Running v cycling

jane82

I loved running I ws doing 5-10k a day when I herniated a few discs in the back.
Ive been away from running for over a year.
After surgery I got my diet right and eventually got doing press ups and cycling.
I took it from there.
I cycled 2 and a half hours yesterday after bodyweight squating the day before.
I expected to be a bit slow but I thought with the cycling fitness I would be decent.
Im now at 5 min 48 for my first k and like death after 3 k.
I cycled 40 odd k on a rusty mountainbike the day before.
Is it a different kind of fitness?
Do runners find cycling tough the first few times?

munkee

jane82 wrote: »

I expected to be a bit slow but I thought with the cycling fitness I would be decent.
Im now at 5 min 48 for my first k and like death after 3 k.
Is it a different kind of fitness?
Do runners find cycling tough the first few times?

I presume by 5:48 per km, you're referring to getting back to running?

I'm a bit confused by the post/questions.

Are you finding it hard to get back running at your old pace, or hard to cycle, or both?

jane82

5min 48 a kilometre. I thought with all the cycling I was doing my fitness runningwise would be good.
Over 3k I had to stop and walk twice.

TFBubendorfer

Yes, it's a different kind of fitness. There is some overlap as gains in the aerobic system work across sports but you are using different muscles for running than you are for cycling.

The good news is that you should improve reasonably quickly if you stick with running. But you can't rush things, it does take time. If you had to stop twice while running 3k you were running too fast for your present level of fitness, no matter how slow it might have felt to you.

Btw, and a bit off-topic, I did hurt my back a few times and found cycling to be absolutely lethal to it while running was fine.

jane82

Ill give running slower a go so thanks.
As regards the back Physio ordered no running until better. I found cycling stretched it out and makes all the muscles there move better.
Im sure it depends on what part of the back/spine is causeing the pain. Different strokes for different folks etc.

munkee

I run but mainly have a cycling background.

If I take an extended break from the bike, the first few rides are always tough as my leg muscles get used to the specific effort from riding.

But I find this is even more the case with running. I have to build up distance and pace much more gradually. Even if I feel strong aerobically, running seems to induce muscle fatigue much more quickly, and the risk of injury is higher unless I do this.

An aside- one thing that makes cycling infinitely more enjoyable is a decent bike. I cycled on rusty MTBs for years, but only really started to love cycling when I got a road bike.

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Btw, and a bit off-topic, I did hurt my back a few times and found cycling to be absolutely lethal to it while running was fine.

On the back pain thing, that could be bike set-up related. A friend of mine had the opposite experience, he could cycle comfortably but had to take a break from running due to back pain.

tomdempsey200

jane82 wrote: »

5min 48 a kilometre. I thought with all the cycling I was doing my fitness runningwise would be good.
Over 3k I had to stop and walk twice.

I'd say the running helps the cycling more than other way

the aerobic aspect of running helps the cycling on climbs ime

its handy to do bike gym and running as you can switch around when you get niggles and avoid longer term problems

RonanP77

I've been running for a few months now and cycling for about a month. I find I'm more tired after a 5k run than a 50k cycle. I ran 2.2km today after a two week layoff because of a calf strain. Even that short distance had me tired. I was surprised by that.