Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Training for marathon on a bike ???
![[Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/a0b12f1232d101b1cdf22fbe1ebcc30d_100.png)
Hi guys and girls i kinda stopped running properly a few years ago due to constant cartlidge probs...however ! im an ex soldier so giving up is hard !!! do you think its poss to train for a marathon by only doing 2 runs a week ( 1 long 1 interval ) and the rest of the week on a bike ??? sounds a bit daft but trying to save my knees ! what do you think ???
Tagged:
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
There are tried and tested 3 day plans around if you can squeeze that extra day in and then cross train on the others
I run, cycle and swim. I run only 50 miles max per week, I cycle upto 150 milesmax per week and swim around 4-5k (2 or 3 swims) per week.
Cyling is good for all round fitness which is half the job when training for a marathon. The long run and the speed work is a good base.
I think that you can do it but I'd throw in another shortish easy run as M...eldy says. I found that I could cycle to work (15 miles) LSR 20+ miles then cycle home from work quite easily. However, skiiping the morning cycle ride did not make the long run any easier nor did I find that I could run further. (much as I would have loved that to be the caes).
I first started running regularly about two years ago to prepare for the first Birmingham Half Marathon. I have to say that i thought i would be fine as i used to cycle regularly for anything between 2-3 hours at a time but that first 30 minute run absolutely slayed me and it took me a good 2 or 3 months before i could manage half an hour without gasping at the end of it. Too much temptation to cruise whilst cycling whereas with running yous dinnae have that.
Swimming's a good call, though - i found it a great help in building general fitness and it will save your knees. Just try to keep it going rather than having a rest after every length or two.
I did however do some spin classes and some longer cycle rides, and general gym work.
So you can definitely do it, and I think it's quite a good way, if you have dodgy knees, etc. If you're going for a great time than lots of running miles is obviously very important to success, but if not you'll be ok.
I did it in 3:38 - the last 6 miles were very tough though as I just didn't have the running miles in my legs.
If you're only going to run twice a week I think you'd be better off doing a long run and a semi-long run. The long runs will be hard enough themselves if your running legs are only going over, say, 10 miles once per week. Interval sessions are icing on the cake for marathon training, useful for people who will be able to complete the distance comfortably and now want to run faster stuff in order to increase lactate threshold and get their time down. You're better off getting as many miles in your legs as possible, and a midweek 12 mile run will support a 18-20 mile long run much better than doing intervals. Once you're used to the mileage you could always do it as a progressive run, finishing at a stronger pace. (But keep your long runs easy.)
I disagree with D2D. You can do it. I did it and so did RobRunsrides. I ran 3:33 @ VLM after sustaining an injury at mile 6. (tripped over a sleeping policeman)!
4 miles cycling = 1 mile running.
Maybe what philpub says is so - I concentrated on speedwork in the last few weeks of my VLM training as I could easily run the distance. I wanted to ensure that I could do it at the pace that I had set myself. If this is the 'icing on the cake' then so be it.
Bikermouse - your max running of 50 miles per week is still a good mileage.I think D2Dmay have a point here. For me - more miles run does give me a better race time.
Rob - your time is very impressive off such little mileage - do you have an injury that stops you from running more ?
Im presently running 30 -40 MPW and cycling 100 - 150 MPW post injury and illness, there is no way i'm marathon fit, yes I could finish one but it wouldn' be anywhere close to a PB. Cycling can keep you reasonably fit but it doesn't get my HR anywhere as high for consistent periods as running does. Experience has taught me that my best marathons come of sustained 60+ MPW now what would be interesting is to run that mileage and cycle to sse if that improves my times, unfortunately I have to work!
So in conclusion I reckon you will finish fine but not as quick as you could, depends what you want
Good luck.
D2D I did not make that up. It is not ridiculus.
You run= and bombed. I cycled and did as I inteded. Ludicrus, I don't think so. Perhaps you should read some of the advice on this site about cross training.
http://www.menshealth.co.uk/Fitness-&-muscle/Cycling-Vs-Running/v3
You'll exercise your heart and lungs on a bike and some of your running muscles - but its not a good way to train for running.
It would be nuts to think - hmm - marathon training is 50 miles per week - so I'll just ride 200 to 250 miles on the bike.
I would certainly not advocate cycling in place of running and then go out and run a marathon though I knowThat's more or less what I said in my first post. I only started running 2 years ago after cycling little bits. I had no trouble in getting up to hm distance in 3-4 months. I'm no athlete and I'm certainly no spring chicken.
Thi sdebate makes me feel old.
I can remember the late Cliff Temple giving coaching advice on ' the cycling to running ratio' way back in the mid 1980s in the old 'Running' Magazine !
I have a similar problem - torn ligaments in my ankle so no running, but can cycle (with taped ankle) and have two months to HM - haven't run for 4 weeks and looks like will be out for at least another 2 weeks.
I know that running training contributes massively to my cycling, but I don't think that cycling contributes quite as much to my running.
Then I got a second injury in the other foot, either another SF or sesamoiditis, it was never properly diagnosed but it was worse than the first and I couldn't walk properly for two weeks.
I missed about 4 months in total but did a lot of cycling and swimming. I reintroduced the running very slowly and never on consecutive days. I averaged about 20 mpw over 12 weeks leading up to the Long Course Weekend. I ran two HM distance runs everything else was single digit runs.
I ran the marathon conservatively, had a good chat and just enjoyed the scenery. It was great fun to run with no pressure on the time. Felt strong the whole way thanks to the XT and still put in a reasonable time without risking injury.
I guess my advice is to approach it with a view to enjoying the run and getting through it unscathed and not trying to make up for lost time in the short build up. Prioritise the healing and just take what comes on the day.
I did one 13 miler and one HM in a 70.3 race the few weeks before. All other runs were single digits. I did long bike rides though.