trigoingfast

Hi all,

I think only one of the following statements is true. Can you please let me know which one is true?


Statement 1: Bike training helps running, but run training doesn't really help biking.

Statement 2: Run training helps biking, but bike training doesn't really help running.

My schedule permits an extra workout and I'm trying to decide whether to make it an extra bike workout or an extra run.

Thanks,

Trigoingfast

Barn

I don't know the answer to your actual question, but if you have room for one extra workout, I would say you should spend it on whichever event you are weakest in so that you can improve in that area. If you are a stronger runner than cyclist, add an extra cycling workout, or vice versa.

RiPHRaPH

this is my thinking here, but i think that in an olympic distance, shaving 10 seconds off each mile of the bike saves a lot more time than shaving 10 seconds of the run.

hoodlum

I find that running hills and biking tend to compliment each other. When I have spent a large amount of time running hills, I also see results from it on the bike.

ZackJones

I would tend to agree more with the first statement but here's my take on it. Of the 3 events the bike takes the longest, therefore I should spend as much training time on the bike portion as I can. In Mike Piggs training plan, which is part of PC Coach software, he allocates 50% of training time to the bike and 25% each to running and swimming.

Another idea would be to make your extra a brick workout. That way you get in an extra bike and run . Finally, keep in mind that running is tougher on the body than biking.

MHR

For the most part I agree with what Zack noted. Mike Pigg (who could almost destroy anyone on the bike) at his best was #2 to Scott Molina - "The Terminator" in 1988 at Ironman Hawaii, Scott a runner.

My strategy is to use one discipline as my main aerobic base. For me that’s running and I do several “running” specific (as well as swim specific and cycle specific) races throughout the year (like 27 or so), including 3 marathons (this year like last year Disney, Boston and Pikes Peak). I also use running “races” as a component to my training for “KEY” races. Don't get me wrong here - I still spend a ton of time on the bike, in that I do long bricks pretty much every weekend. But I don't dedicate as much time to all the specifics of training I give running.
I don’t know too many cyclists that can run well, but then again Normann Stadler (a cyclist) just won the Ironman Hawaii last year. Guys like Peter Reid and Tim Deboom are two of the best runners to come along since Mark Allen and Dave Scott (who by the way ran 5-min miles in the last 5 miles of the marathon leg or so - at Kona in 1989 shoulder to shoulder the whole race). So Ironman has been pretty much owned by runners over the years. If you look at all of the older legends – they all came from the same place “Team David”…if you know your Ironman history you will know what I’m talking about. So I believe (as a general rule IMHO) it’s easier for a runner to become a cyclist then a cyclist to become a runner. I also believe running can aid cycling, where cycling doesn’t really aid running in the same way. As a runner I look forward to the last leg of the Tri - it's rare I ever get passed on the run in an Olympic distance or in a 1/2 IM.
But then one other point I wanted to make: As I noted in another thread I'm a big advocate of doing daily doubles or even triples. Seasoned triathletes are masters of using time to their advantage, by doing a Run/Bike in the same day you can increase you aerobic base by doing so. Today I ran 9 (a bad day actually..I could write a book about my run today) and rode my trainer in front of the TV in my home gym for another hour and did some core strength training.
1-hr 5 min for my 9mile run, 1-hr on the bike and 20 min strength training=2hr and 20min today total. A quick shower and dinner with my wife for the quality time. But my wife will tend to locate me downstairs while on the bike when she comes home to talk about our day, she will start dinner while I finish my workout. It all seeems to work out ok.

A good friend of mine and former training partner, who has done 13-IM’s comes from a college swimming background. He has finished in the top 15 (out of the water) in Hawaii a couple times and like #2 in IM Canada and #1 at the World Toughest. So yes - he is a gifted swimmer.
He is also a pretty good runner – in fact we are pretty close here, although I think my marathon PR is 2-min faster. Cycling we are also pretty close, but in an IM he would be like 20min faster out of the water easy ahead of me and his lead would build from there. At IM Wisconsin he trained ZERO on the bike and only swam for 3-weeks to get ready – but he runs pretty much every day. He qualified for Hawaii and had one of the top 10 fastest swim times of the day finishing in a 10 hr something.

RoadToad

So, what happened on your run today?

RT

MHR

- In short tried to save a dog in traffic and almost got bit.

- Was flipped off and honked at by a driver who was turning while I was running through and in the middle fo the cross walk. To feel better I watched where the driver went and where he parked in a business park...ran up the next block trying to forget about it, but it just got on my brain bad. Now I could normally just forget about this - but not today. I found a big rock about 1/2 the size of a bowling ball and ran over to the business park and placed the rock square on the winshild, resting on the wipper (not hurting anything really)... as my calling card....I know where you work and I know your car and don't frigg'n mess with me again message. I'm sure he will get the message.

- Came across 2 stupid ladies in a park that think the park is theirs (or their back yard) and were allowing their dogs run free regardless of the fact THAT THERE IS A LEASH LAW! I guess the law doesn't apply to fat stupid people.

- I'm fighiting a badly brusied foot (in the area under the toes but along the ball of your foot) because of a bad shoe (I test running shoes on the side for 2-running shoe mfg's) and it's screwing up my training for Boston Marathon.

Well that's it in a nut shell, and I don't feel any better either after writing this either.

RoadToad

Wow, sorry about that. Just think of it this way: you love to run and most of your runs are filled with good feelings like mine. All of your runs will not be like this and most likely you won't have another one this bad!

RT

MHR

Yep - I have been doing this stuff a long time and sometimes you have bad days..thats just the way it is. This week I will total about 74 miles most of it good, as even a bad day running is better than sitting on your butt watching TV allowing the sands of time to pass you by.