Got back into running a few months back and only go out once a week and run up to 6 miles at the most and really enjoy it and although I don’t keep records i feel i’m getting slower on the bike.
Anyone else noticed something like this when cross training?

I noticed that I was a better runner when I’d had some time off the bike.

Staying seated and pedalling does seem to be quicker than running with it.

I’m better on the bike up to a point. When comfortably running 10-13miles in my long run plus two mid week runs, it hampers my cycling. During my half marathon training it made my cycling the worst it’s ever been – my climbing was appalling. I was fitter aerobically than ever before but my legs were runners legs, not cyclists. Looking at photos, I can see the difference in muscle shape, and the tape measure showed I’d lost an inch off my thighs.

Can’t see pics making this topic any more interesting than it already is… 😐

I found riding up big Alpine passes (eg Alp d’Huez 6 times in a week*) improved my fell running no end – could run up hills like they weren’t there.

* we rented a chalet at the top, so every ride finished with the climb back up

Pics of what druidh?

I think Druidh wants to see pictures of thighs.

Similar experience here. Run a bit when the weather is crap or lose mojo and although it improves cv fitness it seems to reduce my pedal power. Shifts strength around the legs maybe. Stronger runner, not such a good cyclist unless you do them both together I suppose. They do say run to get fitter at biking but not the other way around though don’t they. They ?

My own empirical evidence is that you lose speed but maybe gain strength

Oh and druidh in “joke that is actually funny” shocker!!!

oh..i think running has made me mentally slower to 😳

I did a boat load of training for an adventure race last year, running and riding together worked well, found I progressed in both once I got the mixture right. Hill training seems to be the biggest cross over, climbing hills on the bike helped my fell running and vise versa, could just be that spending time at max effort increased my threshold.
Did a couple of roadie duathlons last year too, running straight after getting off the bike was a funny experience, jelly legs, should probably have tried that out before the race.

I find running cooks legs for cycling, cycling helps legs with running. Different muscles as well.

Ask Rob Jebb,

Champion cyclist, one of the top fell runners in the UK.

Probably depends on your body type (somatotype).
If you’re a mesomorph (like me) you just build leg muscle bulk regardless of whether you run or cycle. And it doesn’t seem to affect my cycling too much at all.

One of my mates is a very good club runner ie top 10 fininshes in half marathons etc.

He doesn’t do much biking, but one year did mountain mayhen with us. He said that training on the bike and the race made his running suffer.

To me average, fitness a mixture of biking and running is good. Biking doesnt exercise your whole body where as running does.

Interesting! I find running helps with the biking. I ride and run quite a bit though, so maybe the running gives the bike muscles more recovery than they used to before I ran regularly and biked even more..? I also find after I’ve done a proper taper to a race, I’m feeling better and faster with the running mixed in.

If anyone wants a picture of my thighs, just ask. You might be lucky and get a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ too.

I think running and cycling fit together nicely. however running seems to take more out of me than cycling, I feel it takes my muscles much longer to recover from running than cycling.
If I knew I wanted a long decent ride on a weekend I wouldn’t run for 3 or 4 days before, and I won’t run for 8-10 days before a race.
If your running and cycling regularly its likely you will always have some fatigue in your legs that appears to slow your performance, but you are probably stronger for the cross training and just need to take a few days rest to get over the fatigue.

Triathletes; leaving aside their handling skills, they’re not exactly slow on a bike…..

High level training may suffer as time spent honing that finely tuned body towards elite fitness in one sphere may compromise the other discipline.

Being a middle aged bloke of average fitness, none of the above applies to me and any time spent on either aerobic exercise appears to help the other. The biggest drawback is a loss of trail skills caused by time off the bike.

Training for your chosen event needs to be specific.

If your aim is to run fast then you need to run fast in training.

In my opinion cycling means you are wasting energy that could be used running. The same in reverse.

Having said that, when injured, cycling can be useful but would only slow deteriorating cadiovascular fitness and make a return to running slightly easier.

One good thing about running is that it’s often easier/less hassle to go for a 20-40 minute run and knacker yourself out, rather than a 2hr bike ride and all the preparation involved. Especially when it’s raining/been raining.

Never had a problem here, my only issue is making enough time to do both.

rather than a 2hr bike ride and all the preparation involved

I suspect also the energy expended and the fitness gained would be higher running depending on how you ride (and how you run of course) Intensity is key not time.

Running is fully weight bearing and there is less opportunity to “coast” even running slowly requires constant effort.