Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Running Fixed

I ran my first 10k Sunday morning (and when I say morning I mean that it started at 6am because it's pushing 100 by 11am). I ran a lot in high school playing soccer, but I was a goalkeeper so I generally only ran about half as far as everyone else. The 10k was going to be the farthest I'd run ever in one stretch.

My assumption was that riding fixed would give me an advantage over those who rode road bikes because it trained my legs to be in constant motion. And I thought that being able to ride 100k would make it easy to run 1/10 that distance.

Apparently I was wrong on both accounts. Actually, as to the first, I'm not really sure. Since the run hurt so much, I may be able to assume that riding a freewheel may have made it hurt marginally more. Anyone with experience on this? And riding definitely does not prepare you for running. At all.

I ran the whole thing, and came in under an hour. But there is something disheartening (and adorable) about being passed by an 8yr old in the last 20m that happened to run it in bare feet.

Fixed gear doesn't magically make you a better cyclist any more than not coasting on a road bike. Fixed allows you to be lazy everywhere in your pedal stroke. Freewheels do not. People who switch from road bikes who don't coast already to fixed gear find it easier, not harder.

ha....I learned that riding doesnt help w/ running when running down the block trying to catch a bus


it seems running only helps with running

ill stick to cycling

Fixed gear doesn't magically make you a better cyclist any more than not coasting on a road bike. Fixed allows you to be lazy everywhere in your pedal stroke. Freewheels do not. People who switch from road bikes who don't coast already to fixed gear find it easier, not harder.

Sticking to one type of riding (either fixed or geared) won't ever make you the best you can be. I do agree that it is more difficult to spin fast and long on a freewheel than fixed.

Yea, if you want to be a better runner you gotta run. Running will build up the cartilage in your knees just building up muscle. It will also make you shed weight faster which will in turn make you a better runner. In any case, running sucks because it's boring, won't take you anywhere, and hurts a lot so just stick with biking.

running sucks because it's boring, won't take you anywhere, and hurts a lot so just stick with biking.

amen.

*cues Flock Of Seagulls record*

I run every once and while for a number of reasons. For one thing, running improves bone density. For another it strengthens muscles and joints in a way that low impact exercise does not. I pretty much hate it but running off road with some music or an audiobook makes it tolerable.

When my wife was training for a half marathon last summer I decided to go running with her. I figured I'd have no trouble keeping up since I ride so much, but I got my ass handed to me. She, on the other hand, is slooooow on a bike.

Using a variety muscles makes you healthier than just doing one thing all the time. I've found that running and swimming regularly helps my overall sense of well being. I usually run about 3 miles weekly and swim a couple times a week. Sometimes I ride to a trail head, do some trail running and ride back home. Makes for a really intense/sweet workout.

I find that runners are often fantastic cyclists; the inverse is not necessarily true, though.

I haven't ran reguarly since I played football in middle school. The next time I ran was during my freshmen year of college when a friend and I had to run from some cops and i hadn't been that winded in my entire life.

Running sucks cuz it's hard.

i try to avoid running unless i'm trying to catch someone, or trying not to be caught by someone.

my...giiiiirlfriend...wants me to start running with her. i like the excuse to buy **** i don't need (shoes, small shorts). but i don't know

should i do it bikeforums?

Wait. You want to buy small shorts?

When I see your average runner in their microlight booty shorts, it reminds me of the people who ride hybrids in lycra.

Get a pair of soccer shorts and save us both the embarrassment.

And +1 on running sucking. It's been two days and I'm just starting to walk normal again. The funny thing is, yesterday, I could hardly walk 10ft, but my 12k ride to town was completely painless.

It does have its pluses: female runners are beautiful, marathons are a hell of an achievement, never have to worry about cars/potholes/cops, running in 20F is no big deal, and you burn calories like a madman when running at something like twice the rate of biking. I do both so I can kid myself that I'll do an Ironman some day.

I find that runners are often fantastic cyclists; the inverse is not necessarily true, though.


