I can ride a bike for a few hours with no problems.
But I have knees made of cheese, so haven’t run in over 20 years (I’m 45).
So, I have booked myself into the gym for an induction to get back into some weights again and maybe have a look into these new-fangled running / tread mills.

Anyone had similar experiences and think trying to run might be AOK – although I guess without trying I’ll simply never know.

In a similar vein, will I be useless after 3 minutes I wonder? I can cane it as good as the next man on a bike, on an hill climb, across dales and trails but I suspect this won’t help me much when I try running. Different & similar muscles being used in different ways? I wonder what my HR monitor tells me after the first few minutes?

Any thoughts?
Tim

Slightly older than you
The gymn treadmills are fairly easy on your knees just boring as hell
I use it as a 10 min warm up with headphones and stick to 12km/hr and 5% gradient
Rest of the session concentrate on upper body strength

Don’t forget that running on a treadmill is another step again from running on road/ footpath 🙁 But give it a shot on the treadmill – it shouldn’t be too tricky from biking.

I don’t see myself ever running on the road or even XC.
Just thought I’d give it a go again as I used to run most days in my prime.

I’d be expecting running to hurt quite a lot, afaik cycling tends to shorten the leg muscles to a degree that adversely affects your ability to run in comfort.

jim, oh yes, the pain! I used to run a lot, but for the last 10 odd years all I’ve done is cycle (road and mtb). However, with time limited I’ve started running again and although the heart/lungs feel good, the legs have been in shreds – heavy and tight. However, after a month or so of basically jogging on off road terrain things are much better. Interestingly, exercising at the same hrm intensities running “feels” much harder than riding.

cycling shortens muscles,
running lengthens.

running is totally different to riding, depends on how you are. But i know a number of folk, quick on a bike, but not a hope in hell when running.

Epicyclic thingy is what you want to head for, running without the impact.

I’ll let you know how I managed, since I’ve only been cycling for 3 (?) years and before then lots of long walks.

Never been a runner until I heard of a 10k in the town/village/shithole that I work in.

Followed a training plan for it. It worked. Now I like running.

I do need to take care though, running is a great way to ruin knees and I did get some soreness in the front part of my left knee during training. Physio and a bit of rest sorted that out though.

Careful you don’t over do it at first, you’re probably reasonably fit (aerobically) and it’s easy to get into a rhythm, warm up and not notice how far you’ve gone…

I used to run regularly until 1999 when I broke my ankle in a bike crash. I started running again around 2004 then had to stop in 2007 because of a slight hamstring injury. Started again last year and started to get good times but then had to stop once more due to a heel spur (impact injury). I’ve just started again about six weeks ago after an eight month lay off and all is well. Ran a 10k last week in 45min and came 24th out of 300…

http://www.racetimingsystems.com/public/results.aspx?raceid=813

Ran this evening for 50mins and felt good all the way round… not been doing much biking in the last few weeks though. I’m gonna try and run at least two-three times week to keep the body used to it. Get good quality running trainers, start gently at first then build up gradually and stretch gently afterwards – and yep, it hurts at first! Im 40 btw.

Kev

Just take it easy at first in order that your legs can get used to it again. Take it even more easily than feels ‘right!’ I used to run a lot and cycle, running by virtue of playing footy regularly and training twice a week. After giving up footy a few years ago all I’ve really done is ride and ran occasionally. Recently I’ve got back into running again and the first few sessions were pretty painful but I’ve got to the stage now where I can quire easily plod along for an hour including some uphills. Am planning to up it again soon and do more speedwork etc. There is little more pure than running outside, you can just get up and go.

Incidentally I feel it has a positive effect on my cycing fitness although I know many on here feel it doesan;t. My legs just feel stronger and I feel it can only have a positive effect on my aerobic system. Good luck!

You’re all lucky – i cannot physically run at all, a symptom of my CMT condition.
I look like a drunken penguin in a speeded up film when i run…

I used to run 4,5,6 days a week, several miles each time. And I rode XC then. I was fit.
Now, I don’t run, ride a bit and am unfit.
I wish I began running again, maybe this Autumn?

Good time to start it again. Not as hot, nice scenery.

