Cycling & Running

[Vuilgoed]

Running gives you cardiovascular fitness that is very difficult to get on a bike, unless you regularly do interval training. I run in the mornings 25-35 min at 3min25 / km and cycle +- 50km in the evenings. Cant stand doing intervals on my bike so a 30 min run is much more bearable. I do this tuesday to friday then two long rides and no running on the weekend. I rely on races to maintain the intensity and speed on the bike. This approach keeps me fairly competitive on the bike.

 

Jeesh! At 3.25 min/km you'd be a pretty competitive runner too! (he says while turning dark green with envy)

[Wyatt Earp]

Jeesh! At 3.25 min/km you'd be a pretty competitive runner too! (he says while turning dark green with envy)

I was thinking the same.

[Woofie]

I've run over 20 standard marathons; 15 ultra marathons, 2x 18-24hr circuit races,2x1000km Challenges and a couple of multiday stage races (plus too many 21kms and 10 kms to remember) in the past 4 years and IMHO they did absolutely diddly squat , nudda & nothing for my cycling... physically and cycle muscle strengthening wise.

 

Menatally; well, I believe that is where I benefitted from running the most.

 

At the Burgher this year, I will have been cycling for 1 year; I've gone from a Z to a H PPA seeding [no thanks to the PPA seeding system] and did my first Argus in 3h40 and One Tonner in 4h46m and mentally & physically i didn't find these tough at all, compared to the Comrades etc etc ...

 

IMHO there is nothing better than cycling for cycling and the longer you spend in the saddle and the better qulaity the workouts (hills & repeats) you introduce into your cycling the better you are for it. Also, ride with guys who are better and more phyisically cycling fit than you; that helps too. A Killarney track session every now and then helps too.

 

My running is down to 3 times a week and nothing more than 15kms at a single run. I agree with the comment above about weight loss, I've lost more weight on the bike than I ever did running.

 

 

Spot on.

I know people that cant understand why they suck at cycling when they are really fit.

But they spend so much time running, swimming, gyming and bit of cycling in there.

If you want to be a better cyclist you need to focus more on cycling. It is that simple.

[Minion]

Not true, there are a number of cyclists who run that will kick butt any given day of the week.

But maybe they'd kick even more butt if they dedicated their running time to additional structured cycle training?

[Wyatt Earp]

But maybe they'd kick even more butt if they dedicated their running time to additional structured cycle training?

Perhaps not, I have seen numerous people cycle and cycle and get nowhere, power training, coaches diets and you name it, they start a bit of running and suddenly they can climb hills like never before.

I rode the Crater Cruise with very little cycle training in my legs as I was training for a running specific event, I had a blast and didn't fair too bad.

Running will do more for your respiratory and cardio enhancement than what sprints on a bike will do.

[geoff.rich]

Kevin Evans-Xterra Champ will confirm that running is good for cycling.

+1

 

Burry Stander writes a weekly article in my local paper and he reckons running is the business for cross training

[rudi-h]

Cycling's helps my running a LOT I found. Have cycled a lot on a bike tour lately without a single run for more than a month.

 

Prior to the bike tour, I ran 42 mins on a 8km. After the bike tour, I did 38 min on the same route. I know that time is nothing special for runners, but for me that's about as good as it gets. Think my PB back in 2006 was 36 min or thereabouts.

[funjunkie]

Very interesting thread.

 

A few personal observations.

 

1. Ive found that from a cardiovascular perspective, its much easier to attain my maximum HR when running when compared to cycling. (May be better to run when doing intervals)

2. Cycling much kinder to the body. Can recover much faster from a 3-4 hour ride than a 3-4 hour run. (Will probably lose more weight cycling as I can easily cycle much longer than I can run)

3. Cycling does not do much for the hamstrings. You may be prone to knee and hamstring injuries in non cycling related sports if your quads are much stronger than you hamstrings). Running will help strengthen the hamstrings.

4. Cycling in a gym for more than 30-40 mins gets rather boring(Unless doing a spinning class). Running will add variety.

 

In my opinion, a little running would help in overall cycling training.

[Guest agteros]

Kevin Evans-Xterra Champ will confirm that running is good for cycling.

Beg to differ with "Xterra Champ", he won ONE xterra, the duathlon one in Knysna. This is a very good performance in itself, but this does not make him an Xterra Champ! Not sure how the likes of Dan Hugo & Conrad Stoltz(the REAL Xterra WORLD champ) will feel about that statement Edited October 29, 2010 by agteros

[Kletterer]

I started cycling a little more than two years back and did nothing before that. With no fitness I couldn't really run nor swim any distance. Now, with lots of cardio fitness from cycling I find that trying other disciplines is fun. When I started running I didn't have to worry about endurance, just my running legs had to develop. I swam the Midmar Mile doing breast stroke as I really was a non-swimmer and never felt exhausted in terms of heart and lungth capacity. Just the arms hurt afterwards.

 

In my view x training is a revelation for building endurance and flexibility as taking up new activities is so much more fun when you already have the base fitness. All that remains is to get used to the different mechanics.

[stewie911]

Not true, there are a number of cyclists who run that will kick butt any given day of the week.

 

Was maybe waiting for this. His original comment was 50/50.

I know cross training is good, as I also run and cycle, BUT if you want to be better at something you have to do it more.

 

You wouldn't see a pro run or cross train just as much as he rides his bike

[Mellow]

time cycle/run ratio 5/1 then you ok.

 

keep run intensity high

Edited October 29, 2010 by Mellow

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Everyone is differant and we all have differant reasons for doing what we do, be it running, cycling, swimming etc.

 

What works for one is not necessarily going to work for another, I get bored QUICKLY so I do lots of differant sports, personally I think, for me, running works well with cycling, but of course, your milage may differ.

[aungiers]

Running, rowing and swimming are excellent ways to maintain cardiovascular fitness while beating the boredom and monotony of cycling. Perfect for the off-season. However to improve at cycling the best thing to do is to cycle

[Wyatt Earp]

Was maybe waiting for this. His original comment was 50/50.

I know cross training is good, as I also run and cycle, BUT if you want to be better at something you have to do it more.

 

You wouldn't see a pro run or cross train just as much as he rides his bike

Yip, that's why I am just a regular dude .

[Guest agteros]

Wonder where this leave pro multi sport athletes, like triathletes, or even top duathletes?