Carl_The_Hun

I want to add running to my training program and don't know quite how to go about it. I only have 120 minutes available to train. Should I run for 60 min and then bike 60 or should I alternate days? What is the current wisdom on this?

Joe Gardner

What are your long term goals? What are you training for?

RainmanP

Carl,
Welcome to BikeForums. Hope to see you around often.

Joe is right; it depends a great deal on what your primary objective is. I am no expert on cycling training, though I have done my share of reading and I used to be a runner so I have a couple of (not original ) ideas on the subject. If your primary focus is cycling, devoting 30-40 minutes, about 3-5 miles, of training time to running would be excellent for cardiovascular and aerobic endurance as well as working muscles not used so much in cycling. All cyclists could benefit from this addition since running is actually more efficient for this purpose in terms of time vs results. Running also stimulates the mechanism that keeps bones strong. But any more time devoted to running would cut into the more important time on the bike, for which there is no substitute. There was even a little blurb to this effect in Bicycling a couple of months ago.

If you are headed more in a triathlon or primarily running direction, obviously more running would be needed.
Regards,
Raymond

Carl_The_Hun

Joe & Rainman;

At this point I just want to be a better rider. My milage and time in the saddle has been increasing but I don't believe my cardiovascular efficiency has been improving. I thought, perhaps, I needed to do a little cross training. Thanks for the input - I'll add some miles of running.

Carl_The_Hun

Well that was a first! I've never combined running and cycling before. It's OK while you do it but you feel like you've been dragged behind a horse aftrerwards.

Joe Gardner

I honestly thing running will be counter-productive if you just want to be a better rider. If your looking for a good cardo workout, try spinning really fast, and add a few hard sprints in your ride.

Another good cross-sport for cycling is swimming, i used to swim a few miles each weekend, but havent done any swimming for over a year. If you have a local recreation center, or pool, get a month pass, and swim laps for a few hrs each weekend.

Bubba

Skating, both inline and ice, are nice complements to cycling as well.

All this talk of running reminds me of the time at the peak of my cycling... career? - for lack of a better word - when I decided to go out for a short run with a friend and could barely walk the next day.

mike

Martial arts is a good compliment for bicycling.

You can ride through bad neighborhoods even at night.

You can also beat up guys that tease you for wearing tight pants or having a funny looking helmet.

Remember those guys that teased Cambronne a couple of weeks ago? Wouldn't of happened if Cambronne would have busted a move from Tae Kwon Do or at least French savate.

Carl_The_Hun

I reall love to ride but I got back into it to get into shape - I used to race almost 20 years ago. My problem was I cannot get my heart rate up where it should be long enough to stop and take my pulse. It gets up to about 160 and by the time I can stop and take my pulse it's back in the upper 60's. I know, I know - get a HRM. I had enough trouble getting our abbot to allow a bicycle and the time to train.

I'm riding a very inexpensive ($58) roadmaster from Wallmart. It's cheap but it gives quite a workout and allows me to cycle and obey my vow of simplicity.

With the tires inflated to the minimum I can get quite a bit of rolling resitance. I think I'll keep the running for the times the bike cannot be used.

LittleBigMan

Carl,

I know what you mean about running! I've found cycling to make running much easier, though it uses different muscle groups. This may be the reason for the unusual degree of fatigue after running.

I walk, and love it. I feel I need to do so to strengthen my bones,
exercise different muscle groups, provide recovery relief from cycling and give a change of pace.

In my book, recovery is at the heart of an effective training program. After an intense workout, a lighter workout or even a rest period allow the body to rebuild the stressed areas and allow better performance next time out.