Does this look feasible (running/cycle commute routine) ?

pastryboy

Is this too optimistic to do long term (at least when the weather is bit milder anyway).

Monday AM - run to work - 14 miles
Monday PM - cycle home - 14 miles

Tuesday - nothing (work from home)

Wednesday AM - cycle to work - 14 miles
Wednesday PM - running club - 4/5 miles immediately followed by cycle home - 14 miles

Thursday AM - cycle to work - 14 miles
Thursday PM - cycle home - 14 miles

Friday AM - cycle to work - 14 miles
Friday PM - run home - 14 miles

rest at the weekend

That's about 32 miles of running and 84 miles cycling in five days. Has anyone tried something similar over the long term?

This all needs to be done at a pretty serious pace - the bike ride is no problem at 50-55 minutes but I need the 14 mile run to be under 90 minutes which may take a fair bit of work.

I mentioned this to someone and they don't think I'll manage more than two weeks of it.

iPete

I've been doing 34 miles during the week for two weeks and a few miles at the weekend. I managed to do that for a few months before Christmas. However I'm now facing a half marathon in 8 weeks so this week I've added three 4-5 mile lunch time runs. It's been real hard, gone 11 days without a rest so far but to do half marathons during the week is another level!

I'd imagaine your quite fit to start to even consider it but a few half marathons a week is something else! What are you training for?

I'd consider changing one run to a cycle and doing it at the weekend to start with if that's possible?

Roastie

I don't know how much you normally run, but unless you are very used to running regular half marathons for breakfast, I reckon you'll be pretty useless at work on the day you run in. TBH, even when I was in regular marathon training, I'd have been hesitant to take on that intensity in one shot. I found that running 10k to work and then 10k home worked much better. Perhaps you could combine your journey to work with bus or train to shorten the distance?

tailwindhome

You lost me at Monday

mrc1

Roastie wrote:

I don't know how much you normally run, but unless you are very used to running regular half marathons for breakfast, I reckon you'll be pretty useless at work on the day you run in. TBH, even when I was in regular marathon training, I'd have been hesitant to take on that intensity in one shot. I found that running 10k to work and then 10k home worked much better. Perhaps you could combine your journey to work with bus or train to shorten the distance?

Ditto with my marathon training. 10k each way works much better as you can do it as a proper tempo run and you dont end up falling asleep at your desk. This is a seriously extreme plan. What are you training for? If its a marathon I cant see much use in running that sort of distance that often "at speed" as you wont be able to recover. If you are training for an ultra marathon or a marathon des sables style event then that sort of distance is probably about right but definitely not at a fast speed.

Re your wednesday session - that is do-able. When training in the run up to an elite duathlon last year I was cycling into work, then after work i would go to the gym and doing running intervals followed by a very fast 5k then cycling home.

Assuming you have a history of running and can handle the volume then the major concern with your plan is the monday morning run and the knock on effect it will have on the rest of your week.

EDIT - Slighty too hasty response....

pastryboy

I'm not training for anything - I want to do more running but I don't have the time so this looks a way of fitting it in.

I can run 14 miles with litte trouble - just not very quickly. I have done 10 mile runs on a Sunday then followed it up 5 days of cycling 29 miles a day - that has been fine.

The reactions all round are that's it's not likely I can do it. I'm going to get in some preparation and see if I think I can take it on. I can probably shorten the run a bit but only by a mile or so.

Fitness-wise I think I can do it, whether I can manage it in time-wise and whether my joints can stand up to it is another matter.

badly_dubbed

id die after half a mile of running.

mrc1

pastryboy wrote:

I'm not training for anything - I want to do more running but I don't have the time so this looks a way of fitting it in.

I can run 14 miles with litte trouble - just not very quickly. I have done 10 mile runs on a Sunday then followed it up 5 days of cycling 29 miles a day - that has been fine.

The reactions all round are that's it's not likely I can do it. I'm going to get in some preparation and see if I think I can take it on. I can probably shorten the run a bit but only by a mile or so.

Fitness-wise I think I can do it, whether I can manage it in time-wise and whether my joints can stand up to it is another matter.

I really don't mean to put a dampener on things as I normally hate the people on the internet telling people they dont know that they cant do something...but:

The difference between 10 and 14 miles is huge in running terms. If your running background is limited then 14 miles 3 times a week is likely to lead to injury central within a week. You really need to get your body used to running before attempting back to back long distances like that. Doing the 14 miler once a week with a couple of 5-6 milers will get you fit quickly and will also allow your body to adapt. Once you have done that for a while you could then increase the distance. Going from very little to a lot will do damage though.

pastryboy

I agree with all of that - I'm planning to lead into it over a few months because right now I'm not up to it. The 14 miles run is twice a week not three times - as far apart as is possible with days of complete rest in between. i've run these distances before but, like I said, nowhere near quick enough to make it a viable way of getting to work.

tlw1

heavy schedule, your work from home day is the one day you will have more time - so why not swop the rest day over to another?

nic_77

It's got to be worth a try... although I think the Monday am run is going to be hard!

I regularly cycle my 13.3 mile (each way) commute 3/4 times a week (on the summer bike this is around 35 mins, but it's nearer 45 on the heavy winter bike). Then I add a fast-ish 11K run (45mins) in the evening with a mate on 2 of those days. At the weekend I usually manage one long ride (2-3 hours on my own / with my mate or a fast Sunday club run), and often another run. It takes a bit of getting used to but I'm pretty comfortable with the routine now.

I kind of got to this level of exercise training for an ironman in 2007, and it has just stuck. We have a baby on the way, so I pulled out of the Swiss Ironman this year. I'm now preparing myself for just riding my bike for fun, and running 10Ks and half marathons when I can.

