Inspired by the other thread about sprinting. I have only anecdotal stories, but for the past few years I have been training for running both track and cross country. During the summer months while building a base for cross country I ride/race mountain bikes. I am training for the 8k, and I am coming of a track season where I focus on the 800/1500.

I started when I was young and wasn't particularity fast, in both running and cycling, but as I improved as a runner, I could ride bikes way better. I can defiantly say that cycling has improved my running and vice versa. I really only have one benchmark race, which is a 40 mile mountain bike race that I have consistently done for the past 6 years. The first few years that I competed, I didn't see much improvement. This previous two years, I have gotten a lot faster as my times dropped in running. Last summer I competed the race in 3:30, with very little riding and a very strenuous running schedule. That week of the race, I still ran 50 miles.

This year I took some time off in the winter, so I am getting back into the swing of training, I think that I won't race too much this summer.

Does anyone else train for biking by running more that biking? Once I start getting into more competitive races I assume I will not have the same success.

I owuld say that the mix has worked for you because you are young and still building your aerobic and strength base.
I think when you try to do either sport at high level- they work against each other. Cycling will kill your running legs and running will kill your cycling legs. Both sports are very specific in terms of their demands.
The exception to that is maybe an athlete that has limited training time or travels for work, etc.- Then a mix of cycling and running could work well because the athlete could run when time pressed or out of town. You can get a good workout in less than 1 hour when running- not so much on the bike.
In this case it works because running is substituted for what would probably be zero training.
But if you are having fun and continuing to improve- keep doing it.

I used to rund 800/1500 and a bit of cross country in my teens, but these days I'm pretty much only interested in (road) cycling. Anyway since we're having snowy winters I'm still doing some running in the off-season, but the transition to running is giving me the hardest time ("cycling legs" syndrome, feeling like running under water). Any transition tips would be appreciated, as I'm pondering to step up my running in a few months, and do a marathon in April. (Goal is sub 3h, what else )

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

I do both as well, mainly I got back into biking due to a ruptured plantar facia at the heel insert July 4th last year, after a full month off of doing nothing I bought a rode bike(the Evo) and started riding then racing. Ran a few days in December than tried a 5k new years eve, broke 20:00 on a hard course, total of 12 miles running in six months. So being winter here in PA I ran through March until it was nice enough to ride, I average 120 miles a week on the bike and 10 running, seems as running does not help biking at all for me but biking helps the running, ran 18:33 at a 5k a few weeks ago, just on 10 miles a week. So the key to running faster and injury free is to not run!

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Curt Brown
2012 Cannondale Supersix EVO SRAM Red 10.8#'s
2012 Cannondale Super X 14.1#'s and dropping....
2011 Cannondale Carbon Flash 1 17.2#'s
1999 Cannondale F2000, SRAM XO 18.9#'s
http://cbevo.com/2012_cd_supersix_evo_31.html

Running and cycling can be done concurrently, just look to duathaletes, triathletes etc, but this usually results in a compromise of potential performance of both, e.g.: a triathlete can run a marathon in isolation in a good time but not a great time when compared to "pure" runners. From holistic point of view running is a handy thing as 1) its a basic human function 2) the impact of running is good for the bones, ligaments, tendons etc IF volume is not too great for the relative conditioning.




Run more often And ease into the volume, the impact and stresses this causes can lead to injury if ramped up too much too soon.

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"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

Tape, heh, as obvious as that advice is, it prompted me to ponder the transition a bit more. The thing is my late season goal is a 46km TT at the very end of September, and I don't want to compromise that all too much.

So the thinking now is to ease into running in the second half of August, and then in September move some of the base training to (trail) running, with lots of (continuous) vertical gain. The harder workouts (3x3 and 2x20) will be done on the bike, including some easier rides.

That should hopefully allow me to start structured marathon training in October, and focus on it for 6 months.

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

also one thing that I have noticed is that running works more on my engine, where as biking, my legs get tired way before I need to stop. I never feel track workouts as much as I feel a good day of mountain biking. That could just be because I am used to running more than cycling.

