# Training plan: 10-12 hrs/week w/running?



## runabike (Jun 18, 2013)

Any of you guys run (or swim or do tris) and work that into a cycling training schedule?

Do you just maximize the quality rides for the cycling or do you use cycling as your "easy endurance days"? 

Any ideas on scheduling out a 10-12 hour training week for the bike with 3-4 rides? 

I was thinking of maybe 2-3 hrs on Tues and Thurs with efforts (hills, cruise intervals, sprints, or a combo of all 3) and a solid 4-5 hour group ride on the weekend with all of the typical surging and sprinting and attacking. 

Then on the other days I'd fit in some quality runs, maybe a day of 4-5 miles at threshold, another speed day of fast intervals, and then another one to two days moderate paced. I wouldn't be doing any recovery or easy runs.

Anaerobic work would be limited to probably <15 mins on the bike and <10mins on the run each week and very easy/recovery work would be limited/mostly eliminated as well. The focus would primarily be on moderate and high-end aerobic work and specific endurance. 

I'm not sure how well that'd work, though. In the past the vast majority of my running training would be low-end aerobic (~70-75% maxhr) and cycling would be a lot of easy stuff plus a lot of anaerobic work (I did a lot of surge/recover type stuff).

I'd say I have a decade + of aerobic base built up to the point where I can reduce a lot of that superfluous "junk" miles and focus more on quality, but I haven't read much about it or heard a lot of real-world stories. 

Anyone tried something similar (less volume, more quality) and had success with that in regards to racing?


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

runabike said:


> Anyone tried something similar (less volume, more quality) and had success with that in regards to racing?


Ditch the running if you want more success in cycle racing.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2013)

deleteeeee


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## runabike (Jun 18, 2013)

Alex_Simmons/RST said:


> Ditch the running if you want more success in cycle racing.


I'd actually like more success in running, which is why I'd start cycling/racing again. 

If I can't devote myself fully to running (foot issues at the moment) then I figure I can at least have another competitive outlet that will sustain if not slightly improve aerobic development. Or at least keep me from getting fat.

Plus a one hour crit at full blast is a fun, exciting way to get a training stimulus that I wouldn't otherwise be able to get. 

Isn't 10-12 hours a week sufficient enough for 45-60 min crits with the odd road race thrown in more than enough? I'm also trying to figure out the "quality" aspect a little better.


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

My somewhat flippant initial response was to make the following points:
- you need to be clear about your goals
- specificity matters, and if crits were your goal, then ditching the running will help the cycling performance improve.
- Running hurts your ability to perform a quantity of quality, especially top end work on a bike
- 10-12 hours week on the bike can provide good opportunity for performance improvement, but the quantity of running you propose would hinder, not help.
- Perhaps ditch the threshold/faster pace runs and do that work on the bike instead


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

runabike said:


> I'd actually like more success in running, which is why I'd start cycling/racing again.


If that's the case, then just ride for fun, and work towards being able to run more.

The cycling will help with general aerobic condition / burn though some kJ, but cycling ain't running and ultimately it's running that is best for running.


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## runabike (Jun 18, 2013)

Thanks for the more specific replies. 

I think I'd like to race again (Cat 1) as the allure of cycling was always that competitive component. With running I've only competed fairly infrequently (I think 11 races in a year is my most so far) whereas in cycling I could do multiple races a weekend and recover enough by Tuesday to do another hard group ride. 

There's an intensity on the bike that I get nowhere close to in running (also due to only running alone but doing most quality work on the bike with a group) and the recovery is so much faster. 

I was hoping that by keeping my runs race-specific that I could maximize that fitness (albeit at a lower level than with purely running) while also regaining some bike fitness (which I think will come back quite quickly). 

Guess I'll start it out with a more conservative approach, though. Maybe just limit quality workouts to 3-4 a week divided up on the bike and run instead of trying to hit a quality workout 5-6x a week?

In the last week I've only done two runs (threshold/intervals) and two steady/moderately-hard bike rides (on a mtn. bike on the road at about 45 mins a piece) and it's been great so far. Especially in the heat. Nothing over an hour and much more energy all around. I'll have to play around with it a bit more though. Once I get back on a road bike and get into some group rides that intensity will pick up, too, so maybe I'll need to make more adjustments. 

In running there are a few programs where you're only running 3x a week and crosstraining pretty intensely to make up for it. I guess you're limiting your improvement in both sports, though, but if I can maintain a decent enough level in both I'd be happy enough with that. 

Alright, a bit more to think about. Thanks for the feedback!


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

I do both concurrently. I alternate events somewhat so I focus on the training for the upcoming event utilizing training for that specific discipline. For example I have been training for one of those 100 mile endurance mountain bike races next Saturday. No running this week, limited biking as I taper down. After that I will run 2-3 times a week, and mix them in with biking. I can do both on the same day, usually run at lunch and bike after work. I will be doing a marathon in October, so after the summer of bike racing is over in mid September I will really restrict my bike riding. I will still bike, but it won't be hard efforts, it will be things like mountain biking for fun.
Basically I ease up on the secondary activity, but keep doing it so the muscles specific to that exercise don't go away.

All sorts of people are excellent runners and bikers, some triathletes are better at both than most people are at one. I haven't found my biking to suffer from running this spring and summer, in fact paying more attention to my weight and diet this year I am slightly better.

You gotta watch your body though, it's easier to over-train or just plain burn out.


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