Fifty Plus (50+) - Winter running vs. cycling?

When the weather gets cold (for me, below 60F), I find that I prefer to run rather than cycle in order to avoid wind chill. You?

The knees don't like running much in any temperature. The knees like cycling!
Although if the feet got to vote, last Saturday mornings ride at 27F would definitely not have happened.

I would sooner spend my time cleaning latrines with a toothbrush than running. Besides, my knees, ankles, and a few other parts would never approve.

I would sooner spend my time cleaning latrines with a toothbrush than running...

Gee, Gary, tell us how you really feel! :p

I have 2 daughters that run cross-country/track in college and I love to watch them run......For me, I completely lost interest in running when the basketball court just got too long a distance to get up and down. No running here regardless of the temperature!

I have all the clothes/accessories needed to ride in colder temps and have no problems at all riding in colder temperatures. The hardest thing to do is to keep the fingers and toes comfortable but there are tricks to doing that. It's important to recognize that it is natural for your performance to deteriorate the colder it gets so my goal is to just get in the miles and enjoy the ride. The most challenging part for me is the first 5-10 miles, though. It seems to take me that long for everything to get acclimated to really cold temps.

My hats off to you for getting out and logging the miles. It just doesn't do anything for me...I'd ride the trainer before doing that.....

When the weather gets cold (for me, below 60F), I find that I prefer to run rather than cycle in order to avoid wind chill. You?

With winds consistently 20-30 mph these last several weeks, it wouldn't help a lot around here.

No part of my body is designed for running. With my short legs and long torso, I look like a Dachshund standing up on his rear legs trying to run! :D :eek: :D

When my knees started hurting after a run about 10 years ago, I said "Forget this!" I want my knees to be the best they can in my "even later" years.

I switch from mostly road riding to mountain biking. It's a LOT warmer. And with studded tries a lot more convenient. It's more like cross country skiing.

No part of my body is designed for running. With my short legs and long torso, I look like a Dachshund standing up on his rear legs trying to run!


That's absolutely hilarious!!! How did you ever find a bike to fit???

That's absolutely hilarious!!! How did you ever find a bike to fit???

Let's just say that I don't have a lot of standover height clearance! :D

Lemond BA was the best.

When the weather gets cold (for me, below 60F), I find that I prefer to run rather than cycle in order to avoid wind chill. You?

Winter running + cycling. It's good to change the muscle use pattern once in a while and running gets the cardiovascular system going much faster, i.e., faster warmups and shorter exercise duration for similar aerobic effect.
I just came back from a 3.5 km short run.

Winter running + cycling. It's good to change the muscle use pattern once in a while and running gets the cardiovascular system going much faster, i.e., faster warmups and shorter exercise duration for similar aerobic effect.
I just came back from a 3.5 km short run.

Is that why bicyclers are always smiling and runners are always grimacing? :D

Sorry, running is out. Too much time on the track. Knees don't hold up well any more. Winter swimming would be a good alternative for some. For me cycling is the easiest aerobotic exercise on this old body.

The last time I ran for more than a block was in boot camp. That was 30 years ago; I didn't like running then, and I still don't like it.

I run a little bit in the off season just to introduce some cross-training and take some days off the bike. It's tougher on the knees and joints for sure, but once I get some muscle adaptation it is definitely an option and a nice change of pace.

Mostly though, I embrace layers, microfiber and wind blocking/moisture wicking fabrics and keep at it. Wind chill is only an issue on exposed skin, so I start there by trying to not have as much once the temps get down around 50. Anything south of 50 is just layer and wind block management. Even around or below freezing, after the exposed part of my face numbs up a bit a few minutes into my morning commute, I don't care anyway. I'll deal with frost bite if and when I get down to that kind of riding temp.

After the first month of riding in colder temps, I start to acclimate as well, and it really only becomes apparent to me when there is a strong north wind. I noticed it this morning on my commute in. There were a couple of times when the 20mph wind was able to work down the back of my collar but not nearly enough to stop me from enjoying my ride, even with it being right around freezing. I only had two layers on at that.