We had a guy on our racing team who was a professional runner before switching to cycling. Suffice to say he's a terrible bike handler, knows nothing about race tactics, and pretty much annoys everyone around him. *BUT* he can also ride off the front of the peloton anytime he wants, hold 300 watts on long climbs like it's nothing and humble all but the strongest cat 1s and 2s in the area.

yeah Lance totally didn't win the nyc marathon.

The funny thing is, yesterday, I could hardly walk 10ft, but my 12k ride to town was completely painless.

Different muscles mannnnn. Different.

everyone who hates running just doesn't do it enough to be comfortable with it. it takes a good month or two to get into your stride, and until then it's ackword.

i'm running my first marathon this year. i'm finding that the base-level fitness and the leg strength translates somewhat- but only to a point. the bottom line is that running is way more stressful on your body than cycling, so doing it you need to be more fit. in the past i've trained my butt off for cycling but never have i been in as good of shape or had my body transform itself the way running has made me.

as for fixed, um, knees. i don't think it's better xtraining than freewheeled, and i'd say the increased stress on knees wouldn't help.

as for fixed, um, knees. i don't think it's better xtraining than freewheeled, and i'd say the increased stress on knees wouldn't help.

Hilarious that you distiniguish between the nearly negligible difference between riding fixed/nonfixed and knee health. And then completely ignore the fact that running is 100000x harder on knees than _any_ type of cyclihng.

Hilarious that you distiniguish between the nearly negligible difference between riding fixed/nonfixed and knee health. And then completely ignore the fact that running is 100000x harder on knees than _any_ type of cyclihng.

well, skidding in particular *is* hard on your knees. as is controlling speed downhill on a fix.

yes running is hard on your knees. but here's the thing- if your goal is to run 10K why chance missing that goal by further stressing your knees unnecesarily?

as for fixed, um, knees. i don't think it's better xtraining than freewheeled, and i'd say the increased stress on knees wouldn't help.

the only increased stress on knees is from resisting and skidding.


ergo, resist and skid less, and knee problem solved!

also my knee problems got better after i started riding fixed.


as to running...seriously, i can't even walk right anymore. i've posted about this before, but the few days i have to walk around campus instead of ride, my legs cramp up and i hate life. i'm a bad walker.


i rarely do it anymore.

I'm in the middle-end of a training for the Boston Marathon. I did a pretty big alleycat in NYC a couple weeks ago, and got my ass handed to me (by more than the usual amount). I should be in pretty damn good running shape, and I think I am. But after 15 miles of riding very hard, I still had my breath, but my legs were shot.

Biking is different. Different muscles, different muscle memory, different levels of exertion.

yeah Lance totally didn't win the nyc marathon.Lance was a pro triathlete before he went to cycling. His first marathon was a disappointment. :p

wow, you qualified for Boston? AMAZING accomplishment!
(fyi: men have to run 26.2 in less than 3:10 to qualify)

both riding fixed and running can be VERY hard on your knees if you don't know what you're doing.

they can both be good for your knees, but you have to be smart about it. for running that means starting out easy and upping your mileage VERY gradually. hereditary biomechanics also play a big role.

i think someone coming from a cycling background is likely to have a lot of the same initial pain as someone coming from a sedentary lifestyle. once your tendons are used to the punishment i bet you'll find it gets easier faster.

edit: congrats on qualifying for boston aeroplane.

The best cross racers are also runners. I run 15-20 miles a week in the off season getting ready to race. Riding a FG will only make you a better FG rider.

i am going to get back to running very soon as part of training for the beach2beacon here in maine...i want to keep biking as well as running and some swimming too

rollerblading uses different muscles too and i found that out this past weekend after skating for three hours at the skatepark...so i am hoping to get a lot of skating time in as well...well rounded workouts i would say

wow, you qualified for Boston? AMAZING accomplishment!


+1

if I could just shave a mere 45 minutes of my marathon time I'd be there too........I guess there's always charity.