Will spinning increase my running speed?

DOCO12

Hi Guys
Like everyone else I'm full of motivation for the new year. No target races set as yet but aiming for a few PBs. May sound silly but since I've increased my mileage I've been getting slower:( is this common? It's so disheartening !
I run 20-25miles per week, do two gym classes and one yoga class. My problem is I carry alot of upper thigh weight and none of my current exercises seem to help. So I've been wondering would spinning help shed a few pounds there? Also have any other fellow Boardies found it beneficial for speed?
If I do go for the spinning it may mean giving up my yoga class due to time constraints. So in your own experiences which have ye found more beneficial yoga or spinning?
Cheers for advice

macinalli

I'm pretty sure that there are some older threads about this, but the consensus was that while spinning is a good workout, the only thing that will improve is your spinning abilities! There are also lots of positive comments here about yoga.

How do you know you're getting slower? Over what time frame are you talking about? It could be worthwhile posting your training plan, you could get some good suggestions on other ways to improve it.

huskerdu

No, a spinning class will not make you run faster.
I am not so sure it will shrink your thighs either.

A training plan focussed on improving your PB at a particular distance would be better. There are lots of training plans available and people here will be happy to advise if you give us some information.

What distance race are you interested in ?
What is your PB at that distance ?
What is your current training plan ? ( How many runs per week, what distance and pace ).

Don't worry about going slower when you run further, that is normal, but long slower runs are a very good way to improve your strength as a runner.

You are already putting time into training, if you get a more focused training plan to follow and are prepared to work on it, you should see the benefits and this will help your motivation.

rom

DOCO12 wrote: »

Hi Guys
Like everyone else I'm full of motivation for the new year. No target races set as yet but aiming for a few PBs. May sound silly but since I've increased my mileage I've been getting slower:( is this common? It's so disheartening !
I run 20-25miles per week, do two gym classes and one yoga class. My problem is I carry alot of upper thigh weight and none of my current exercises seem to help. So I've been wondering would spinning help shed a few pounds there? Also have any other fellow Boardies found it beneficial for speed?
If I do go for the spinning it may mean giving up my yoga class due to time constraints. So in your own experiences which have ye found more beneficial yoga or spinning?
Cheers for advice

Are you running all your sessions at or similar to race pace ?

DOCO12

Thanks for all the replies much appreciated was half following a 10k training plan from coolrunnings for a race I'd at Xmas but it was silly of me to think I could race well after all the over eating and drinking.
Im female late 20s and my current PBs are:
5K : 22.59
10k: 49.27
Half Marathon : 1hr 56mins
I'd love to break all three this year and am willing to put in all the hard work to get this. As said I had been trying to follow the coolrunnings training plan before Xmas, runs varying. For shorter distances my pace would be around 8.5/9 min miles and for longer runs 9.30-10min miles. I find it difficult to run fast on my own but unfortunately have no club near me.

YFlyer

Try running sometimes the 2nd half of your run slightly faster. Say run out the road for 20 minutes and try to come back in 19 minutes or so.

Are you doing any speed sessions?

You should try to find a running partner as well. Maybe there be some lurking here.

Zuppy

Your times look ok depending on your background. The odd spinning class will 'encourge' faster leg turn over and it will benefit your fitness while being non impact. Of use, if your doing two training sessions a day but don't want too much impact or impact free second session. Easy spinning at a high rpm could be used as recovery after hard sessions for example.

But great spinning makes great spinners!

If the choice is couch or a group spinning class then the spinning class will help your fitness. A proper running plan and strength training would go further.

PS: Spot reduction such as losing fat off the thigh won't work, but have you considered the weight might be muscle from the yoga and spinning?

thirtyfoot

Do not underestimate the use of spinning or stationery bike in general regarding running training.

I have found it a very valuable part of the toolbox when an athlete is injured or in rehab or maybe short in fitness. I have no scientific evidence that athletes get faster after a bike but I have anecdotal evidence that in short periods (up to a month of it) they have not lost any performance and in some cases when they have returned to running on the track they have in each case (this now is based on 6 different athletes in the past 3 years) either been the same as when they left the track or in fact have been stronger and faster (there is the point of course to be considered they may have been rested). No scientific evidence except training logs from pre and post bike but there you go, don't discount. The sessions can be specific and will replicate track session (for a sprinter), speed, speed endurance and tempo.

ss43

thirtyfoot wrote: »

Do not underestimate the use of spinning or stationery bike in general regarding running training.

I have found it a very valuable part of the toolbox when an athlete is injured or in rehab or maybe short in fitness. I have no scientific evidence that athletes get faster after a bike but I have anecdotal evidence that in short periods (up to a month of it) they have not lost any performance and in some cases when they have returned to running on the track they have in each case (this now is based on 6 different athletes in the past 3 years) either been the same as when they left the track or in fact have been stronger and faster (there is the point of course to be considered they may have been rested). No scientific evidence except training logs from pre and post bike but there you go, don't discount. The sessions can be specific and will replicate track session (for a sprinter), speed, speed endurance and tempo.

I would have thought it might mess with their technique. Have you found that at all?

Clearlier

Yoga would be best for me because I'm one of the more inflexible people in the world and my inflexibility leads to injuries. If you're reasonably flexible and your primary goal is to break your PB's then don't do yoga or spinning but go for a run. A treadmill would be fine. In fact this thread has a suggested tempo session on a treadmill. If the length of the session is too much at the moment just do a % of it.

There's no great secret to improving your PB's, just run more!

Good luck!

roseybear

YFlyer wrote: »

Try running sometimes the 2nd half of your run slightly faster. Say run out the road for 20 minutes and try to come back in 19 minutes or so.

Are you doing any speed sessions?

You should try to find a running partner as well. Maybe there be some lurking here.

i agree, theres runners everywhere! and think that a partner is vital in improving times

thirtyfoot

ss43 wrote: »

I would have thought it might mess with their technique. Have you found that at all?

No not anything that was obvious. Walking down the street with a technique that is nothing like how I want them to run could affect their technique. They would do lots of drills which will keep the posture etc in line all the time so maybe that helps.

trihead

hi,

Not sure of your case but in triathlon training [ especially long distance] cycling does benefit your running is cases. This is quoted by Frial and byrne and others and I also found it true myself.

Heres another article on spinning for running
http://www.trinewbies.com/tno_running/tno_runarticle_07.asp

trihead:)