Running training for cyclists
Back in the days, running was forbidden for cyclists. But nowadays more and more cyclists putting on running shoes to go for a run. After finishing Paris-Roubaix, Cameron Wurf (pro cyclist at Ineos Grenadiers) ran an 86 min half marathon.
Well, now you might feel the urge to add some running to your training program too. But before you do that, read this article.
Running and cycling are both cyclical movements (movements in circular fashion) and practiced by millions of people around the world. In general running and cycling are also endurance or so called “cardio” sports. Running and cycling are great exercises to increase, for example, your overall cardiovascular system, your VO2 max (maximum amount of oxygen) (1) and the number and function of your mitochondria (powerhouse of your cells) (2).
However, there are some fundamental differences between the two sports. Firstly, muscles are recruited and engaged differently during running compared to cycling. The other really important difference is that running is a high-impact sport while cycling is a non-weight-bearing. This impact (mechanical load) is normally beneficial as it strengthens the joints and improve long-term bone health. Actually, a recent study (3) found that elite cyclists have an overall low bone density which actually make them more susceptible to traumatic fractures in the short term and risk of bone fractures later in life (4,5). (Besides running, resistance training can also enhance bone strength and increase bone mineral density (6)). Importantly though, the impact can be negative as well as it causes more damage (inflammation, soreness) to the muscles (especially running downhill, eccentric load), therefore you might need to adjust your recovery period. Lastly, running and cycling require a different kind of stabilization, proprioception (the ability to know where your body is in space), balance and ability to change direction quickly.
So should a cyclist add running to his training program?
First of all, lets talk about one of the basic training principles called specificity.
What are we training for? What is our goal? What do we want to be better at?
If we purely focus on being a better cyclists, we need to make sure that the majority of our trainings will be on the bike. We can argue that might during the off-season we can put our running shoes on more frequently but as soon as we get closer to the start of the season, and especially to the races we should be biking all the time.
Importantly, both sports have unique technical requirements and skills that needs to be learned and practiced. For instance, if you only ride the bike, probably you have some of the common traits of cyclists: weak core, poor flexibility or muscle imbalances, then running with its impact forces might not be ideal for you especially in large quantities.
Lastly, even though the two sports result in similar physiological adaptations, they are not directly transferable. Let me give you an example: you have an excellent V02 max on the bike (60ml/kg/min). Based on that value, you should cover ≈3.2 km in 12 min (classic Cooper-test). However, if you are new to running, probably you will not be able to do that at the beginning. But as you practice, you will be more efficient in running and eventually you will get closer to this number.
So even though you think you are in amazing shape in your sport, in a different endurance type of sport might you need to start over again and built it up slowly.
Conclusion:
Don’t be afraid. Running training can be incorporated into a cyclist’s training plan but only if the running training don’t interfere with the overall goal of the athlete.
Before you start, take into considerations the advantages & disadvantages of running:
Advantages: timesaver, easy when travelling, requires much less “equipment”, enhance bone density
Disadvantages: enhanved injurie risk, it takes time to build up, not cycling specific
1 - MUTTON, D. L., S. F. LOY, D. M. ROGERS, G. J. HOLLAND, W. J. VINCENT, and M. HENG. Effect of run vs combined cycle/ run training on VO2max and running performance. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 25, No. 12, pp. 1393–1397, 1993.
2 - Touron Julianne, Costes Frédéric, Coudeyre Emmanuel, Perrault Hélène, Richard Ruddy. Aerobic Metabolic Adaptations in Endurance Eccentric Exercise and Training: From Whole Body to Mitochondria; DOI=10.3389/fphys.2020.596351
3 - Mojock CD, Ormsbee MJ, Kim JS, Arjmandi BH, Louw GA, Contreras RJ, Panton LB. Comparisons of bone mineral density between recreational and trained male road cyclists. Clin J Sport Med 26: 152–156, 2016. doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000186.
4 - Hilkens, Luuk et al. “Low Bone Mineral Density and Associated Risk Factors in Elite Cyclists at Different Stages of a Professional Cycling Career.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise vol. 55,5 (2023): 957-965. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000003113
5 - Hilkens L Knuiman P Heijboer M, et al.. Fragile bones of elite cyclists: to treat or not to treat? J Appl Physiol (1985). 2021;japplphysiol.01034.2020.
6 - Hong AR, Kim SW. Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2018 Dec;33(4):435-444. doi: 10.3803/EnM.2018.33.4.435. PMID: 30513557; PMCID: PMC6279907.