Any ex runners who've turned to cycling?

[darkstar]

I did LEJoG with a retired professional fell-runner. He was 56 at the time. Good grief, he was fit! I came to the conclusion that fell-running was probably a lot tougher than cycling.

100% agree with this one. I've ran a few marathons and considered myself to be pretty fit, until I was invited fell running with my uncle. He's competed for about 25 years and by god it was an eye opener. It's hardcore.

As for the step from running to cycling, the main thing I found difficult was the increased time required to get a long ride in. Don't listen to people who say that 100 miles cycling is equivalent to running marathon, or 'cycling 20 miles is like running 4 miles' as it's rubbish. It obviously depends on the terrain and elevation, but i'd say those estimates are no way near correct.

 

[Paul_L]

Hi PC....and here's my take on running

You sound rather similar to me....i have always been a keen runner and have for many years been a member of Bitton Road Runners here in Bristol....some years ago an old work colleague said to me....son..(well maybe not son

) when you reach 40 that's when the niggles and little aches start....he was right

I was lucky in some ways to be made redundant from that job some 5 years ago and as we all know approaching 50 is a difficult time to start a new career. I began to work as a court usher in central Bristol the pay was lousy but the real perk I did not have to drive but worked out that I could start cycling to and from work each day...and as I was getting more and more "little niggles" from running this really appealed to me ( thats face it as boys we all remember our love of bikes) So at 54 I cycle to and from work each day on either a Genesis ridgeback....but usually the love of my life (sorry to the wife

) my Giant Defy 1 I usually average 15-20miles each day depending on mood..weather etc and have been sometimes known to hit 30 miles ( on a clear day with a tailwind!) The great thing is I still run...amd still a member of Bitton Road Runners and I can still control those little niggles...still manage a respectable 42mins for a 10k...and am running the Chippenham Half Marathon in 4 weeks....as long as my achilles has stopped playing up!! There is nothing worse than not being able to get your daily dose of exercise...we all become grumpy old men...cycling on
my Defy with the wind in my face makes me feel forevers young..in my mind I am still 20 and will forever remain so...

you're being too modest.

that is far better than respectable.

I have a list of quite annoying PBs.

10k - 45mins 13s
1/2M - 1h 40min 11s

annoying in that but for 13 and 11s respectively i could call myslelf a sub 45 10k and sub 1h40 1/2M runner.

Most annoying finish time ever though was Prague marathon in 2005. 4hrs 0mins 12secs. Oh for time to stop still for 12seconds!! Still i have a 3h58min finish to allow me to refer to myself as a sub 4hr marathon runner

 

[fimm]

OP - did you race when you could run? Maybe you could look into doing some time trials (go as fast as you can for a set distance - 10 miles is the most common, but 25, 50 and 100 also exist). That would give you something to work at - and I can assure you that time trialling HURTS

 

[The Jogger]

I still do a bit of running / jogging but do more cycling now. I think the comparison or ratio of 4m running - 20m cycling is complete rubbish. Say if it was all on the same elevation / terrain I would do 4m in say 40 mins and 10m cycling in 40mins. So in my book the ratio would be approximately 4 - 10 I am slow both cycling and running but it's the getting out there that matters.

As far as the effort is concerned this can be calculated in the normal way by using the HR monitor.

I have stayed around the same weight with both, except when I was training for a marathon but didn't get to do it through injury. It's all about what you eat and effort put in either running or cycling if you do enough exercise you will lose if you watch what you eat at the same time.

 

[captainhastings]

100% agree with this one. I've ran a few marathons and considered myself to be pretty fit, until I was invited fell running with my uncle. He's competed for about 25 years and by god it was an eye opener. It's hardcore.

As for the step from running to cycling, the main thing I found difficult was the increased time required to get a long ride in. Don't listen to people who say that 100 miles cycling is equivalent to running marathon, or 'cycling 20 miles is like running 4 miles' as it's rubbish. It obviously depends on the terrain and elevation, but i'd say those estimates are no way near correct.

I agree there is no proper comparison its all down to effort and terrain. I am primarily a runner and have started cycling to cross train. I have found when I attack a big hill on the bike by the time I hit the top my heart rate has gone through the roof and I am gasping for air by the time I hit the top. I don't get that with my running I guess because there are certain ways of running that I could but I rather do it cycling. With the running now I am finding my legs stronger and I am cruising up hills so its a winning combo

 

[cyberknight]

I used to run and cycle a lot in my twenties and included use of the local gyms (at the time ) high spec cardio equipment i used to do winter training on the bikes and clock up 1000 calories in an hour.
When i ran i always felt that i was running through the ground rather than over it but i used to manage to clock round 18 mins for 3 miles and sub 1 hour for 10 miles.

