najmer

I have got a question. I don't know where to ask? I think Triathlets may give me an answer. The question is, can my endurance on bike benefit from running? My main goal is to be able ride long weekend trips, both on road and mtb with decent speed. And sometimes I don't have a lot of time for training during week. Right now during winter, isn't better to do some intervals on the turbo and then finished it with a run. I do enjoy cycling the most, but I rather go for a run, than do long boring endurance intervals on the turbo, or I rather run than trying cycling during bad weather, like snow covered roads, or heavy raining.

Or for example if I have planed long stedy base ride, but turn out that I don't have enough time, isn't better for example, instead of 2h riding , run 1h with easy pace and then 1h base on bike.

I'm currios on your opinion about that. Because running is way more exhausting than cycling, but does it translate into endurance on the bike?

Did you noticed some benneits on your cycling from running, or rather some negatives?

texaspandj

I generally start my triathlon training season By running. Once I'm comfortable running 3 miles I start Riding. The running conditioning transfers well to riding. No worries there.

kingston 

I'm not a triathlete, but I ride long distances when it's warm in Chicago. Over the winter I cross-train which includes 3 days of a ~30 minute dumbbell & core circuit, followed by 30 minutes running intervals and 2-3 days of riding rollers or outside weather permitting. As the weather warms up I drop the cross-training and my cycling mileage goes way up. The only way to get comfortable riding long distances is to ride long distances, but I think cross-training over the winter makes me stronger in the spring than if I just rode rollers all winter.

najmer

I do know that the best training for longer rides are longer rides. But right now with irregular working hours and family commitment I don't have enough time even when weather get better. I did ran a little at winter each season, 2-4time per week, but it always started very painful, it always took few weeks to run comfortable. I do wonder, if I wanna incorporate some running for whole year round.
How much should I run during riding season, to sustain that ability to run comfortable?
Does 1-2 times per week is enough?

kingston 

Anything is better than nothing, but you won't get to be fast on long rides by running 1-2 times per week. I find that I have to run at least 3 times a week or it hurts to much, which is one of the reasons I drop running during the cycling season.

_ForceD_

naj -- Like mentioned above...'something' is better than nothing. Running (and swimming) will contributed to your cardio conditioning...but of course you're using different muscles. So, you obviously have to get on the bike. I haven't been able to seriously train for triathlons for the past couple of years (due to a serious knee injury one season, then hip replacement after that). But I will tell you that when I am tri training...I purpously do at least one workout per week where I do a relatively short, but very hard bike ride...5-10 miles...followed immediately by a run of just two miles. but I only do sprints and up to Oly distance. If you doing longer tris, a longer one of these might be more appropriate. It's like an actual transition in a race. I refer to them at my transition workout. It gets your legs accustomed to switching from the bike to the run. For me...they definately help.

Interestingly, on a somewhat related topic, I've been reading that there are some triathletes who are adjusting cleat placement on their cycling shoes. They're modifying their shoes to place the cleats way back, close to...or almost directly under their heel. They get just as much (or more) power on the bike, and this set up saves their calf muscles for running.

Dan

doubravsky 

I've heard on a few podcasts (Trainerroad being one) that running fitness, while it does contribute to overall aerobic conditioning, is too different in terms of muscle recruitment to directly contribute to cycling power or endurance.

burnthesheep

Only ever riding can give some muscle imbalances that may ultimately cause downtime off the bike. I run to try to keep myself generically "fit". I'm not a pro cyclist. Not even elite amatuer. I have other chores to do so need to stay healthy. I toss in some light weights/yoga to mix it up on off weeks or a run.

I may do a duathlon once a year or every other year.

The issue for a "cyclist" runner is that if you don't have a run background, it will take a long while to build up your run time for workouts so you don't injure yourself or hurt your bike power.

Like, start at 20min super easy runs and add maybe 5min per week. With that being your long run.

It can help you in a pinch on a vacation or work trip not lose too much fitness. Run on those trips and then hop on a gym recumbent and just crack out some 40/20's to hold on to the power.

I'd just build up to maybe a 10k as your longest run so you can reap the aerobic benefits of running long enough to do an aerobic hour (minimum lower intensity adaption time thereabouts). Then do an easy 5k maintenance run weekly.

If that's your thing.

wphamilton

As a non-triathlete who dabbles in running and cycling, I can say that there are general benefits but the specific adaptations are different, running and cycling. In my experience, adding the runs does not help my endurance on the bike, because the time and energy spent running even just 15-20 miles per week always comes at the cost of long bike rides. So I kind of think it hurts my cycling endurance. Serious triathletes do both, so they probably don't see that cost.

Less than 15 miles per week, I'm losing ground. That's partly due to my more advanced age - we lose conditioning more quickly - but in general if you skip 2 days or more of the runs, you start to lose the gains. So, running only 2 days per week is basically just holding steady, not advancing.

najmer

So, bottom line is that running has no contribution into cycling power, very little to endurance on the bike, because of other muscle groups activation. But is good for general health, fitness and bone density, but only if taken moderatly with avoiding any risk to injury. I really thought that running 2-days a week would be enough to improving running speed and duration, but it turns out, that amount is enough to barely maintain that ability. During riding season I can squeeze two running sesion per week, maybe sometimes 3 times. But it seem has no benefit. I think I'll do almost like always, decreas running in favor for cycling as the weather and day lenght improve. But I try to stick with some minimum running, at least thouse couple of minutes on treadmill after gym sessions, that will be 2times per week. And maybe add some extra whenever I'll couldn't ride, with precausions, of course. I will see, where this will lead me for next year.

_ForceD_

I'll agree with your premise here. That's if you're 'just' a cyclist. No...running doesn't contribute that much to your cycling. But if you are going to race triathlons regularly it's a different story.

Dan