Training for Biking by Running

ollietrex

I do a lot of mountain biking and road biking and am actively training to do the transwales, wicklow 200 etc but some times find it hard to get out on the bike becuase there is just not enough time in the day. A few people have said to me that an hours running can be just as beneficial as biking for a couple, is this true?

If so what sort of happy medium should I take between an hour or two's running versus say a two to four hours biking?

Thanks for any help.

uberwolf

you'd feel as tired because of the impact damage, but you're exercising different muscle groups. If you're not a 'serious' cyclist - but in it for fitness then there may some value in cross training. But if this is for racing then I would find alternatives like a turbo trainer

Ryder

Interesting question. You often read that one hours cycling is equivalent to 2 - 4 hours cycling, but this is only in terms of calories burned and to a small degree, cardiovascular benefit.
Crosstraining with running would of course be helpful, but there is absolutely no substitute for training specificity....in your case - cycling. eg the wicklow 200 involves a 200km cycle. No amount of running per week will prepare your specific muscles or cardiovascular system for a 6 - 8 hour continuous cycle, not to mention your ass.
A useful compromise would be one long run (1hr) one to two short (1hr) cycles and one longer (2+)

The turbo trainer is probably even a better idea, but would do my head in

Planet X

It all helps though. I didn't cycle to work today, a tad too windy, but walked to and from work, 7miles at a brisk pace. Felt a good sting in the ol pegs after I got home. I'll be out for club circuit training tomorrow night. Go for the odd 3/5 mile run at the weekends.
As I say, it all adds up.

ollietrex

Cool, thanks for the advice, I am defo more of a biker than a runner but like like to do the running to keep the variety and just incase I ever decide to do any of the imra runs (hill running).

I am not so keen on the turbo trainer concept but I suppose if I really want to make an effort it is worth looking at.

Enduro

Doing both lessens the chance of unbalancing your muscle groups and getting an overuse injury. There is probably more to be gained for a runner to go cycling than vice versa, IMHO, but I definitely think its worthwhile to do both, even from a point of view of not getting too bored with one or the other. And give the IMRA races a go, they're great. (As a cyclist you'll probably find you can climb a lot better than you can descend when running).

niceonetom

do you fellas think there's any benefits to be had from combining weight training with cycling with regards to improving cycling performance?

i've been told by some it's a good idea and by others that it's sheer madness. by weight training i mean mostly machine work and squats etc. which work the same muscles but through a greater degree of motion than cycling and also pilates style core training on abs and lower back.

i'm no racer so this is of purely academic interest to me.

i firmly believe that if god had intended us to run he wouldn't have invented the bicycle, and i regularly cycle the 300m to the local shop rather than walk.

tunney

Bad news for you.

Numerous studies have shown that biking can maintain or improve run fitness but not the other way. Running as a form of training for cycling is useless.

Johnny Jukebox

Hmmm... not sure I'd agree 100% with that. Running makes you fitter, leaner etc etc. which can only help on the bike. A lot of the top Irish MTB riders are also top hill runners, however I can only think of one Irish MTB champion thats also a notable runner.

Also have a dim distant memory of Sean Kelly saying he rarely walks, let alone runs :-)

macinalli

tunney wrote: »

Numerous studies have shown that biking can maintain or improve run fitness but not the other way. Running as a form of training for cycling is useless.

At the moment I'm training for a marathon while also cycling to work (~100 km/week). I find the cycling brilliant for taking the sting out of the long runs, but haven't really noticed any benefit the other way. Obviously the leaner you are the easier it'll be, but I don't think my cycling has gained from the running

garo

niceonetom wrote: »

do you fellas think there's any benefits to be had from combining weight training with cycling with regards to improving cycling performance?

Weight training of specific muscle groups can be of great help and is in fact recommended for competitive cyclists. Muscle strength along with endurance is an important part of competitive cycling. However, random weight training can do more harm than good. Pick up a good book on the subject (I'd recommend Joe Friel) or go online to some of the better bike training websites/forums and they can tell you what exactly to do and what to avoid.

uberwolf

niceonetom wrote: »

do you fellas think there's any benefits to be had from combining weight training with cycling with regards to improving cycling performance?

massive benefit. Couldn't exaggerate the impact it makes.

smithslist

niceonetom wrote: »

do you fellas think there's any benefits to be had from combining weight training with cycling with regards to improving cycling performance?

niceonetom, the benefits are of great benefit, but you got to be doing it regularly, also you have to be careful because the type of weight training you do the type of cyclist you will become.

Meaning if you do sets with heavy weights and less reps, you are likely to build alot more muscle (aka sprinter), and if your sets is 'light-heavy' weights, with 10+ reps, then you wont build as much muscle (aka average cyclist, greater endurance)

maybe others can comment of my response, but this is my learning of it from reading internet and books (esp. "Weight Training for Cyclists" by Eric Schmitz & Ken Doyle).

hope it helps

niceonetom

thanks for the replies guys. i bought some free weights a little while ago (though i can't say i use them that much) mostly because i felt that cycling was making me look, well, like a cyclist; i.e. big strong legs, pot belly, skinny arms, pencil neck, bad posture etc. (hey it's true, as athletes go, cyclists ain't so pretty). look as rasmussen (boo! hiss!), that fella's the shape of a coke bottle.

so the weights are really to try to give me back a torso but i might throw in some leg work to see if i notice any results on the bike. i'll check out those books too, i'm past the stage of thinking that enthusiasm makes up for total lack of expertise.

tunney

Gym based weights for cycling aren't that important.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=strengthstern