# Will jogging help you become a stronger road bike rider?



## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

I have been off the bike for a while due to an injury but have been running 4-5 miles a couple times a week and to my shock, I don't dread it as much as I did when I was younger. I do not race by ride for fitness and group rides, etc. etc. Will running convert into stronger performance on the bike?

I am thinking of running 2-3 times a week and riding 2-3 times a week. Thoughts?

Also, if I am trying to get/stay lean should I drink something like chocolate milk after each run (4-5 miles and ride (20 during normal weekday ride and 40+ on weekend rides). Thanks!


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## thatsmybush (Mar 12, 2002)

MCF said:


> I have been off the bike for a while due to an injury but have been running 4-5 miles a couple times a week and to my shock, I don't dread it as much as I did when I was younger. I do not race by ride for fitness and group rides, etc. etc. Will running convert into stronger performance on the bike?
> 
> I am thinking of running 2-3 times a week and riding 2-3 times a week. Thoughts?
> 
> Also, if I am trying to get/stay lean should I drink something like chocolate milk after each run (4-5 miles and ride (20 during normal weekday ride and 40+ on weekend rides). Thanks!


Running will make you a better runner. It may make you lose weight and may make your overall fitness better that will help your cycling. These sports are use specific however, as a runner, I don't train running to bike, I train running to run more. 

As for the chocolate milk. Depending what else you are consuming--chocolate milk is calorie rich. I now confine my chocolate milk intake to runs that exceed 8 miles. Shorter runs, I have water and whatever I had already planned for breakfast (provided you are a morning runner.)


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

MCF said:


> if I am trying to get/stay lean should I drink something like chocolate milk after each run


No! Lots of dense calories in there.

If your goal is not bike racing, I think mixing cycling with running is a great routine and helps prevent the injuries that might come from doing one exclusively. Also, you can run when it's rainy, and ride when it's hot.


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## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

Thanks. Here in Houston, we are just now getting into our nice weather season (40-60 deg F) so I am starting to pick up cycling more. Thinking of the following:
Monday - Run 4-5 miles
Tuesday - about 1 hour General Cardio (stair master / recumbent bike at gym)
Wednesday - Hard short ride (20-25 mile at 19-20mph (that is hard for me)
Thursday - Run 4-5 miles
Friday - Long easy cardio (or take Friday off and do slow recovery ride on Sunday)
Saturday - Longer less intensity riding.

Right now can't do any upper body lifting due to recovering shoulder surgery/tendonitis (got cortizone injection yesterday and hoping this clears it up in next several weeks).

Riding MS150 in April and I want to 'crush' it like I did two years ago. Last year I was lifting weights a lot before ride and the extra weight really slowed me down.


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

it will help your overall fitness and athletecism, (up to the point where running starts to damage the knees, which it eventually will) to vary your exercise styles. if your goal is to cycle faster, then the way to do that is to train by cycling. its not something like football where you need to increse strength, cardio and hand/eye skills separately. you train for cycling by cycling.

but as said, for overall fitness its good to vary exercises.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

kmunny19 said:


> (up to the point where running starts to damage the knees, which it eventually will)


Surely you have the evidence to back up this claim.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

MCF said:


> I have been off the bike for a while due to an injury but have been running 4-5 miles a couple times a week and to my shock, I don't dread it as much as I did when I was younger. I do not race by ride for fitness and group rides, etc. etc. Will running convert into stronger performance on the bike?
> 
> I am thinking of running 2-3 times a week and riding 2-3 times a week. Thoughts?
> 
> Also, if I am trying to get/stay lean should I drink something like chocolate milk after each run (4-5 miles and ride (20 during normal weekday ride and 40+ on weekend rides). Thanks!


the more out of shape you are, the more it will help. Also good for variety in off-season, similar to cross-country skiing.

Running is hard work (no coasting), so you can accomplish a lot more with 30-60 min runs than you would with the ride of the same duration.


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## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

That is the one thing I like about running...I can run for 50-60 minute and burn close to 1000 calories. Riding for an hour I am burning 600 or so calories (no hills here in Houston). I guess if I want to be able to do the MS150 (100 miles first day and 80 miles second day) with an average of 19-20mph, how many days should I spend on the bike each and what intensities each day?? Is there a 12 week program I could follow that utilizes heart rate training (I have HRM, no powermeter)?

What is a good book with structured programs for fitness oriented riders, not racers? Friel's books seems to have a lot of reviews saying it is geared more towards racers. I am training for a two day 180 mile endurance ride.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Quantity*



MCF said:


> IAlso, if I am trying to get/stay lean should I drink something like chocolate milk after each run (4-5 miles and ride (20 during normal weekday ride and 40+ on weekend rides).


In the case of chocolate milk, it's more about quantity than quality, though it is a good recovery drink. That said, whether you need a recovery drink at all after a 35-40 minute run or a 2 hour bike ride is open to question.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Running is for prey.

At least, that's how my friends and I feel about running. I don't know if running actually could help your cycling or not, but I don't imagine it would hurt. As a cardio workout, it should at least help out that way even if it didn't actually build muscle for cycling.

As for the chocolate milk, it is an excellent recovery drink. For that matter, milk is a great drink anytime, chocolate or white. Heck, I usually order milk when I go to a restaurant! Milk is great. But you gotta drink milk. The recovery benefits are half wasted if you drink milk-colored water (skim milk). 2% at least, whole is awesome. (ok, ok, the study I read said that skim milk was just about as good as 2% or even whole, but why not drink the good stuff, I say!)


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## thatsmybush (Mar 12, 2002)

pretender said:


> Surely you have the evidence to back up this claim.


He does have evidence...and stop calling him Shirley.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

My cycling fitness hasn't helped my swimming. It's actually made me weak. My upper body used to be strong.. now I'm fighting to get back into swimming shape. Swimming has helped my cycling though. All of my support muscles feel better on the bike now. My back doesn't hurt.. my upper body doesn't get tired as soon. My overall range of motion is better. 

Cardio wise swimming also helps but not in the same way cycling does.

Running will help tone other parts of your body I'm sure.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

How about some roller blades if you're just looking to mix it up?

I play ice hockey and though I have no scientific proof feel it helps me WAY more than if I was running though the winter. I'm not cut out for running though....I get the bad type of pain from it so there are definitely limits to how much I can work my muscles doing it. Whereas with skating and biking it's only the good type of fatigue that can stop me because there's no pounding.


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## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

kmunny19 said:


> up to the point where running starts to damage the knees, which it eventually will


 This myth has been debunked by some studies, to the point where they conclude that running is actually good for your knees.


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## walleyeangler (Nov 4, 2005)

Cross training is great. Doing the same thing over and over makes the body efficient at that one task. It will actually learn to burn fewer calories for the same job. Mixing in running burns calories, helps tune the body to burn fat. But, running one speed all the time is less helpful than fartleks, which are basically the same as short, high -power intervals on the bike. 

I agree, running doesn't necessary lead to knee issues. Check out Chi Running...it's a form-based running method that lessens wear and tear on the knees. There's info on youtube.com 

To get stronger on the bike, try adding in some high watts (85%), low cadence (50-60 rpm) intervals. My coaching network has been using those for the past month to build cycling specific strength. Twice a week, I do 3 intervals that way. Started at 5 mins, up to 20 now with some 1 minute higher watt (115%, 120%, 125%) low cadence intervals tossed in. Really good workout. Watch for leg pain.


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## zriggle (Apr 16, 2008)

> fartleks


<PeterGriffin>
Hehehehehehe
</PeterGriffin>


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## walleyeangler (Nov 4, 2005)

I didn't name them, man.


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