How has Cycling improved other performances?

I gave up running as my primary form of cardio exercise when my back and knees started to go. For the past three months, I've been consistently on a road bike (60-100 miles a week) three times a week. My current road training is in the endurance base stage, with interval training starting in December to get ready for next year's tris. Running has been reduced to one day a week, as has swimming and weight training. I figured that the reduction of run/swim would see a downturn in performance.
Well, I took some measurements this week and was really surprised at the results. Not only has the endurance rides changed my fitness levels, but my body shape has changed considerably, even within a short time. My exercise regimen used to fall within the 60-70 minute maximum (typical gym rat) but rides of 3+ hours has broken me out of that plateau in a big way.
Here's what has happened in three months:

Running
Cycling has definitely helped not only my stride (cadence) but my overall fitness level. My previous best time for a 4-mile clip on the flats was 44 minutes. (I'm only 5-1 with really short legs and was never very fast). Last week, I the same distance in 39:29 with a steady stride of 90-per-minute. My recovery time was almost nil. The back pain is gone. My next goal is to run sub-9:00, which I think I can do before the end of the year. I am also planning on switching from flats to a hilly route soon, hopefully my back and knees will nt protest.

Swimming
Like running, swimming has suddenly become very comfortable. My best 2-mile time in a 25-meter pool has dropped to a sub-1:00 lap. The most amazing thing is that I can all into a comfortable heart-rate zone that is sustainable over a longer time. No longer do I get winded, the focus has changed to how long my shoulders/form will last.

Spinning
I used to think spin class was a good workout. With my bike in the shop for a tune-up, I took showed up at the gym at 4:30am to warm up for a 5am spin class. Did the class and it was actually easy. Afterwards, I did spinning by myself for an hour, and then took the 7am spin class, which kicked my a** pretty good. What was ego-boosting was the instructer telling the rest of the class to watch me for form. I thought that was unusual, as I had my spin bike in a more road-geometric set-up than the others. Three+ hours on an uncomfortable seat did take its toll on my butt, though.

Body Shape and Weight
The lack of consistent weight training has made the most visible change to my body. With the vast reduction of gym time, I can no longer bench 40 lbs or do significant weights. My body used to be somewhat "cut" but much of the definition has gone, esp. in my back and shoulders. My calves are leaner, but my quads have bigger. I *almost* have a butt now. My weight has skyrocked from 106 to 112, yet my clothes still fit. Some of my clothes are now too big through the shoulders. I haven't taken a true BMI test, but it's probably lower.

Oveall I am really pleased at the results of my cycling. I'm not sure if it mostly the introduction of a new discipline that has broken me past my previous plateaus, or the fact that being pain-free for the first time in a year (bad car accident last August) has me pushing my limits. Right now, I'm just revelling in each new breaththrough. I'm also seeing next year's tris (and my 40th birthday) as less of a mountain to climb, and more like a very big molehill.

Has anyone else gone through profound changes with your body? I'd love to hear your stories.

I'm turning 40 next year, too!

The 2006 Danskin is the only tri I've done. Great fun. I want to do it every year.

What I've noticed with my longer biking rides is that I keep getting leaner and more flexible. I can sit crosslegged for hours. My posture is better, I think because my abs have gotten much stronger from the bike. (my abs were "cut" when I was kayaking 2-3 times a week last year, but they aren't that spiffy anymore!) I get fewer migraines. My knees and hips aren't as cranky.

And on the vanity side of things: I have lost 50 or 60 pounds, and my legs have some decent muscles!

I as well have noticed a bigger change since I started cycling than with any other sport or hobby I've picked up.

I kicked off a decent amount of weight almost immediately when I started riding, ~15 pounds which isn't too bad considering I'm not really overweight to begin with.

Cycling really helped increase my core strength and cardio endurance. I noticed a big improvement in my general fitness level which in turn caused me to climb harder (rock climbing, one of my passions). My body shape changed in that I kicked off a bit of the jiggle around my middle and back end, my legs and knees and butt tightened up a little, well a lot but I didn't really notice it until I'd been riding for some time.

I also ventured back into the gym with a determination to start running for the first time, and found I could jump right in cold turkey and run for about 15 minutes longer than I had ever been able to.

I started swim classes about a month ago after not swimming for about 6 years and found I was able to hang with the people who had been taking the class for a month already, and had little to no problems keeping my stamina up.

I saw a picture of myself from last summer and was amazed at how heavy I looked in my face. My cheeks were so chubby and my arms and shoulders so rounded. Now I'm nicely angular though still a bit curvy. It was nice to see the difference. All in all, good changes that I really attribute to cycling!

I think one of my biggest changes is in jogging. I have never been much of a runner. You can thank bad genes on that one. My family has always had iffy knees and lower back problems. Last year I trained for a 5K, and two months afterwards had to start seeing a chiropractor. Apparently the jogging was the culprit. Over time I went from seeing the chiro 3 days a week, to once every two weeks if I was lucky. But it wasn't until I started riding seriously that I noticed a change in the health of my body. Chiropractor visits are almost nil. I started jogging again and have more endurance. And the biking keeps my lower back from stressing from jogging.

my cycling has also improved my cardio health that now i can run much better than when i first attempted it.

though now i'm hooked on all this cardio i've kinda put my weights to the side, which is bad me! i need to keep up with them, but cycling and running is just so much fun.

Just got back from the Dr today, so I had her check the records. In 1995 my resting heart rate was 80. Now it's 60!
I have put on about 10 pounds of muscle and my feet aren't ALWAYS COLD.
I walk but don't participate in other sports. The biggest point here is there is nothing else that I have ever done in my life that has affected my health this much before.

To all of you trying to lose weight, that was never my problem. I had plenty of my own though.

If only my boyfriend could keep up!

I started cycling for the first time in May of this year. Prior to that I used to run and rollerblade in the summer. The things I noticed after one summer of 2000 miles of cycling: my belly is a little flabbier than normal, (but I can make up for that in the winter with skiing), my arms seem more toned, my calves are looking more shapely, and my thighs have gotten even bigger than they were before I started.

Sisters, don't take up cycling and skiing if you want slim thighs.

Fortunately for me, I like strong-looking legs. There's a reason my mom dubbed our family "team sturdy women." I think of it as a badge of honor.

I can't wait to see how the summer of cycling will affect my xc ski performance this year! Mostly, I think cycling has taught me how to train smarter and endure longer. Both very good skills for any other sports.

cheers,
Kate :D

i think my cycling works together with my other cardio workouts which all works together with my weight workouts... they all work together and help each other...

i'm not a competetive cyclist.... i started riding as an extension of my fitness program....and that's how i continue to ride! and i'll never give up my other forms or working out... i enjoy them way too much!

I went for a ride this morning with a friend and we chatted up a bit. I mentioned my interest in tri-specific bikes, because I think my arms are too short to comfortably fit onto clip-on aero-bars. Then I brought up a number of things mentioned on this thread... my narrowing shoulders making my helmeted head look enormous, the big thighs, my increasing weight, etc... (I must admit, I was PMS'ing pretty good this morning, so I may have sounded uncharacteristically whine-y.)

He looked at me and said, "So... you think you're too fat, have a big head, tiny arms and thunder thighs... you either described a typical female cyclist or a Tyrannosaurus rex!"

Just call me Sue... :D

Hey "Sue" I loved it!