Running is just awful...

pottssteve

So,

After 3 and a half years living in the heartland of European cycling I'm back in the Far East. The weather is a lovely 18 - 20 degrees, sunny skies and gentle breezes, as befits a Hong Kong spring. My bikes, however, are somewhere between here and Europe, slowly making their way with the rest of my stuff. Hence, in order to keep fit I bought a pair of running shoes.

Christ, running is awful. I did 3.5km in about 25 minutes and could barely walk for the next 3 days my legs were so sore. I really don't know why those triathlon guys bother. Went out the second time and it wasn't so bad, but why would anyone run when they could ride?

No bike to ride, and I'm dying inside.... (and getting fat)

However, the weather is nice.....

smidsy

Swimming may be a good stop gap.

upperoilcan

I love running,i do between 35-45 miles a week.

I am even running to work and back (10 mile round trip).

Just as well really as my bike has been out only 3 times this year due to the constant barrage of rain.

markhewitt1978

If you think regular cycling will make you a decent runner then forget about it. It does pretty much nothing. I can get on a bike and bang out 50 miles and feel fine afterwards, yet run 5km? You're joking, I would die.

I've been doing it a little bit recently but it doesn't get pleasant, not like cycling where you can get to a point where pounding up that steep hill at the limit of your effort is great fun, never had that with running.

So much so I'm thinking of getting a cheap bike to leave at work so I can cycle in lunchtimes.

ai_1

Running's great but it's completely different to cycling. Your cycling cardio-fitness will transfer over but muscle use is a lot different so you can't just go out and run fast, far or comfortably on day one. However, you can definitely get good quicker than someone who doesn't have the existing fitness.
Running puts impact loads on your body unlike cycling. It's good for you but takes getting used to. You also need some core strength which isn't a big issue for most people on the bike. In my case I really felt it in my lower legs and back when I got started but that went away. Your joints ligaments and tendons will need to adapt too and that takes longer than muscle adaptation. Run, don't jog and if you're not comfortable running more than a few hundred meters at a time then alternate between running and walking. Keep the distances very short until you're comfortable going further. When I started my legs would hurt for 3 days after running just a couple of kilometers but now I can run just as fast or faster for 15km without any pain afterwards.
Most of us don't do much stretching or warming up for cycling but I think some dynamic stretching to warm-up is worthwhile for running.
Cycling and running are both really enjoyable (for me anyway) but there is a break-in period for both. In terms of general health I think they complement each other and it gives you the option to substitute one for the other in your training depending on location, weather or equipment problems. For example, when the weather's horrible I'd much rather run than ride. Whether running makes you a better cyclist or cycling makes you a better runner is debatable.

crescent

I've tried running and hate it. I also notice that when I see a runner out and about they look utterly miserable but when I see a cyclist they look like they're enjoying themselves.

pottssteve

Crescent wrote:

I've tried running and hate it. I also notice that when I see a runner out and about they look utterly miserable but when I see a cyclist they look like they're enjoying themselves.

+1 for this!

Thanks to all for the advice and considered words of encouragement. Totally agree about the cardio benefits but that riding is no preparation for running. I will persist (out again tomorrow, all being well), but I am convinced I will never like it, let alone love it like I love the bike. I'm just naffed off that by the time the titanium beauty arrives it will be hotter than hell here...Interesting, though, that there are many more cyclists on "proper" road bikes than last time I was here, and the government is spending money on bike paths.

Steve

upperoilcan

The key is not to over do it on your 1st few outings,there is no rush so take your time and increase you distance gradually. (3.5km on your first outing is too much) On avearage you should increase your distance by 10% a week.

You really need to make sure you have the correct running shoes for your gait.

bernithebiker

Running sucks.

markhewitt1978

Ai_1 wrote:

Run, don't jog and if you're not comfortable running more than a few hundred meters at a time then alternate between running and walking.

Interesting point, why's that? As most of my 'running' has really been jogging, figured better to do a sustained 15 minutes (yes I'm that bad at it) than flat out for 2 minutes then be shattered?

Mccaria

If God had meant us to run, he would have given us legs instead of wheels....

arran77

bernithebiker wrote:

Running sucks.

This, it's all there is to it

mercia_man

Cycling is fantastic fun. Running is fantastic fun. Don't be deterred about getting stiff legs and exhaustion when you first start running. An experienced cyclist will have the cardiovascular fitness but running uses different muscles and is also a harder physical effort than cycling.

The trick for novice runners, as it is for novice cyclists, is to start slowly, maybe doing jog/walk sessions, and gradually build up speed and distance. You can then gradually fit in speed intervals and hill reps. Don't decide running sucks by going for just one run and finding it's hard work. Try running a few more times and I reckon you'll get a real feeling of satisfaction at improving your performance. You can easily assess your improving pace with a GPS running watch.

Running is brilliant for keeping weight under control and improving your cycling performance. And I would much prefer going for a run in bad weather than battling through the wind and rain on my bike and getting it covered in mud.