I got told when I started training that my aerobic fitness would probably improve faster than my body’s ability to run. So I would feel capable of running further, but all the little ligaments and tendons and whatnot would not be ready for the longer distances.

It turned out that it was spot on. I had some troubles with my ITB, some other minor troubles with hamstrings, with general muscle pain. I came t the conclusion that training plans done by professionals really are worth following in case you do a nasty to yourself and put yourself out of comission fr the very race you are training for.

Which reminds me, I need to register for the Perkins half marathon.

willard, spot on, my cardio-vascular felt up for more, more, more. But…..the legs, aaaargh the pain. Had to ease right off for a couple of weeks re-assess and slowly take it from there.

Running as always hurt me [but I keep doing it]
I do 3 x 10k early morning runs each week – 1 slow, 1 fast, 1 fartlek – & they all hurt like hell, just general muscle pain

It does wonders for fitness though

Key thing is your joints will need to catch up with your muscles and aerobic fitness. Be careful of overdoing it. I’d seriously recommend a blast along some singletrack though, so much more rewarding than the treadmill. And you might spot some new lines…

I do need to take care though, running is a great way to ruin knees

This is a myth.

Well you’ve convinced me with your reasoning there surfer, the whole world must be wrong 🙄

I did the Induction and feel a little tight across the right pectoral, which is not too good this soon after the exercises. I used to dumbell press up to 32lb more than my own body weight so I have reasonably good tjts.

I did a fair few leg stretches that I’ve been taught & the gym enviroment seemed condusive to getting them done as well.
We did a bit of most things, so the running was more an introduction to the Nautilus Macine. Next time I’ll try it out properly.
My 3hr training ride this evening is the priority and so I took it easy on the leg machines. 3 sets of 10 reps on most of the machines should do it for now.

I’m racing pairs at Bonty 24 shortly and don’t really know if I can last the distance – but there’s only one way to find out I guess!
Once more, Team Heather Mills Swims in Circles rides again.
Tim

I did the Induction and feel a little tight across the right pectoral, which is not too good this soon after the exercises. I used to dumbell press up to 32lb more than my own body weight so I have reasonably good tjts.

I did a fair few leg stretches that I’ve been taught & the gym enviroment seemed condusive to getting them done as well.
We did a bit of most things, so the running was more an introduction to the Nautilus Macine. Next time I’ll try it out properly.
My 3hr training ride this evening is the priority and so I took it easy on the leg machines. 3 sets of 10 reps on most of the machines should do it for now.

I’m racing pairs at Bonty 24 shortly and don’t really know if I can last the distance – but there’s only one way to find out I guess!
Once more, Team Heather Mills Swims in Circles rides again.
Tim

Had a thought about the running thing, that my physio suggested. Aqua running – basically running in the swimming pool – is apparently great resistance training, in a running motion but without the impact. You may look a bit comedy, though

surfer – Member

I do need to take care though, running is a great way to ruin knees

This is a myth.

To add a bit more to this, if you:

+ get fitted for appropriate running shoes
+ build distance/time gradually
+ warm up properly before a hard training session
+ stretch

… then you should have no problems with any part of your body, including your knees.

This is a good book, and a good price: Stretching by Bob Anderson.

If you’re in Scotland, you might want to check out the JogScotland groups, or else join a running club for coaching and encouragement.

I find running on treadmills really really hurts my knees, and I’ve put it down to the fact that the mill pulls your foot back rather than you pushing it back as your foot comes back in contact with the ground. Sort of like the difference between landing a fixie jump with your wheels stopped and starting off from stopped with a fixie. Makes sense in my head, even if I cant articulate it.

surfer – Member

I do need to take care though, running is a great way to ruin knees

This is a myth.

surfer’s right, it’s actually 5 a side football that ruins your knees.

coffeeking, surprisingly you’ve just explained to me why running on a treadmill isn’t like real world running – I’ve never really thought about it.

The foot-fall was soft on the running machine and that's why I think / thought it'd be OK, plus I have some bling new trainers.
I have yet to do my ride as yesterday it rained cats & dogs so I did some work instead.
My upper pect's are a little sore this morning, but if anything, it's a testament to just how many muscle groups XC riding actually involves as I'd have expected my triceps, abs, biceps, glutes, lats et al, all to be a little sore, but that's not been the case.