Going from Gymnastics to Running

I’d been a gymnast for 14 years before quitting a few weeks ago. I’m 16, 5’0 tall, and a junior in high school. I love to run in my free time, and unlike gymnastics, running is something I can do for the rest of my life.

My coach always focused on sprints, like running the 400 under 1 minute (mainly over the summer) and he’d never make us run over 2ish miles since he says gymnastics is anaerobic sport and running to far would mess up our fast muscle twitch fibers or something. I really want to run distance, not sprints, but I’m not sure how to get myself to that point.

Most miles I run are 7 minutes; my best is just under 7. I feel like that’s really slow compared to most cross country runners who can keep up that pace for miles. All I’ve ever run is 3-4 miles, when I was in gymnastics and the past few weeks that have gone by that I haven’t been in it. I have a lot of muscle, mostly upper body strength that I will lose over time (not all of it, but I’m not going to be on my hands as much as I was on my feet anymore).

I guess my question is, how can I start to train to run distance, for cross country season, instead of the short “bursts” of energy I’ve always had to train with? How many miles should I start to run every day? How fast should each mile be?

– Riley, United States

Answer by Dom: Hi there,
Thank you for your running training question.

Good choice, who needs gymnastics anyway..:)

Let's get you an actual number, since you asked for one directly. I'd have you begin around 2 to 3 easy miles, three to four days a week, and build slowly from there. Your 7:00 mile isn't slow at all — your easy pace just needs to be far slower than that.

1. Your first eight weeks, mile by mile
2. Why your easy pace is nowhere near 7:00
3. Giving your legs time to catch up
4. What to expect in cross country season

Your first eight weeks, mile by mile

Given where you're starting (strong general fitness, but next to no running-specific base), I'd have you begin around 2 to 3 easy miles, three to four days a week. That's enough to get your body used to running regularly, without piling on too much too soon. Here's a rough build-up I'd follow, with the total miles for each week:

• Week 1: 8 miles, three runs of 2, 3 and 3 miles
• Week 2: 10 miles, four runs, the longest 3 miles
• Week 3: 12 miles, four runs of 3 miles
• Week 4: 10 miles, a consolidation week, where you cut back slightly so your body can absorb the work
• Week 5: 13 miles, the longest run 4 miles
• Week 6: 15 miles, the longest run 5 miles
• Week 7: 17 miles, the longest run 6 miles
• Week 8: 18 miles, four runs, the longest 6 miles

Cap your long run at 5 to 6 miles for now. Every run is easy. If a run feels too much, walk for a minute, then jog again — run/walk is perfectly fine while your body adjusts. If you get a niggle that lingers, repeat the week before moving on. How quickly you build beyond week 8 is more personal, some runners progress faster than others, so read my increasing mileage safely-page for how to carry on from this starting point.

Why your easy pace is nowhere near 7:00

Your 7:00 mile is not slow. Plenty of cross country runners would be happy with it. But distance running isn't about holding that pace — it's about running much slower, for much longer.

In the beginning I would advise you to focus on an easy pace. This is also known as conversational pace. So the pace at which you'd be able to talk to someone if you were running with them. So you can pant a little, but not too much. It needs to be an enjoyable, relaxed pace. For you, that will probably feel absurdly slow — somewhere around 9:00 to 10:00 per mile. Don't look at your watch and feel embarrassed. Let the pace find itself.

When you stop your workout you need to almost feel sorry that your workout is over already. You need to have the idea that you could have gone for a little while longer. That will help you best as you are establishing your running base. I would also recommend reading my base running-page.

Giving your legs time to catch up

There's one thing your gymnastics background changes, and it's worth naming directly. Fourteen years of gymnastics has given you serious power and explosive strength. That part's not in question. What it hasn't given you is repetitive-impact conditioning. Running loads your legs and feet with thousands of small impacts every single mile, in a way gymnastics simply doesn't.

Your aerobic fitness (how well your heart and lungs deliver oxygen to your muscles), and your willpower, could probably handle more mileage than I've suggested above right now. Your bones and connective tissue, your tendons and ligaments, can't necessarily keep up with that pace of increase. They adapt to repeated impact loading more slowly than your heart and lungs adapt to effort. This matters most for teenagers who ramp up mileage quickly, because that's when bone stress injuries (small cracks in the bone from overuse) are most common. Think of it as building your legs into the sport, the same patient way you built your gymnastics skills. Start conservatively on how often you run, and let the mileage above earn its increases gradually.

Two good bits of news. First, your coach's idea that distance running ruins your fast-twitch fibres (the muscle fibres that give you speed and power) is a myth. Your 400m speed is an asset — you'll be glad of it in the last mile of a race. Second, the calf, ankle and hip strength you've built up in gymnastics will protect you. Keep a little of that strength work going, two short sessions a week, and don't worry about losing your upper-body muscle.

What to expect in cross country season

Be realistic about this season. Cross country races are usually 5K (3.1 miles). With eight weeks of steady building you can run one comfortably — your first races are about finishing strongly, not chasing times. Run the first mile slightly slower than feels natural, then pick runners off one by one.

Once you've settled into this routine, add one faster session a week — say four to six relaxed strides of 20 seconds, which is where your sprint speed comes in. Save anything harder for later in the season. As a third link I would suggest to check out the running training-section. There is quite some information in there about the different types of running training you can do, including some specific advice for cross country running.

Stay patient, Riley — you've got years of running ahead of you, so there's no need to rush the first few months.

I hope this helps and wish you best of luck with the transition from gymnast to runner.
Kind regards,
Dom

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