You may eventually want to try racing. I do road and fell racing and everyone is really friendly, particularly at fell races. I only took up running at the age of 54 but found that my years of cycling gave me good base fitness and the ability to run up hills. Just like many cyclists, I'd never thought I'd like running and always thought it looked like hard work compared to cycling. I'm now winning age group championships.

I get the same sort of exercise rush running along spectacular mountain tops as I do riding up the Tourmalet on my bike.

So put aside the prejudiced views expressed by some non-runners and at least give it a go.

capt_slog

I used to run, I once trained for and took part in a marathon when I was a lot younger. Even though that was 30+ years ago, I could still jog a fair distance when I needed to without it feeling uncomfortable.

But after a couple of years of cycling, I now find it difficult to run. Although my fitness has greatly improved and I don't get out of breath, the actual process of running feels awkward to me. My son said something similar a few years ago, he'd found the same and at the time when he told me I laughed, but it seems to be true.

It's almost as if you develop a different set of muscles from cycling, and these are not the same ones you need to when you run.

sungod

i used to run, never really enjoyed it, even when i did it daily, but these days i only run on hotel gym running machines if i'm away on business, as the cycling machines are usually awful

be careful about swimming and running: you might mutate into a triathelope, they seem to be miserable even on a bike, although perhaps it's the thought of the preceding swim and upcoming run getting them down

mpatts

Mccaria wrote:

If God had meant us to run, he would have given us legs instead of wheels....

Running is amazing - honestly - but it is an entirely different mindset to cycling.

I could bang on with loads of advice, but the best one I can give is to buy cheap shoes and just keep at it. As for form, I find high cadence helps to stop over lengthening stride (which is almost guaranteed to hurt)

I've found cycling to be incredibly complimentary of running, and vice versa. Running is amazing at teaching you pacing.

mpatts

Crescent wrote:

I've tried running and hate it. I also notice that when I see a runner out and about they look utterly miserable but when I see a cyclist they look like they're enjoying themselves.

Oh, and sorry for the two post - but I see roughly the same percentage of miserable cyclists slogging away as I see miserable runners.

lostboysaint

upperoilcan wrote:

Just as well really as my bike has been out only 3 times this year due to the constant barrage of rain.

Have you got one of those carbon ones that melt in the rain then?!

Paulie W

mpatts wrote:

Running is amazing - honestly - but it is an entirely different mindset to cycling.

I could bang on with loads of advice, but the best one I can give is to buy cheap shoes and just keep at it.

Really? Cheap shoes? My advice would be get yourself a decent pair if you dont want to feck your ankles or your knees or your hips!

kajjal

I used to do running but stopped as I wanted to keep my knees. A guy at work in his forties had run for many years and his knees are in bits

markhewitt1978

I've been doing speed walking at lunchtimes, sure it doesn't get you as good a workout but it's much kinder to your joints!

upperoilcan

lostboysaint wrote:

Have you got one of those carbon ones that melt in the rain then?!

The problem is i take no pleasure what so ever riding in the rain,and yes i do own a Carbon bike that melts in the wet stuff.

ai_1

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

Run, don't jog and if you're not comfortable running more than a few hundred meters at a time then alternate between running and walking.

Interesting point, why's that? As most of my 'running' has really been jogging, figured better to do a sustained 15 minutes (yes I'm that bad at it) than flat out for 2 minutes then be shattered?

I think running slowly/jogging tends to end up a bit of a shuffle and it's much harder to maintain good form. You're much more likely to be dragging your heels etc. It's not much faster than a vigorous walk but it's harder work, unsatisfying and no fun. For me this would be running any slower than about 6min/km (10km/h). However if you've even a little fitness from cycling you'll probably have no problem running a bit faster for a couple of hundred meters. Then walk until you feel like running again. The walk lets you get your breath back if necessary and any tightening muscles (calves most likely) can relax a bit. It also means you restart Over the next few weeks you can start reducing the duration of the walking sections until you're running non-stop and at a decent pace and/or increase your total distance.
When I started back to running after a couple of years of just cycling I was initially only doing about 2km-2.5km and only running about 800m of that. This was less than a 20 minute workout with only 4 or 5 mins of running. I was using very minimalist running shoes (Merrell Trail Gloves) which made it especially important to start gradually. After a couple of weeks I was running more than I was walking and after a couple more I was running 2.5km non-stop at a decent pace. You could probably advance quicker than this with conventional running shoes. Minimalist shoes are very tough on your calves and achilles at first which was the limiting factor for me. After that I increased the distance and my pace got better too. Once you're up and running so to speak 10% per week is a good rule of thumb for distance increases to avoid injury.

markhewitt1978

Interesting thanks! I might give that a go.

mpatts

Paulie W wrote:

mpatts wrote:

Running is amazing - honestly - but it is an entirely different mindset to cycling.

I could bang on with loads of advice, but the best one I can give is to buy cheap shoes and just keep at it.