If I quit riding at 60 degrees, I wouldn't turn a crank between October and April. It's not particularly cold here (Reno), but we can go four or five months without seeing 60.
I ran for years, generally 40-50 miles a week but often more, and I still sort of miss it. When I was in my 40s, though, my knees just gave it up. I can't do much more than shuffle along for a couple of miles now, but I can crank out a century without any knee troubles at all.
I think you're missing something if you stay off the bike completely in winter, though. I don't much care for winter sports, but it's sort of fun to layer up and go out for an hour or two when it's 30 degrees. You feel so SUPERIOR....

I'm definately not a cold weather rider. Read cold to mean below 40 F. I've got the gear to ride in much colder weather, I just don't enjoy layering up to ride. It defeats the simplicity of riding. I ride on the warmer winter days, which luckily with the ocean's influence, are plentiful. On off days I jog/run and/or hike. For example, a five hour hike to the 1500 ft summit of Mount Tammany at the Delaware Water Gap is a pretty good work out. For me it's not one activity versus another. I go with whatever I'm in the mood for. So far, my knees aren't complaining.

I ran competitively on 15 mile crosscountry until I was 34. At that age I decided that the knee problems I was getting through 100miles a week pounding the streets to stay in trim for running was not doing me a great deal of good. Missed the fitness I used to have for around 12 years and took up cycling- Yep= That running had completely crooked my knees. Took a couple of years to strengthen the quads so I could really push on the bike, but I got there. I've now got to the stage that I have no knee problems, no twinges and no pain. I follow Gary's attitude to running now, and will continue to do so untill I can't push the pedals round.

I used to run 10K races regularly, but with my biometrics (flat-footed, bow-legged) and size (think ELEPHANT!), I have to be careful running or I sprain ankles. I believe that the impact-aerobics helps build bone density, so I still run. I hope to rebuild to 10K levels sometime this year.

I jog/walk with the dog at times. But I don't like to run. Jumping on a rebounder helps.

FarH,

The poll seems to be against running, but I find I also do more of it in the winter. I just did a nice 10K in the countryside here last Sunday instead of a solo road ride. I really enjoyed it. Also, we ride our mountain bikes on the dirt roads around here in the winter as a group. It's fun and for our group, we find we don't push as hard and chatter back and forth as we watch the scenary.

Tyson
Cushing, Oklahoma

FarH,

Like the other guys, I have a lower threshold for what is "cold" than do you. We will go on the slower mtb's without question until it is in the mid-20's. Then, one or the other of us will have to conjol the others into going. But we still usually go unless the others have a good quantity of good imported and/or hand crafted domestic beer with which to entice.

Tyson

The knees don't like running much in any temperature. The knees like cycling!
Although if the feet got to vote, last Saturday mornings ride at 27F would definitely not have happened.

Yeah, the same with me... the knees don't like running, and the colder it gets the more they don't like it. No knee problems (so far) biking in the cold. When it gets really cold, though, I'm on the trainer indoors.

Like others, mind asks the question, knees says H*ll No

From the Little Feat song "Old Folks Boogie:" "You know that you're over the hill when your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill..."

I've been told not to ever run/jog again. Non-weight bearing stuff only, like cycling.

FarH,

The poll seems to be against running, but I find I also do more of it in the winter. I just did a nice 10K in the countryside here last Sunday instead of a solo road ride. I really enjoyed it. Also, we ride our mountain bikes on the dirt roads around here in the winter as a group. It's fun and for our group, we find we don't push as hard and chatter back and forth as we watch the scenary.

Tyson
Cushing, Oklahoma

Running in the winter is most excellent. My back no longer allows it. If I had the choice I'd RUN in the winter. There's nothing better than the sound of super frozen snow creaking under foot. And it's suprising how little you have to wear to stay warm. Even well below zero I used to just wear polypropylene tights and shirt with windbreaker and shorts (plus extra padding to avoid freezing the little guy). Hat, cloth gloves, face mask (and goggles when below -10 F) covering all skin and you're fine. I've run in -35 F with no problems. Alas, riding is all I have left. Not so bad.

Throughout the year, I run during the week and ride on the weekends. But when it's raining, I switch to running. Cold doesn't factor into the equation, since it doesn't get that cold around here.