Cross over of cycling training to running

@jonbar123, it’s something, and that could work. My concern is that running twice a week might not offer enough consistency to bring about the running improvements you’re seeking. The best runners run often, just like the best swimmers and cyclists prioritize their particular focus above all else. It doesn’t sound as though you’re looking to become the best runner you can be just now, but it does sound like you want to increase your running strength & stamina.

Perhaps you can gradually increase the duration of these twice-weekly runs and see some noticeable benefit, but I’m super hesitant to recommend speed work or related drills as a means to increase the demand of these biweekly runs should you hit a sticking point/plateau. Probably save that sort of training for a time when you’ve run more consistently for at least a couple/few months.

But by all means, give your approach a shot and see how things go. My personal experience with running infrequently has too often seen me get sore a couple times a week with little measurable improvements in my running capabilities, all of which took a bit of a toll on my bike workouts and recovery.

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thanks @chad - that makes sense.

you’re right in that I’m not aiming to be the best runner out there. rather I’m wondering if there is anything I can do over the winter, running wise, that will just give some level of conditioning to cope with the odd sprint TRI next year. i.e. recognizing that if I don’t do any running, when i do an event etc. i really will suffer!

if however, it was proving to be determintal to overall cycling training, then it would be be hard to justify. I can run on grass just outside my home, which may allow me to ease my legs back into the running.

Appreciate all the input - I will let folks know what I decide to do and how it’s going.
jonny

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As @chad has said, I had also mentioned in another thread that I always feel better running the more frequently I do it, same with cycling and swimming. So if you can get in 3 runs a week, even if they are short each time that is a good place to start. The time involved to do that is quite minimal compared to cycling.

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3 runs, 3 swims, 3 cycles, 3 gym sessions and 3 recovery days. I’ll just let my wife and baby know :laughing:

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welcome to the club! looking back at my old logs, I ran 5x/week and cycled 2x when my daughter was young, most of the runs in the 30-45 minute range, with a long weekend run. Now that I"m on TR, i’d probalby do 4 medium runs with 3 TR sessions and feel pretty good about how well I could maintain.

The triathlete vacation/offseason hack from slowtwitch a few years back asked the question, if you can only train in one discipline, which would it be (for a short period). Running is the quickest to fade if you don’t keep it up.

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