Really? Cheap shoes? My advice would be get yourself a decent pair if you dont want to feck your ankles or your knees or your hips!

there is good data to suggest that the more expensive the shoe (and read, the more fancy tech and cushioning), the higher the incidences of injury. Certainly, if you look at most club runners they are wearing cheap shoes with little cushioning.

Don't forget, the running shoe as we know it is a relatively new invention - and they were originally designed to allow heel striking. Now they are often designed to stop it.

From bitter experience, I was fitted with a pair of shoes with a big squishy heel and lots of 'pronation correction', and they caused agony in my legs/back and feet in about 10 miles.

PS, I am not a barefoot running preacher. I own a pair of five fingers and like them, but got bored of people saying I couldn't run in them, so wear the new style 'minimal' nikes.

ai_1

Paulie W wrote:

...My advice would be get yourself a decent pair if you dont want to feck your ankles or your knees or your hips!

Cheap and decent aren't necessarily different things when it comes to running shoes!
A lot of top athletes run in very cheap shoes. It's really down to what suits you.

kajjal wrote:

I used to do running but stopped as I wanted to keep my knees. A guy at work in his forties had run for many years and his knees are in bits

When I last did some running back in 2008 I used pretty expensive conventional runners with the usual arch-support, heel cushioning, anti-pronation etc, etc. However my running style was iffy and combined with the big fat heels on the shoes I was doing a lot of heel striking which ended up hurting my knees - so I switched to cycling and loved it.
My knee problems were the reason I decided to try minimalist shoes when I came back to running about 18 months ago. Most running injuries, especially knees problems seem to come from bad running style. My bio-mechanics when running used to be horrible according to the guy who did gait analysis on me and sold me the expensive runners mentioned above and he was right. But the shoes I was sold just protected me from the worst of this and hid the problem. They didn't fix it. Eventually my bad running style screwed up my knees and they caused me problems for a couple of years after I'd stopped running.
When I came back to running I knew my knees would flair up again if I didn't sort out my running technique so I decided to go the opposite direction to many people would advise and used very minimalist shoes. These make it impossible to heel strike without hurting your feet so you don't so it - it's also easier to position your foot correctly without the fat heel in the way. Your feet get strong very quickly instead of being cocooned in a protective shoe and you can feel whether you're running well or not. You tend to develop a smoother, more fluid running style with a faster cadence and less vertical movement. Your feet and tendons provide the shock absorption instead of relying on badly tuned foam pads. My joints take far less abuse than they did with cushioned shoes and my knees are in better shape than they've ever been - including when I stopped running altogether. I haven't had an injury in 18 months which is unusual for runners but apparently is quite common for people using minimalist shoes. They do get a bad press from those who rush into it and hurt themselves by not allowing themselves time to adapt. You MUST start gradually but once you've adapted they're great. I couldn't run in conventional runners now - I tried it out of curiosity and absolutely hated them. If felt the equivalent of doing a sportive on a BMX with nobbly tyres! The thick soled running shoes with fat cushioned heels were only invented in the 70s and 80s and I think they'll gradually vanish again over the next decade. Truly Minimalist shoes might not take over but shoes with less heel-toe drop and cushioning probably will. They're already making inroads.

Incidentally I believe the short faster runs with walking breaks I mentioned above also helped me improve my running style. It's much easier to get your form right when running faster in short bursts. On longer slow runs there's more likelyhood you'll lose form and start shuffling, heel striking, etc.

I'll stop waffling now..... :shock:

Mikey23

Running was my life after watching the first london marathon on the telly. Did around 2000 miles a year and over 500 competitive races. Love it to bits but started to find it hard going at 60 years old. So now focus on cycling

Never had any major issues with my body and wouldn't expect to as I know how to train. Running is good fun if you do it properly and competitive in ways that cycling can never be

finchy

Running in the countryside is awesome.
Running in towns is crap.

twist83

I have never been a fan of running. I have tried a few times but just don't get on/enjoy it.

I think for cyclists who are fit on a bike they expect to be able to run decent distances. Sadly it doesnt happen and it is like a punch in the face. Also I am sure I read that a lot of injurys seen are from fit cyclists trying to run longer distances too soon? The Cardio side is there but muscles and connective tissue are not. Where as unfit people all round cannot run far at all so do not sustain the same damage.

For me it is the simple fact I don't enjoy it... Also I have a set amount of time for hobbies which are Road and MTB, shooting and trackdays on the motorbike. I don't have the time or inclination to run as I simply don't enjoy it.

markhewitt1978

I tried proper running, as opposed to jogging - got 0.18 miles

ai_1

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I tried proper running, as opposed to jogging - got 0.18 miles

Nothing wrong with that as long as you didn't end up injured. What stopped you going further? Legs or lungs?
When you start running it can recruit muscles that don't usually do much so they're not very efficient = higher heart rate and more laboured breathing than you expect. Could you do similar again after a couple of minutes walking?
If so you're similar to me when I started. I'd run about 800m of 2km in probably 3 segments of 250m-300m and walk in between. After a few weeks I was running non-stop. (0.18miles = 288m approx)