CrimsonKarter21

I overdid my cross training last year and got tendonitis, but I'm thinking of runnign agian. Does running help with CX technique like barriers and runups, or is the time on foot so miniscule that it doesn't matter?

Jawn P

It's getting a bit late in the season to see any big gains from training, but if I were to do any running, I'd do something like a ladder sprint: short and intense.

Kris Flatlander

I started the season doing 1/2 hour easy pace (Z1-2) on Tuesdays only.
Then I moved up to 1/2 hr easy and 1/2 hr moderate (Z3-4) on a hilly course.
I then built up to sprints/hill sprints as well as doing skills that involve running (dismounts, remounts, runups) midweek.

Anyways, point of the story, I've seen huge gains in my running ability in a race. The first race of the year I was passing literally everybody on the long run ups that the course had, a week later same story. I even had other riders compliment me on how I was making up so much time on the run ups/barriers.

I didn't run at all last year and I was pack-fodder when it game to runups and barriers.

So ya, running helps.

fix

the time on foot is fairly miniscule, but you're working against guys who spend 98-100% of their time on bike in training anyways. i think any gains you can make on foot are pretty substantial given the abilities of the competition, at least in my experience.

at this point in the season you could do hill repeats in practice - just do it with your bike on your shoulder, and force yourself to remount at the top of the hill. that's the area where i see most guys struggling.

SpongeDad

+1 - at a minimum, you don't want to pop yourself trying to run up a steep section. I did that and was toast for the rest of the race.