Is there any problem...?

[RoadRaven]

Shaun, if you have been a cyclist for 15 years then you'll know that the best way to warm up for a bike ride is to ride the bike gently. And the best way to ease sore muscles from riding is to ride the bike gently.

"They" say, as a rough calculation, that you should warm up one minute for every year of your life (so typically, before a race, I warm up for 40 or so minutes at least - I'm 42). On a training ride, I expect my legs to possibly feel muddy for the first half hour or so.

This is similar if tryig to ease sore musles. I find a gentle "recovery" ride on the flat (no hills) for about 45 minutes does wonders for sore legs caused from cycling.

I would not recommend running or jogging as a cross-training choice unless you wanted to become a multi-sporter, or unless you liked to run/jog.

At events like the Olympics, you will notice in the opening ceremony that the cycling teams do not walk round the stadium in the parade - because even walking can upset their muscles.

My three eldest sons have raced or do race while in their high school years. I write notes each week excusing them from PE classes if it involves running (including games like basketball) on Thursdays and Fridays because it messes with how their legs feel and operate for the Saturday race.

Cycling and running have no real correlation in muscle use... so the reason you mention is not physiologically grounded. The others have suggested specific stretches, and perhaps these will suit your more.

Having said all that - if you want to run - do. Thats all the reason you need.

[indysteel]

As Road Raven said, warming up and cooling down are very important. I find that it takes me about 9 miles to warm up, which seemed high until I read RR's age/minute correlation (I'm 38). I'm bad about cooling down on weekday training rides, mostly because the light is often failing and it's time to pack in it. I try, however, when possible to ride to weekend rides so that I have a built in cool down.

Having run for the first time this past Sunday in 13 years, I cannot imagine using running as a way to avoid muscle strain or pulls. I can barely walk right now. I did, however, go to yoga last night as per usual. That's my official cross-training. Granted, not all yoga classes or teachers are created equally. You can easily overdo it if you don't know what you're doing and/or when to back off from a pose. That said, it's an excellent way to work on flexibility, balance, and strength. Thanks to the regular hamstring, calf and hip flexor stretches that I do, I largely avoided some of the lower back pain that plagued me when I first started riding.

[RoadRaven]

Having run for the first time this past Sunday in 13 years, I cannot imagine using running as a way to avoid muscle strain or pulls. I can barely walk right now.

Oh yes. Good point.
You just reminded me.
After Christmas we have a family get-together - a sports day where we play tabloids, baseball, piggyback races etc. And have a bar-b-q. Its very relaxed and a way for the whole family (my partner has 4 siblings... between us all we have 16 kids) to get together without worrying about upsetting in-laws and no pressies are given out. For me, its our "real" Christmas day

Anyways, this year I participated (I managed to avoid it every year because I felt fat and unfit - but a year or two of mincing about in lycra on a skinny bike seat has left me with fewer inhibitions!).
I played baseball - yay me - I hit the ball - yay me - I had to run between the bases, in both innings... lol, if you call what I do running...

My legs, oh my legs... they were SOOOO sore the next day - I didn't ride. I should have. I rode the day after that. I rode for two hours, gently... steadily... my legs felt almost back to normal by the end of it.

There is no way I would have been any good for racing or for a hilly training course for at least 3 days...

[three]

This thread is confusing me just a wee bit. What about someone like me, who is wanting to do a duathlon (or two or three or more)...am I doing two exercises that actually harm one another? Everything you're saying insinuates that running is harmful to cycling muscles. What do I do if those two exercises are the only ones in the race?

Then I think, triathletes do the same and add a third. And, they do so wonderfully.

So, I'm a bit confused. Please clear this up for my novice self. Thanks.

[KSH]

This thread is confusing me just a wee bit. What about someone like me, who is wanting to do a duathlon (or two or three or more)...am I doing two exercises that actually harm one another? Everything you're saying insinuates that running is harmful to cycling muscles. What do I do if those two exercises are the only ones in the race?

Then I think, triathletes do the same and add a third. And, they do so wonderfully.

So, I'm a bit confused. Please clear this up for my novice self. Thanks.

Girl... keep doing what you are doing. Don't let this confuse you. I'm a triathlete... my running doesn't hurt my cycling. In fact, I think it helps my cycling. I'm sure some could argue that though.

