Trying to combine cycling and running…

I have been a cyclist for years and usually at this time of the year i’d be following Wahoo SYSTM plan on the turbo during week for cycling and chuck in some weight training, and then long outdoor rides at the weekend.

I try to alternate raising money for a diabetes and a cancer charity each year, but found it more difficult to get people to sponsor me for any cycling event, so this year i daftly have entered 3 x half marathons in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff to raise money… the trouble is i’m not really a runner and haven’t run much at all since my mid-20’s.

I started the Couch 2 5K in November and have got to a point where i can slowly run 10k, or run 5k with a bit more pace, but thought i’d try a structured plan, so have been using the Runna app which on second week has me doing a 3.5 mile “easy” run monday, lower body weights wednesday, a 4 mile run with 8 x 400m faster pace efforts in, a longer run on saturday of 5 miles, then upper body weights on sunday

I have also been religious in warming up and cooling down.

The trouble is whilst i am enjoying the running, it’s not leaving a great deal of time for cycling!

I guess the question is, i need to get to a point where i can do a half marathon by the start of April, but is there a best way to combine cycling into this, can I get by on two runs a week and cycling?

At present my compromise has been to do higher heart rate stuff within running, and try to keep to zone 2 cycling in between to try not to tax legs to much for the next run?

Kill two birds?

I ran 3 times a week when training for an Ironman, all while still commuting by bike. Definitely do able. If you can run 10k you can run a half marathon no problem, a term I hate but is so true. Consistency is key. Try to do a track session once a week with a club to build your speed up, and don’t race your long runs, keep them nice and easy.

For half marathon distances I’d say you’re already on the right path without the need to increase your weekly/monthly total too much. I’ve been mixing up the running and riding for the past 3 years and just accept the fact that more time spent on my feet means less on the bike.

Just find a happy compromise. A lot of the riding will build your cardio anyway and the stretch/strength stuff will help with the leg issues you might get when running so make sure you don’t sacrifice that.

If you can run 10k you can run a half marathon no problem,

Not true for me. I used to be a 40min 10k xcross country runner and I could never have just decided to double it whilst out one day. That’s a recipe for injury. Build distance slowly, don’t try to increase speed and distance at the same time.

There’s your problem, slow right down to not much more than walking pace and you can do the longer distance injury free.

Not true for me. I used to be a 40min 10k xcross country runner and I could never have just decided to double it whilst out one day. That’s a recipe for injury. Build distance slowly, don’t try to increase speed and distance at the same time.

I was running a max of 10k when one morning as I headed out for a run my ex wife said I should train for a half marathon so I just ran one there and then. I was fine but it as Keva says it’s good way to get an injury and best avoided.

The running thing I found best for cycling was running reps up hills. I actually like running and riding up hill which helps.

@kayak23

They are walking to get those speeds, imagine how fast it would go if you ran on it!

 If you can run 10k you can run a half marathon no problem, a term I hate but is so true.

Sadly wasn’t true for me.

In terms of cardio, yep 100%, but my knees are a bit wonky and when I got to 15km or so they’d hurt too much, and I had to abandon my half marathon plan.

As above, I’d be happy to go out and do one now if I had someone else’s knees.

The running thing I found best for cycling was running reps up hills. I actually like running and riding up hill which helps.

I live in Norfolk!

My issue was i just didn’t want to overdo it and cause myself injury really, end up injured from running and not being able to do the challenge or not be able to ride bike for a while, i have a habit of going “bull at a gate” at things…

OP, I was pretty much a non runner 12 months ago and have since run three half marathons. So, it’s totally doable. People like to over complicate it IMO. One or two shorter runs per week (vary distance, speed and terrain) plus one longer run. Increase the length of the long run until your comfortable doing 8, 9 or 10 miles. You should be good to go. Stretch, regularly.

At present my compromise has been to do higher heart rate stuff within running, and try to keep to zone 2 cycling in between to try not to tax legs to much for the next run?

This is exactly the approach I’d take personally. Lots of Z2 on the bike. No more than 1 hard ride any given week. Save the intensity for running 2 or 3 times per week. As long as you’re limiting high intensity stuff you can keep volume high.

