag push-ups. Performs sets of push-ups with repetitions to your liking with both hands on a sandbag, both feet on a sandbag, right hand on bag, then left hand on bag. Isn't this fun?

Farmer carry home.

Dumbbell workout #2

Farmer carry your dumbbells to a wide open trail. 

Throw each dumbbell shot-put style. Now do 5 burpees, or 6-8 plank rows. Repeat for 10 sets. Throw some squats in for good measure. Why not? You'e earned it.

Farmer carry back.

Bucket workout #2

Farmer carry the buckets for a mile. For time. My first attempt ended at 28 minutes. I'd like to break 20-24 minutes before I break my shoulders.

Bucket workout #3

At a track, warm up by running a couple laps, plus some jumping jacks and sit-ups.

Farmer carry the buckets for a half lap around a track. Sprint a half lap without the buckets. Now, do 25 pushups. Sprint back to the buckets.

Farmer carry the buckets another half lap. Sprint a half lap without the buckets. Now, do 25 jump squats. Sprint back to the buckets.

Farmer carry the buckets another half lap. Sprint a half lap without the buckets. Now, do 25 burpees. Sprint back to the buckets.

Farmer carry the buckets another half lap. 

Mogadishu Mile

This one came directly from my friend Joe Decker. Joe created this workout in honor of the 19 soldiers of Task Force Ranger killing during a mile fight to safety, dramatized in the movie Black Hawk Down.

4 Rounds for time, with one sandbag, of:

• 19 Ground to overhead squats w/sandbags – as the soldiers held up their rifles the entire time
• 19 Front squats w/sandbag  – as they sought cover behind anything available
• 19 Sandbag push-ups (one hand on sandbag left then right for a total of 38) – as they fell to the ground and had to get back up
• 400m Run with sandbag, on shoulder, chest, head, ...

The target time is 30 minutes.

The Murph!

Cross-fitters are a deranged lot with an endless number of named workouts but this is one with meaning. The Murph workout-of-the-day (WoD) honors Lt. Michael Murphy and the men who died during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. One of his favorite workouts is now an annual Memorial Day challenge and fundraiser for the Murph Foundation.

It's a simple workout.

• 1 mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 squats
• 1 mile run 

The pull-ups, push-ups and squats can be performed in any combination and order, the most common being 20 sets of 5/10/15. Preferably, this is all done with body armor or a 20 lb. weight vest. One of these days, someone will invent a Beer Murphy.

Burpee run

Find a modest run, 2 to 4 miles. Stop 6-8 times for sets of 20-35 burpees. For a little variety, add in a set of 50 pushups and/or some squats. Burpee Beer Mile, anyone?

Lunge-Burpee walk

This was a new one for me, so I still need to fine tune it. I tried one lap around the track, alternating between a set of 20 lunges and a set of 10 burpee broad jumps. It took 11 sets and 23 minutes. Next time, I think I might alternate sets of burpees with inchworms and do two laps. 

Since most of these workouts take less than an hour, if I'm out on a weekend, I might add in an hour or two of trail running, just because. And being the entitled bastard that I am, not only do I have a short trail in front of my house, but my local public high school track is on a trailhead, so yeah, my track workouts are frequently followed up by an hour+ trail run and/or a trip to one of several primo coffee shops. Entitled bastard.  

If you get bored with these, you can create your own. Add in some lower body work, squats, box jumps, steps, with core work, burpees, sit-ups, boat, plank, pull-ups and upper body work to your taste. To be honest, I don't know if this actually helps my running. It's all fun to me. It's my firm belief that what matters is that you have fun. Be creative. But not too creative - beer pull using your thongs might be too much.

https://crossfitwideopen.com/2013/06/