bfish713

Hi guys I'm new here and new to cycling for the most part. I'm debating whether to switch to competitive cycling from running. An injury has taken me away from running pretty much at all for the last year which has prompted me to consider a change. I'm hesitant because investing in cycling would basically mean giving up on my goals in running for good.

A little background about myself: I just 2 years out of college where I ran D1 middle distance. Running PRs are 1:48.0 for the 800 meters, 2:20 for the 1km and 4:01 for the mile, if that means anything at all. Also I'm 5 foot 10 and 147 lbs at racing weight if that matters. My goals in running are to run a sub 4 mile and to compete at USAs in the next few years and compete at the olympic trials for the 800 meters. These times put me pretty close to both achieving those things and if I get healthy I think can get back to better form than before.

In my first post grad year I ran my mile PR but eventually succumbed to an achilles injury. I ran through it for a long time until my performances started to decline and the pain became to much. Of course running through an achilles injury was really stupid and a year later I still have lingering problems that I'm not sure will ever go away. Doctors give it a good put not certain chance that it'll be healed and will allow me to get back on the track. The pain is minimal but it flared up on the return to run program the doc gave me and MRI revealed the tendon is still not healthy. Now I'm back in the air cast and only allowed easy swimming and stationary bike riding. I am avoiding clipping in because pedals under my forefoot strains the calf and tendon just enough to prevent healing (or so we think).

In my year off from running I've spent plenty of time on the bike and figure if running doesn't work out cycling is the logical next outlet. Watching some race footage from this forum and others and reading about getting into road racing I think I'd really enjoy competitive racing.

The conundrum for me and why I'm posting is for me it would only be worth giving up on running if I could reach the same level (or at least believe I've got a shot to). So I was wondering what level is really the best to aim for? Translating my running races to cycling it seems I'd be somewhere between CAT 1 and pro ranks (not getting paid, but racing against pros and would probably be able get on team that provides housing, gear, and travel, but no salary). But maybe I'm misjudging how good I am at running or how many great cyclist there are in the USA.

My other question is given some ability in running and the events I was best at, how does that translate to the road (or track) on a bike? What events might I be good at? and does a 24 year old like me have a reasonable shot at making it to the same level I was at in running? Also is there any way to find out if you have real potential without dedicating a few full seasons to bike training and learning to race?

I'm interested to hear what cyclist take on this transition are and what is and isn't reasonable. I also fully expect if I do get into cycling to spend at least a few humbling years to move up the categories.

Thanks to anyone who can give me some advice


TL;DR: Good runner wondering if he should give up running to be a cyclist and if he can be as good or better on the bike.

miyata man

Welcome, don't forget to check the box denoting what kind of pillow you need us to provide. You'd be surprised how many people miss that one. If there is anything other than providing for your adult life in a manner directly following the parental model so you can focus on being you, say the word. Just so long as you understand we don't issue a stipend.

bfish713

Sorry what I said wasn't clear, I'm saying that is my current situation with running right now if I wanted it and was competing the same as before. I've worked a full time job since college and don't need or expect anything to be paid for or even to reach a level where any one besides me cares. Sorry I came across in a way that prompted a sarcastic response like yours.

Anyway the question is really about how much is achievable and how well results from one sport transfer to the other. For example now pro rider Rusty Woods made the switch and is now riding grand tours. He's just once case and that's really a bulk of the info I could find about this.

I was hoping for, "heard of lots of guys like you, all think they can make it to the top burn out in a year you got a slim shot. Prepare to be humbled", or "With enough work it's possible but hard to say...[anecdotes about riders coming from other sport]".

globecanvas

Welcome bfish. While fitness is obviously important, there is obviously a lot more to bicycle racing too. I don't run but I'm totally confident saying that skills and tactics are a far greater part of cycling races than running races.

No matter what your racing goals, you will have to start at the bottom. So the best advice is just to try it. You will probably outclass the competition fitness-wise but there's no other way to get a sense for what else is involved, and how appealing it is to you. Have fun!

big john

I've seen good runners become cyclists and the fitness part is just that, part of it.
If you do start racing bikes, take your time and don't get over confident because you can crush the lower classes with your fitness.

globecanvas

Also, nobody gets to cat 1 on fitness alone. There are some cat 2s who make you wonder how they managed not to kill themselves/others but they are the exception and even the bad ones are excellent bike handlers/tacticians relative to the general population. Which is probably different from running.

Wylde06

^^I know one of those guys...

Radish_legs

I can't speak from any experience...but I've listened to a lot of podcasts.

It seems cycling has a large element of luck in it, in terms of people going pro or not. In other words, there are many people with very similar profiles, some make it, some don't. And luck/fortune play a role.

I think you just do cycling if you enjoy it, and you see where it takes you. It will almost certainly not take you to fame and fortune.

And mind you, there can be very serious injuries experienced in cycling.

TheKillerPenguin

We have 2 reformed runners on my team and both are quite strong. I think that if you are good at running you can find the fitness to be good at cycling. Just make sure to pick up the other skills along the way, like @globecanvas said. If you are strong enough you can get away with not knowing what you are doing until you hit the elite ranks, but it is far easier to learn those skills along the way than it is to learn once you get there.

topflightpro

I've known runners who have easily transitioned into cycling, and I've known very strong runners who struggled with cycling.

I also know a few cyclists who started running and have proven to be incredibly strong runners as well. But I tend to think those people would likely excel in most athletic endeavors.

rubiksoval

If you're interested in it, then of course give it a shot. If you're interested in being competitive, even more so.