I'm a bit cynical and I think this guy is a troll. AKA: Just posting weird stuff on this board as a joke.

Let's think about it... this guy has been cycling for 15 years... and he's asking us questions about running to help pulled muscles. Makes ya go... hhhhuuummmmm.

[maillotpois]

Let's think about it... this guy has been cycling for 15 years... and he's asking us questions about running to help pulled muscles. Makes ya go... hhhhuuummmmm.

Lots of things make you go "hmm?" here.

Seriously, anyone speak Arabic?

[crazycanuck]

THe links in Shauns' posts are to an Arabic site which does not have a translation key @ the bottom.

I was wary when i saw this gent's posts..

What is the forum on his links about...

[Wahine]

If you are a duathlete you have to train both disciplines, that's the nature of the game. But at the same time you cannot expect to compete at an elite level in one of those disciplines. That's just fine because you aren't going to be racing against elite cyclists, you'll be racing against other duathletes.

Although I will never run as fast as a triathlete as I did when I only ran, I have way fewer injuries now, I like my body better and I think that my general conditioning is very good. So there are great benefits to cross training. But it's true, if you're a cyclist and you are serious about doing well, running can impede your performance and it does nothing for injury prevention IMHO.

The goal is to be as good as you can at the activities that you want to compete in.

[teigyr]

This thread is confusing me just a wee bit. What about someone like me, who is wanting to do a duathlon (or two or three or more)...am I doing two exercises that actually harm one another? Everything you're saying insinuates that running is harmful to cycling muscles. What do I do if those two exercises are the only ones in the race?

Then I think, triathletes do the same and add a third. And, they do so wonderfully.

So, I'm a bit confused. Please clear this up for my novice self. Thanks.

I will say that I enjoy things now that I'm doing more things than just cycling. I understand that you're not as good in all three things individually unless you're training for one thing ('scuse me, it's late!). I guess I like that. Expectations make me uncomfortable and I like the fact that in a tri, my run time will be slower than if I was just doing a normal 5k or 10k. Maybe I can surprise people and actually look somewhat strong when it's not expected

I also think that my body likes it better when I'm not doing one thing. My cycling gets better when I run but then again I'm not an elite or competitive cyclist. Swimming is a good cross-training sport. Running, also, seems to do more in a shorter period of time.

I'm a total novice too but I think as long as you space out your different sports and don't inundate ill-prepared muscles (ie do a hardcore cycling workout and then a hardcore running workout in consecutive days) you won't do any harm. Then again, I know nothing

[spokewench]

This thread is confusing me just a wee bit. What about someone like me, who is wanting to do a duathlon (or two or three or more)...am I doing two exercises that actually harm one another? Everything you're saying insinuates that running is harmful to cycling muscles. What do I do if those two exercises are the only ones in the race?

Then I think, triathletes do the same and add a third. And, they do so wonderfully.

So, I'm a bit confused. Please clear this up for my novice self. Thanks.

Three - Shaun asked if running would help with muscle pulls on the bike, not whether it was contraindicated. If Shaun has muscle pulls on the bike, I do not think that running will help that problem. Since Shaun gave us so little information, I was hoping Shaun would elaborate so that maybe someone could help him or her.

[three]

Thanks Spoke. I guess I got worried mostly when I read that RR keeps her sons from running at all when it's cycling season...that and there seemed to be a couple other posts that insinuated running was contrary to cycling. I just got a bit confused. I care more about my cycling than my running so I don't want to be doing anything if it's harmful. I know there are some exercises that don't mix and thought I'd check. Thanks again.

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Three


My eldest son was in the top grade in our club before taking a break from cycling, my second eldest is in the top grade. They have both competed at national level so take their cycling very seriously. They do not train to run and have not had a desire to do so.
Therefore, if they suddenly run, their legs are sore because the muscles are not ready for it.

Its kind've like deciding to get into the garden come Spring and a day or two later feeling those muscles you haven't felt all Winter...

I am not saying not to run if you bike - obviously many people do both and very well (just witness the women on this forum)

But... if you want to bike and do it really well, then you shouldn't choose to run to help your cycling.

Of course, if you enjoy running, then you should do both... your body adapts quickly to the requests we make of it. Do what you enjoy, but be aware that runnning and cycling use your leg muscles in different ways.