In a perfect world, my weekly schedule holds these activities: three run/walks, two jump training sessions, three weight-lifting workouts, two barre classes, two Pilates classes, and daily yoga—along with dog walks (three of them!). That’s a lot of exercise, but it is beneficial for my running, and, according to the 2026 Running USA Global Runner Survey, you probably identify with this grind. About 63 percent of runners strength train, while almost 40 percent like to hike.
Just over 30 percent ride bikes regularly, and more than 26 percent take other classes such as Spin, water aerobics, yoga, and Pilates. In other words, you’re trying to fit a lot of workouts into your schedule, too. That’s a good thing for all of us because research shows that a wide mixture of activities is better for health and longevity than dedication to only one sport.
Certainly being active is better than being non-active, but getting a variety of movement into your schedule is better than endless repetition. So, ready to get out your planner? Here are some guidelines on how to balance your cross-training schedule to reach health, fitness, and even running goals.
If scheduling all of these workouts seems like a daunting task when just finding time to run can feel difficult, rest assured that not every activity has to be the equivalent of a long run. Read more about how often you need to cross-train and, remember, some of these activities are meant to support your running, not become a competitive sport in and of itself. To best support your running, as well as your health, your cross-training needs to balance cardio, strength, mobility, and flexibility while not leaning too far in the direction of one type of fitness.
Learn how to balance your schedule with our 30-Day Cross-Training Challenge. You’ll get a month of workouts that combine running with follow-along mobility, plyometric, and strength workouts. If you want to really experiment, we have a list of the ways 14 different activities can help—and balance—your running.
If you want to compare a few cardio workouts, you can learn more about that here, too. Inside Parker Valby’s Intense Cross-Training Routine How to Use a Rowing Machine to Cross Train Elliptical vs. Running: Is This Machine Good for Cross Training?
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