- Wear a watch and run for X number of minutes. As with starting running for the first time, you need to build up time. Start with 10-15 minutes. If you go out with a goal of 30, 45 or an hour, you may be setting yourself up to fail by not building up to the time. Physically it may not be as demanding but the mental challenges as the different mindset may need to be built.
- Do speedwork. High knees for a minute. Jog for a minute. Or quick feet and arms for a minute. Pump your arms only for a minute. Not only does changing the routine get the heart rate up, time will go quicker when you're focused on the next set.
- Wear a heart rate monitor and see how high you can get your heart rate. With aqua jogging I've never got my heart rate up close to where I can get it with running but it's a good workout to try and get it high or to keep it high.
- If at a pool with lanes, go with a friend and run races in the lanes.
- Wear a hat and clip a mp3 player on the bill (my older shuffle has the clip), put the cords under the hat and run to the music.
- Add some freestyle swimming (without the flotation belt) to break up the running. 10 minutes of running, 5 minutes of swimming breaks up and makes it interesting (if you don't drown first).
What have you done to make aqua jogging more interesting?
Happy Running!
3 comments:
aqua jogging helps runners although it can be boring.
I'm glad I've never had to do aqua jogging as I will go mad. I don't even run on treadmills.
I don't aqua job but I have gone to water aerobics classes since late 1995. There are a lot of different moves common to water aerobics such as the high knee jogging, and "regular" jogging but no move is done for very long before the instructor moves onto the next move. Most instructors also play music during the class. Variety keeps a 45 minute class from being boring, but it would not be sufficient exercise for a fit runner. For me, it does work.
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