madprofessor100

What kind of running would you all recommend for getting in shape for racing (cycling)? Cycling isn't an option for me right now. I feel like there's a lot of room for me to build my aerobic capacity, but I want to make sure that the work I do on my feet will transfer to the bike. I'm also afraid of losing my power, because I've been losing a lot of weight. Any advice?

Enthalpic

Focus on the 10,000m. 5k's are too short and abusive, marathon is too long and will kill speed.

madprofessor100

great! that's just what I've happened to be doing, and I've already noticed a huge improvement after running consistently for a week.

Jacobi

I would like to know this also. I'm not much of a runner, but I used to be not much of a cyclist so I guess everything can change.

-Barry-

kuan

Running will not translate to speed on the bike. Time on the bike translates to speed on the bike. It is, however, really good for the heart so it'll help you recover faster after hard efforts on the bike.

I would go long and slow for your normal daily runs, with the one long run being 20% longer than your normal run, At the end of the long one, do 15-20 second speed bursts. Just like cycling, build a base.

Supplement that with at least once week general strength workouts. If you are a girl, twice week general strength workouts. Once again, build general strength (base strength?) before getting more specific. Do this for 6-8 weeks. Then you can move into max strength workouts, once again, about six weeks. Then high rep workouts after that.

Rest easy the day after your strength workouts, and take a day off after your long run.

ModoVincere

Fartlek training will help you with your ability to recover between efforts.

edzo

yeah 10k is about all you need.

run up stair repeats if you can find some big bleachers
or run trenches. do that till you puke

kuan

It may seem so but it does not. Recovering from a hard effort is 100% aerobic. Your aerobic system flushes lactic acid generated from anerobic efforts. The better your aerobic system is trained, the faster you recover.

Fartlek training utilizes a higher percentage, or sometimes 100% of your anerobic system and hence will train your aenerobic system. It will train your aenerobic system and give you the illusion of recovering faster because you aren't stressing your aenerobic system as much as when you first started fartlek training.

ModoVincere

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartlek

Garfield Cat

Your question would be a great one for the triathletes. Some purists would say that triathlons are not bike races.

Richard Cranium

Keep your priorities straight. Use running to keep your weight down but focus any intense efforts on your cycling.

Keep in mind, hard running will delay recovery from cycling workouts. Hard cycling workouts will make running seem hard.

fueledbymetal

I'd shoot for 6-8 miles so that you're running for close to an hour if you want to help your cycling.

FWIW, I've run for years but just started cycling this past spring. I think running gave me a decent base, but I don't think it has helped my cycling in any other way. On the flipsisde, I've only been running one day a week since this summer (but cycle at least 3 times a week) and ran my fastest 10k ever on the last race of the season, so cycling has definitely helped my running. I guess it's because I can train with a high heart rate much longer on a bike than running since it's way easier on my joints.

aham23

i say go long and slow.

in no way do i want or will i participate in a running vs cycling discussion, but i must say this: running has made me more fit which has made me a stronger cyclist. that is all. later.

madprofessor100

haha, I was just about to ask: what requires more fitness, cycling or running? It seems like you here more about genetics, heart size, oxygen efficiency, etc. in discussions about professional cyclists than in discussions about elite runners. I know it's comparing apples and oranges...

aham23

^^^^ a lot of long distance runners have those same characteristics you mentioned. in fact, Brian Shay, who recently passed away at the Olympic Marathon Trials, had an enlarged heart.

which requires more fitness? i can only speak to my experience. which in 2007 involves 800 running miles and 2200 cycling miles. the 130 miles and 12,000 feet of climbing i did in june at the HHH was difficult, but the 26.2 miles i ran at the Chicago Marathon were the most difficult miles i have ever trudged.

later.

kuan

Uh, hmmm... try running the marathon under normal marathon conditions sometime. Congrats! We started the Twincities marathon here under black flag.

aham23

^^^^ i was bummed out for a while about the conditions at Chicago. this was my first and likely only attempt (for a long while at least) at the 26.2 miles. i bascially dedicated my summer to this thing. i was confident i could knock out a sub 4 hour run. then bam, its 75 degrees at 7am on an October Sunday in the Windy City. it was out of my control at that point. now i am like, hey i am part of history. good or bad? i dont know. later.

popsicleian

I struggle with trying to find a balance between cycling and running. I'd prefer to bike more than run, but I end up running with my dog 5 or 6 days a week (she's insanely high energy and desperately needs the exercise). I do part of my commute on bike (5 mile RT every day), but no single leg is more than 1.5 miles since I'm doing a folding bike/train/folding bike commute. Not very good for building cycling fitness. I find it's really difficult to make time for more than one long bike ride per week, plus I don't want to overextend myself by running and biking on the same day. I'm in great shape cardio-wise, but I'm slow as molasses on the bike.

Until the dog learns to exercise herself, I guess I just have to accept that I'm not going to get much faster only doing one long ride a week.

Zephyr11

I'm a runner who just started cycling, and most of my runs are done at a mostly comfortable pace. The New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard suggested that you should feel "pleasantly tired" after a run. This translates to a steady state type run...more than a jog, but less than a tempo. Don't bother with speedwork until you have somewhat of a base, or you'll be setting yourself up for injury. As far as how much to do...it all depends on what distance races you're focusing on. After a while, start to incorporate some speedwork and harder workouts. Let me suggest hillwork...runners have quads...but they're nothing compared to the massive quads that cyclists have. Hills are your best bet for building and maintaining quad strength running. You'll probably notice an increase in calf and possibly core strength running, though I doubt that'll actually hurt you for cycling. On days after doing speedwork, take a recovery day...done at a comfortable pace slower than your regular run pace. And one day a week get in a long run. If you can make up a cycling training plan, you can probably make up a running training plan. Most of the same principles will apply. Good luck!