Running stretches the hammy more than riding!

Foo

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So long as you have tried your best, then you should have no regrets!

I've been balancing swim, run, and bike for a while now doing triathlons. My weakest leg would be the run and it's also the hardest as it's the last leg. My recommendation is to train according to your weakness. I would say that the result of you having improved bike splits by running is just a matter of your fitness getting better. My experience with training for multiple sports has shown that about two months into training for a race (out of a typical 3 month training period), I stop seeing benefits from cross-training. I do not know why this happens, but I think it's a matter of managing recovery at the longer distances prior to my taper week.

Bottom line - If you're running a lot and you want to see better bike splits - then stop running so much and cycle frequently with progressively higher intensity and duration. Vice versa for those who want to run better. If you're swimming - get a stroke coach.

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Cervélo S2 2012 Red
Great minds think alike... sadly, so do the mediocre ones.

Running helps me with my base and sprints can help with LT and LA clearance, but to be serious about cycling, running should probably be minimal.

OTOH, running keeps my weight down better than cycling, which helps my cycling as much as riding Lightweight carbon wheels.

Let me share my experience.

I was a high school crosscountry/track runner who ran the 3000 steeplechase. I had NO athletic background in junior high, so all in all I only had 2-3 years of intensive running training- ( had a great coach though, who dropped my 5k times by 8 minutes over 2 years.) after leaving high school I was in the armed forces for two years, where I trained exclusively for the half marathon distance. Bought a road bike in the last few months of being in the armed forces and started dabbling in triathlons. did a mix of running, road race cycling, biathlons, triathlons for about 2 years, a year ago started to raod race for a local sponsored team . I'm now more or less a full cyclist who dabbles occasionally in triathlon.

Observations:

the basic cardiovascular fitness transfers- i.e. a pretty good runner who can do a sub 40 10km is going to be a pretty decent cyclist overall, because he's got the engine to stay with you- he's not going to be panting for breath , if thats what you think.

what does not transfer over is the muscular demands that cycling puts on your legs and body. other than the lower body forces, running pretty much doesn't exercise other muscles. look at the bodies of good long distance runners. cycling's more varied. un;less you are going to be a pure climber, you're going to need some core and upper body strength- more so than runners. look at good rouleurs like sagan, gilbert- they're not exactly stick thin. and your ass needs to be used to 5-6 hours on the bike.

so, if you're a runner, you may have the engine to keep the oxygen flowing in your body, but unless your lower legs have been trained to the extent where they can resist the lactic acid fatigue you'll be dropped not because you didnt have the cardio ability but because your legs just didnt have the power, or couldnt hold that power.

I find good 1500/mile runners convert well to long distance sprinters. marathoners and longer distances are great TTers, not so much road racers.

needless to say, one thing you're going to need to learn fast as a runner coming into cycling is good bike handling.

I agree it is easier to retain cardiovascular fitness in running. in fact if I wanted to train for both I'd really be doing more running than cycling. I'd long, easy runs and tempo runs to keep my cardio fitness up. then I'd do bike intervals ( which I find are much more painful than run intervals- because you're really hurting on both the cardio and muscular front) with an occasional long ride thrown in to make sure I'm still used to the 5-6 hours in the saddle. hill intervals are a particular favourite of mine. Of course this is really subject to what events you would be training for, or what role you have in tyour road racing team.


That being said; specifity is king. you can be pretty good in both, but you're never going to be really good in one. runners go more easily to cycling than the other way round. and if you follow what I'm doing the lack of run intervals will really prevent you from keeping with the sharp end of a running race ( think cross country race.)

How about running as recovery?
I really enjoy 1-2h of trail running (easy pace) the day after some high intensity cycling.

Running and cycling both are quite good for our health,i do both.But i like running most.I do 2,3days a week and 5days running.Cycling have own benefits and running have its own,basically both aims for our calories and fat also plays vital role to eliminate or reduce our extra fat and loss our weight.Its not necessary u do cycling in gym,we can do manual either which i normally do.

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des moines personal training