Running and cycling training advice

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Running and cycling training advice

10 posts & 9 voices | Started 2 years ago by dirtygirlonabike | Latest reply from stever

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dirtygirlonabike - Member

I'm doing a half marathon in March and I'm also doing a 100mile sportive in June. Most of my training is focusing on running, with one road ride (approx 50-60miles for base fitness for the sportive) I'm trying to work on the basis of increasing mileage every week and tapering on the fourth (easy in theory, not so easy in practise). But I'm struggling to work out how the bike fits into this - should I taper all training on the same week, or stagger the bike/running taper?

I did my bike taper this weekend, but did a longer steady run on Sunday (13.5km averaging 12kph) I had more energy/felt better compared with previous weekends*. I'm wondering if rather than having everything taper on the 4th week, if I'd get better results from say week 3 taper on the bike combined with running for longer, and then week four would be a taper on the running front, and building back up on the road?

*but my sleeping/eating/recovery was also better than previous weekends.

Posted 2 years ago #
AdamML - Member

In my experience (i.e. training for marathons) it's been better to build in rest days during each week rather than having a taper week in the big training blocks. When I've tapered, it's been in the week before the event, not during training for it.

Also, I've normally built mileage a bit at a time in steps of two-or-three weeks, rather than week after week. If you want advice that fits for you though, it'd be best to talk to a coach at either a local running or cycling club.

Posted 2 years ago #
thomthumb - Member

taper everything at the same time otherwise you don't get get lots of rest in the recovery week - which is of course the point.

Posted 2 years ago #
dirtygirlonabike - Member

adamml - that's more or less what i was trying to say. each week i build on my mileage, followed by an easy recovery/tapering week on the fourth week. i'd then properly taper in the run up to both events.

tapering everything in the one week makes sense but i just wasn't sure how the bike fitted into my training plan after this weekend.

Posted 2 years ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

Concentrate on your running, but still maintain some simple base cycling (60m a week is easy enough - that's only 3-4 hours on a Sunday morning).

Once you have done your half marathon, get back on the bike, and steadily wind up the mileage.

A friend ran a marathon alst week (an off road thing, that was actually 28 miles), and was back on her bike this weekend (for this first time since September). She said it felt tough being back on the bike, but I know that her wider fitness will convert. to get her fit enough to race her bike again next year.

All this is from a person (me) who loathes running, and is in poor form on the bike as well...!

Posted 2 years ago #
uplink - Member

If you use a GPS/HRM have a look at the training addons that are available for Sportracks - particularly Training load

I'm doing some adventure races [biking & running] this year & have only recently started using it but it certainly gives you an in-sight into where your fitness/tiredness is& hopefully helps to get the best out of your training & prevents over training - which it looks like I may be in danger of at the moment
This is a screenshot from mine, the red line is tiredness & the blue fitness
As you can see I tapered for a race on the 6th Dec & I could see my tiredness went down [not as much as I wanted] but I hardly lost any fitness.
It also seems to fit in with how I feel so I'm confident of the data

As for the OP - I taper everything at the same time

Posted 2 years ago #
Kendal - Member

I do a similar thing to this each year, although usually the other wasy around, (do an MTB Enduro in May to prepare for mountain running events June / July / September / October.

If you can keep it up do your once a week 60 mile ride and spend all the other time running, then switch to bike training after your half marathon. I found that one rest week in four was enough for me, but a 'big' week for me was only 10 hrs training. Friends who train more, and are a little older (i.e. over 40) have every third week as a rest week, and that works for them.

For me the crux of it is making sure rest weeks are restful enough, and you leave enough recovery time after an event. Having overtrained in the past my principle is it's better to turn up to a race a little undertrained than overtrained.

Posted 2 years ago #
The Swedish Chef - Member

"Having overtrained in the past my principle is it's better to turn up to a race a little undertrained than overtrained."

Excellent advice!

A rest week every 4 is very tried and tested formula.

Tapering should be done at the same intensity but at a reduced load, this is quite commonly over looked.

Posted 2 years ago #
crazy-legs - Member

Listen to your body.
If you feel great, it's good weather and you *want* to be out (as opposed to feeling that you *need* to be out, then get in a longer and/or harder ride while you can.
If you feel crap then cut the training short or do something else - climbing, swimming or whatever.

If you miss a pre-planned session for whatever reason don't try and "make up for it" in other sessions, you just have to forget about it, it's gone and you're not going to get it back.

Mix it up - go out with different groups of people, perhaps a couple of different locations if you can get a weekend away somewhere. Be as flexible as you can with it, there's no point forcing yourself out for 3hrs in the torrential rain if you're not going to enjoy being out and get the benefit from it.

Oh and have fun!

Posted 2 years ago #
stever - Member

I think the point is you have an easy week of your *total* training load. Not week 3 reduce bike load, week 4 reduce run load. That way you're not really easing off, just changing the mix.

And in a similar boat, pushed for time, I'd weight the training towards running. You can afford to tick over on the bike. You can do a 100m off bugger all bike load, if you're running well. Obviously you can do 100m *better* if you ride more

Be prepared for your body not to have read the training plan at times and adapt. It nearly always comes right on the day.

Posted 2 years ago #

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