For what it's worth, I know two ex-milers (one 4:06 in hs, another 4:01 I think after college) and an ex 10k runner (~30min) and they are/were all phenomenal cat 2s (one was primarily a pro mtn biker and has since stopped riding) that could be cat 1s if they trained more than 8-9 hours a week and worked on their sprints.

And they all moved through the ranks quite rapidly, often times winning solo or from small breaks. Huge engines when combined with their natural skinniness really made them successful. The issue, as mentioned, is when they get to the 2s and realize they don't really know how to race their bikes that well. Once you're in a decent field of 1/2s, everyone is pretty strong, and then you have to start figuring out how to make use of your strengths. There's a learning curve that can take a couple of years to get a hold of. Just requires racing a lot, though, which is generally pretty fun.

topflightpro

My buddy who went from 5 to a 2 in one season talks about this a lot. It took him about three years as a 2 to learn how to race before he earned his 1.

Radish_legs

Did anyone watch the Olympic triathlon? The bike portion was very interesting. They looked strong, but horrible on the bikes. Guys couldn't even put their water bottles back in the cages without looking down. World-class engines, but fairly pedestrian bike racing experience it seemed to me. I guess as a triathlete, you don't do enough bike races to become the equivalent of a seasoned bike racing pro.

TheKillerPenguin

There is a pro triathlete in this area that has gone 5 -> 2 since the beginning of the year and will probably get his 1 pretty shortly. He is a fine bike handler and has natural race sense.

Radish_legs

I think some people come to bike racing with natural race sense. Others don't. Some of those learn it, some don't. I guess the ones who don't are more likely to not advance, and end up quitting racing sooner.

mike868y

the success he's had as a 2 makes me feel a lot better about getting crushed by him all spring

echappist

Those are very good physiological numbers. Biomechanical efficiency has almost no effect on cycling performance, whereas it has a significant effect on running speed. Thus, someone with a good aerobic engine but very good efficiency can do as well as someone with very good engine but average efficiency. The willowy types tend to do better with biomechanical efficiencya, nd the fact that you are a mid-distance person with a good amount of muscle mass (as opposed to someone more willowy at 130lbs) portends well fir the transition.

Others have chimed in about the skills and tactic aspects of bike racing, so i'll answer the question about what types of racing you could do well.

The most straight forward would be individual pursuits (on the track) and short time trial prologues. However, neither earns you upgrade points.

Depending on whether you prefer a slower 1200 meters followed by a fast closing 300 meters or someone who prefers even pacing, You could make for a very good road sprinter (another event where the penultimate five minutes are quite hard, followed by a final sprint). You probably would climb quite well, especially mile-long climbs suited for so-called puncheurs. At your height and with your aerobic backfround, you probably can be quite good against the clock if you run the mile more evenly.

Bright path ahead (as bright as pro cycling could be), if you get skills and tactics down

caloso

See Nate English. Former middle distance runner at Cal. I was in Nate English's first race. Cherry Pie, Cat 5. Which is in February. He nearly lapped the field and was a Cat 1 by the end of the season. The season after that he got a domestic pro contract.

(By the end of that season, I was a 4. :-()

miyata man

Sarcasm, nah. Those soft words... hmm. Why don't you go out to a Chicago crit, about the only thing you would be racing anyways, and recite that whole life story to as many people as you can. I bet my response looks downright cuddly in comparison.

Long and short of it is you should go out and do your own reconnaissance. If you can stomach the crashes, the unflinching hardnosed attitudes, complete lack of whatever feel good corporate lifestyle spin you are on currently, and still feel like killing yourself on a trainer in a cramped basement all Winter only to realize how small your abilities on a bike really are. Then you should come back here and start asking the type of questions that will help level the playing field.

As it stands how do you think your current ploy could elicit anything more helpful than a string of "I dunno, worked for some in the past. Hard to say how many it didn't go so well for because you never hear from or about them now do you?"

PepeM

Fitness is fitness, and bike racing is mostly about fitness. If you were a strong runner, you'll be a strong rider. I don't know how good you are at the long distance running, but luckily you're in the US where it is pretty much all crits, so long distance abilities are not completely essential.

Find the group rides where the fast people hang. Join them. Once you feel comfortable on those, do a few crits. Someone with your profile should do well in the newbie races without needing to commit much time to training. Those two should be enough to give you an idea of where you stand and, more importantly, whether you enjoy bike riding or not. Shouldn't take more than a few months.

spectastic

i assume race sense is also sometimes called racing IQ? i;ve heard that you can't teach this kind of stuff, like when to back off, when to go, making split second decisions, etc. but i feel like that has more to do with the rider's mindset. the mental aspect of racing is a trainable skill in my opinion. it's just a matter of how quickly you can adapt; some people just don't.

Radish_legs

I think an important question to ask is whether being a domestic pro is really worth it for anyone, particularly someone like him who is out of college and presumably starting a career. Obviously it is worth it for the guys who choose to do it.


But the opportunity costs are high. And the financial rewards are close to nothing it seems to me.

PepeM

He already said he doesn't care about getting to a position where he is paid.

TheKillerPenguin

Why so harsh? Also, we aren't gladiators, we're adults playing bikes.

hack

Bottom line is that you have the fitness to race at a really high level. Bike racing and running are different from a tactic and strategy point as I'm sure you know.

I haven't run competitively in about 19 years (sad face), but have had more success on bikes than foot. Primarily because my ability to use some race craft for a result exceeds the fitness i had waaaay back when.

I assume @scheibo can chime in with more hands on experience than most anyone else here as he's a pretty high level runner on a fast track to cat 1/2 under the watchful eye of Matt and fudgy.