For me it has always been a matter of preference,i can work just as hard on a bike but i find it more enjoyable than slogging along the pavement

Just a note i was never a pure endurance trainer, i did maybe a couple hours weights + maybe 5 hours kung fu/tai chi a week so i was never going to clock super fast times , i had to many things i wanted to do ........

 

[darkstar]

For me it has always been a matter of preference,i can work just as hard on a bike but i find it more enjoyable than slogging along the pavement

Hmm although it's a wide field, depending on endurance or sprints, I still think Running is a tougher workout every time. If it's intervals, sprinting to your limit is physically less demanding on the bike, compared to running, and endurance running is far tougher than endurance cycling. Thats my experience anyway.

 

[JNR]

I used to run and cycle a lot in my twenties and included use of the local gyms (at the time ) high spec cardio equipment i used to do winter training on the bikes and clock up 1000 calories in an hour.
When i ran i always felt that i was running through the ground rather than over it but i used to manage to clock round 18 mins for 3 miles and sub 1 hour for 10 miles.

For me it has always been a matter of preference,i can work just as hard on a bike but i find it more enjoyable than slogging along the pavement

Just a note i was never a pure endurance trainer, i did maybe a couple hours weights + maybe 5 hours kung fu/tai chi a week so i was never going to clock super fast times , i had to many things i wanted to do ........

Bloody hell, at my peak I was doing a 10k in 45 minutes, I'd be really proud of your times!

 

[darkstar]

I agree there is no proper comparison its all down to effort and terrain. I am primarily a runner and have started cycling to cross train. I have found when I attack a big hill on the bike by the time I hit the top my heart rate has gone through the roof and I am gasping for air by the time I hit the top. I don't get that with my running I guess because there are certain ways of running that I could but I rather do it cycling. With the running now I am finding my legs stronger and I am cruising up hills so its a winning combo

Try hill training, sprinting up and down an incline (running), you will soon feel it

 

[JNR]

Try hill training, sprinting up and down an incline (running), you will soon feel it

Can't recommend this enough. I used to a do a square fartlek session that a club runner told me about in New Brigthon that was a minute from my flat. Sprint up a steep hill (10%), walk across the flat, down the incline, reasonable pace across the flat to the foot of the hill and then sprint back up again. Repeat as often as you can.

I used to do a KILLER hill session on some woodland steps up to a railway station. Map My Run puts it at a 20% gradient and some of the steps are over a foot high, really working your legs up there believe me. When I was 18 I regularly got to 200bpm and above on those steps. Not sure I could do that now...

 

[runner]

It's unfortunately a fact of life that every runner once hitting the age of 40+ will start to feel those little niggles...just learn to deal with it! cycling is a great way to keep an aerobic form of exercise going without doing harm to those joints...I suffer with achilles periodically when I try to increase my mileage...I have had plantar fascitiis and we all get those knee niggles I keep taking my glucosamine, chrodormax topped up with some pure liver oil...does it help...in my mind it does. It's also vital to watch diet more weight means more pressure on those joints that are already starting to creak and groan To me it was always a question of enjoying my running and cycling has certainly helped me do that....I am not obsessed with time but can still manage just over 1 hr 35 for a half marathon and that's what I'm hoping for at Chippenham in four weeks...i would hope that is not bad for an old one of 54!! I think the real problem is that people like us become "grumpy" old men (or women) if we cannot get our daily endorphin release....when I run I can feel at one with the world but equally when I cycle my defy 1 feels a part of me.....I think i've rambled on enough...lets have a big cheer for all runners and cyclists.....may they enjoy their sport for ever

 

[JNR]

Lets have a big cheer for all runners and cyclists.....may they enjoy their sport for ever

Absolutely. I am always enthused (humiliated) when you 50+ guys overtake my spritely 24 year old frame.

 

[runner]

Absolutely. I am always enthused (humiliated) when you 50+ guys overtake my spritely 24 year old frame.

I did manage my second best 10k in June this year and finished 28th out of 360!!....eh respect but let's get off this subject of running as this is a cycling forum

 

[JNR]

I did manage my second best 10k in June this year and finished 28th out of 360!!....eh respect but let's get off this subject of running as this is a cycling forum

One last message, what was the time runner?

 

[runner]

42mins and 4 seconds...I know if I'd only run a little harder....as a time it was not the greatest lot's of 50 year olds run sub 50's but I was first home for my running club and I strategically ran a great race...I was on a high for days