I don't think I've ridden a bike since the first week of February, just before our Arctic blast froze Texas for a week. I've cut way back on cycling since autumn 2020 to give an old neck injury time to heal. I've ridden only 233 miles all of 2021, way down from my usual average of 500 miles a month for the past few years.
But I've been running more, 150 miles so far this year. Usually 3-5 miles a few times a week and 7 miles on a weekend. I'm aiming for 10 miles this month and a half marathon by April or May. Meanwhile I hope to crack the 30 minute mark for a 5k. Back in the 1970s I could run a 5k in under 20 minutes. That'll never happen again at my age. But sub-30 would be fine.
Running is a lot harder than cycling, at least the way I usually ride. There's no coasting, no easy mode. Even jogging is significantly harder. It's like on/off between walking and jogging or running. I hadn't run in 40 years and I don't remember it being this much harder than cycling when I was a wee lad.
Different aches and pains too. The neck is better, but now I have to watch for my old nemesis, the shin splints. Reminds me of why I quit running decades ago. But shoes a much better now, and there are lots of good tutorials on YouTube for running technique and physical therapy. Back in the 1970s we were just guessing and winging it.
I plan to ride more soon. It'll be interesting to see how running influences my riding.