Hopping on a Run

I do a fair amount of running here in downtown DC near my office.  Until I get to the open stretches along the Potomac River, I must contend with traffic lights around the Mall and the Washington Monument.  I have never been the type of person who jogs in place waiting for a "Walk" sign--one, I feel foolish; and two, I don't gain any aerobic benefit running in place.  And since I run by time and not distance, I don't want to stop and start my watch every block.  Once I get going, I hate stopping.

This is why the number countdown on the walk signs, telling me how many more seconds I have to cross, is a wonderful tool for runners like me who hate to stop running during a, well, run.  If I come to an intersection where I have the "Don't Walk" sign, I look at the perpendicular crosswalk to see how much time they have left to walk. Knowing how many seconds I have until I get a "Walk" sign lets me adjust my pace accordingly, or turn around and run in the opposite direction before turning back and heading across the street, where by that time I will be able to cross with the "Walk" signal.  Either way, I don't have to jog in place or stop.  

But last week one runner told me that she hops up and down when she waits at intersections for the signal to walk.  At first, this seemed silly--jumping up and down like a pogo stick?  Finally, at her urging, I tried it.

As someone who has been running since I was 12, I am pretty set in my ways.  But I must admit: I am sold. The hop is surprisingly aerobically challenging, as long as you jump high.  And it's a great calf workout if you jump off of your toes.  If you don't think this is true, run at a good pace for 40 minutes, then during the last 5 minutes of your run, alternate one minute of running with 40 seconds of hopping of your toes.  It's really not that much different than jumping rope, which we know is a good aerobic activity.  This makes me wonder--why not just bring a jump rope on my next run?

Comments

[Steven Roll]

Ben,

Interesting post. I've been toying with the same idea lately. I was feeling pretty smug about my fitness level because I run about 30 miles a week. But I felt pretty humbled (and hobbled) after attending a three-day "basketball camp" (for old timers) a couple of months ago.

What I quickly realized was that running is an aerobic activity, while much of basketball (jumping, cutting, rebounding etc.) is anaerobic.

I've already begun preparing for camp next year by combining my runs with activities like jumping, squatting, and climbing stairs.