Originally Posted by poolhouse
My first reaction to the ride more often suggestion was "but I run 2-3 times during the week and do sprints during those runs...(and core strength training) " So my next question is "isn't running kinda/sorta like riding, especially since I am doing interval training during the runs ? Isn't it all related to VO2 max and METS and Max HR and if it is, then isn't running hard just as good (or better) as biking hard?
Running is more a "pure fitness" sport than biking. That is, the speed of the runner is primarily due to this fitness. However, biking has more mental and equipment factors involved. Picking the right gear for the terrain, spinning smoothly and efficiently in a circle, positioning your body on the bike aerodynamically plays a major role in your speed aside from just pure fitness. Couple more questions on your running:
1. how long of runs are you doing? 2-3 hours at a time?
2. running sprints? Are they really sprints? All out 100% efforts as fast and as far as you can?
3. what's your HR at the end of these sprints?
4. what percentage of this max-HR are your running intervals? for how long?
Also running uses higher peak-forces on fewer muscle groups than cycling. There are about 10 main leg muscles used in cycling, running only works 2-4 of them. What you will want to do is practice the mental techniques of spinning in circles to make the neural connections to recruit those dormant muscles into your pedal stroke. You'll go faster, generate more power without having to exert your quad muscles any harder than they are working now.
Gearing comes into play here as well, are you spinning fast 90-100rpms? If you match your pedaling speed with the guys that are passing you, that'd be a good start.