Adding running to cycling training

RobBib

Ive recently added running (previous runner) to my cycling training, with a view to entering Duathlons over the winter. However my bike speeds have dropped by about 1 / 2 mph.

Will these speeds pick back up as i get used to the combination of running and cycling during the same week?

if so how long will it take for my muscles to get used to the running being added to my training?

willieverfinish

how long will it take for my muscles to get used to the running being added to my training?

Depends on how much running you do. Im not a beliver in transferable fitness if I was honest.

Certainly doesnt work for me - if you want to run faster get running. Equally, if you want to be a beter, faster cyclist then ride more.

Brick sessions - again - some say they are pointless, some swear by them. Find what works for you.

Either way I'd say once you get used to the adaptation it'll be fine. I wont take long

wburnish

I have found that more biking has helped my run. I do a lot of brick sesssion in the winter to help my running and get use to the dead legs. I think my times may have been slighly slower while I got use to the the change but it does come back. I have found over the duahtlons I have done no moticeable differance in pace. but it take the 1st couple of km to get the legs working in cycle mode. does depend on the distance you are doing. If you are doing 10km runs and 40km bikes there will be a diffrence purley due to being tired compared to a 40km ride only.

Hope it helps

CJohno

I've recently done this the other way round by adding cycling to my previous running only routine when I started looking into doing Du/Tri.

I'd had a couple of weeks off running through injury and the week before I started again I had a week of cycling only so I was gently breaking back into training with something low impact. Since combining running and cycling it feels as if it requires a little extra effort to keep my pace than when I was just running.

Obviously part of this may be down to the break I took, but my quads and hamstrings seem to feel a little more tired after my running sessions now whereas they never before. I kind of just put this down to my muscles getting tired from the bike and figured it would take a while for them to compensate and learn what I'm now asking them to do.

I think when you're incorporating something new into training, for every muscle that is common to the 2 disciplines there are probably a few others which are new and need to get used to being worked that way. I'm far from an expert at these things but I'd imagine if you give it a few weeks it'll probably return to normal.

RobBib

Thanks guys, I'll persevere with it, I was going to go back to just cycling!!