I have been toying with the idea of changing to cycle in / run home followed by run in / cycle home the following day - I just don't think I'm organised enough to get my clothes, laptop and other junk in the right place at the right time!!

Please update us on how you get on!

bigmat

The cycling bit looks fine but the 14 mile run at the start of a working day - ouch. If you are used to running then I guess its doable, but 90 mins seems like a hard target to set yourself. I'm coming from a background of not running here, have recently started training for the London marathon and have gone from nothing to 12.5 miles last weekend, has started to mess with my knees already and I'm probably going to back off a bit. A couple of runs into work a week (7 miles), some faster sessions in the gym and a long run at the weekend (10 miles plus) with cycle commutes Monday to Friday when I'm not running is more than enough for me so well done if you manage it!

Rooner

Looks pretty tough. I commute around 7 miles to work (and then back) each day, so thats 70 miles a week, fast paced. In addition I run around 5-6 miles 3 times in the working week (and also sometimes substitute a commute or two), with a longer run at the weekend (around 10 miles ish), all at around 6 min/mile pace. On top of this, I walk my dog around 6 miles about 5 times a week (fast walking, so around 4mph).

Been doing this for a few years now, not as much as you are planning, but no real problem. Wife thinks I have ADHD, but I think the fitter you get the more energy you have, got to use it up or I'll explode... .. Give it a go and see what happens. I think the problem with the big run at the start of the day is that is going to take a lot out of you, you're talking around 1500 calories I should think at least. Personally, I'd need to get up an hour before to eat something, other wise you are going to crash big style in the middle of the day. Other main issue is going to be the risk of injury, over-use and general strains.

essex-commuter

I run between 30 and 45 miles per week and cycle 150 to 200, been doing that for about a year or so. It's the norm to me now, I eat and sleep well and just now and then I feel tired enough to sleep mid-evening, but this is only once a month or so. Pace is out of the discussion because we are all at different levels, peronally I wouldn't be able to maintain your approx 7 minute miling for the runs, although I could probably manage 7.45-8.00.

Go for it and see how it pans out...sounds great to me!

CXXC

your schedule looks hectic to me, but good on you and keen to hear how you get on, especially the imapct on your midweek social life!? :shock:

what if you have a couple of beers friday lunch or after work? or a few beers monday morning? that 14 miles is gonna seem like a helluva long way

2 or 3 days a week I run 10km to work and then catch public transport home, and on other days I ride both ways, and i follow that up with gym and long rides at the w/e, and my friends and people at work think i'm some kind of exercise nut for doing that :?

trying to build up to running 10km twice a day both to and from work but think i'd be a vegetable at work and in the evening after a couple of weeks

Rich158

Chapeau for even considering that routine, I've finally found someone who's a biger lunatic than I am.

I commute 22 miles each way by bike, run 4.5 miles at lunchtime 2/3 days a week, and swim at least one lunchtime a week, plus I'll now have the occasional short run in the evenings. Add in club training on a Tuesday which equates to 60 miles in the evening and the occasional sportive at weekends and it's a pretty full week. I'd love to work up to a half marathon this year and want to add in a 10 mile run on saturdays.

I think you'll find the first 2/3 weeks are hell, but once your body has started to adapt to the new routine it'll be fine. Good luck, let us know how it goes

Headhuunter

I used to run to and from work a couple of times a week but it was 6 miles in and 6 out with work in between. I also used to run with a running club on Monday evenings - 5-6 miles. I think I would need to work up to a 14 mile run in 1 go before work and especially after work on Fri (by Fri I am usually pretty knackered from the working week), but if you're used to it, I wouldn't say that schedule is impossible. Just eat like a horse to fuel yourself properly!

nic_77

Rooner wrote:

Been doing this for a few years now, not as much as you are planning, but no real problem. Wife thinks I have ADHD, but I think the fitter you get the more energy you have, got to use it up or I'll explode... .

I agree - the fitter I get, the hard I find it is to satisfy my desire for exercise! I've created a monster!

Rooner wrote:

Give it a go and see what happens. I think the problem with the big run at the start of the day is that is going to take a lot out of you, you're talking around 1500 calories I should think at least. Personally, I'd need to get up an hour before to eat something, other wise you are going to crash big style in the middle of the day.

The eating is going to be a major challenge - I recorded 1800 calories (with my pretty accurate Garmin 310XT) for my 26.6 miles of commuting and 11K run yesterday. Also your general rate of metabolism will increase as a result of the exercise, but let's say you need around 2000 calories for normal function... that means you are going to need upwards of 4000 calories a day. I find that I am pretty much eating all day long at work just to keep up already!

pastryboy

I don't have a social life so that's no problem. I love food and can eat loads so that's no problem either.

I've not run enough lately what with the weather but I'll put in about 8/9 miles this weekend and see how fit I am before ramping it up.

Paulie W

I think the psychological impact of such a programme is as significant as the physical. Having no obvious goal for that level of exercise is going to make it tough to keep going for too long. I was commuting around 350 miles a week several years ago and the only thing that kept me going day after day was targeting a series of endurance races over the coming summer.

Headhuunter

Paulie W wrote:

I think the psychological impact of such a programme is as significant as the physical. Having no obvious goal for that level of exercise is going to make it tough to keep going for too long. I was commuting around 350 miles a week several years ago and the only thing that kept me going day after day was targeting a series of endurance races over the coming summer.

Not sure about that. I find that I can quite happily cope with increased regimes of cycling and running, I enjoy getting out, my body usually gives out before my mind. With running it was stress fractures in my shin bones. Cycling has caused me occasional knee and joint problems. These things tend to stop me rather than lack of will power...