It depends on what your aspirations are. If you just intend to “get round” then as above if you can run 10km steadily now then you are almost there. If you reduce your speed you will be surprised how far you can run at a slower pace. With some more training between now and April I dont see any reason why you wont achieve that.

I have been a cyclist for years and usually at this time of the year i’d be following Wahoo SYSTM plan on the turbo during week for cycling and chuck in some weight training, and then long outdoor rides at the weekend.

SYSTM has plans that include running (and swimming). Could it work to take a triathlon plan (or duathlon plan, if there is one) and replace the swimming with more cycling?

During Covid I took up running for a bit as an alternative to the bike. Most of the comments above about building up slowly are the key thing – if you are planning your first half then is it to get round or to set a “good” time for you? The steady build up and a slower overall pace will get you round the first one, then you can work out your aims for two and three. Are there any local clubs to run with – that may also be useful for motivation and some new routes?

The programme you’re following is probably one that assumes you don’t do other exercise so you should be able to bend their suggestions somewhat, particularly around weights. Two or three regular steady runs with one longer one per week should be enough, still leaving time for sme biking and doing other things. The stretching/yoga/muscle prep you do will be helpful in developing mobility and different muscle use, but when running if you start to feel signs of muscular tightness back off a bit and get it checked out with a physio if possible. Better to get some trained support and specific exercises if there is an area that is more prone to problems. I suffered horribly with calf pulls which was more of a bike fitting issue, they stopped almost immediately once I changed my bike position.

Thanks all – few things to think about. Touch wood, up to now i have been injury free bar a few aches, hopefully years of singlespeeding have made knees a bit tougher..

I got very bored at work a few years ago and started running at lunchtimes just to get a bit of the rage out. There was a load of countryside out the back of our office, and the company shower arrangements were pretty good, so I could tick off a 5k and get into the woods over my lunch break. I ended up entering a local half marathon to set myself a bit of a target. I didn’t do C25K, but I did follow a half marathon training plan. A couple of things I learned along the way:

* You’ve likely got loads of fitness from biking regularly that translates into being fit for running, but your body is in no way attuned to the sorts of stresses and strains running puts on you regardless of this. This makes it quite easy to go out fast and pick up an injury early on. Slow it right down, and pick up once your running fitness is there. Riding a bike is low impact compared to  running.

* Get fitted for some shoes properly at a decent local running shop. That changed a load of things for me after years in shoes that were too small or just not suited to me and gave me shin splints.

*Build up slowly. I found parkrun good for this, as it’s the same route each Saturday and you can keep an eye on how you feel and how fast you are. I used strava to collect running data, but concentrated more on just running comfortably and then checked my time and pace once a week if I remembered to, or if it felt different in some way.

* A half is great and all, but run for (ahem) fun. I finished my half in under two hours and probably could have pushed harder, and I was happy with that as a lifetime non-runner with no desire to compete. I had far more enjoyment out of just going out and running a random loop. At one point I accidentally ran a half offroad without setting out to do it, simply because I was really enjoying it and not worrying about pace. Try to aim to enjoy yourself on training runs: pace comes with just running a lot, not through beasting yourself all the time.

* It will help your biking fitness. I simply didn’t realise how big an impact cross training had – which is quite ignorant of me.

Thanks @bentudder some good advice there, I have been very careful to do a 10 minute warm up and a good stretch after, plus I have tried to make the strength training more specific, so lots of lunges, single leg squats etc.

I think in between the events as you say i will run for fun, in the same way i don’t enjoy road cycling, and prefer off road, i feel the same with running, I am not just going to get the miles done, I am lucky that whilst Norfolk isn’t the hilliest, I do have a lot of bridleways, off road and beach paths to explore.

I do mean to go and get gait analysis and will do so soon, been using a road and a trail pair of Asics trainers and had no problems yet, but seems worth doing.

Sounds like you’re already waay ahead of me! I was often running for an hour and seeing very few people with no sounds aside from what was there plus my own wheezing. Quite nice just to be outside in the woods with no distractions – which biking also does, of course – but with none of the pre-and post-ride faffage.