Running: usually something that pure cyclists might only consider if they were A) late for a train or B) being chased by something alarming. After all, when you can zip around on your bike why would you ditch your trusty steed in favour of something that’s slower, sweatier and far less likely to involve a café stop?
But mixing in some run workouts may actually help to make you a better cyclist. Read on to find out more about the benefits of running for cyclists, and don’t forget to check out the Stolen Goat run range once we’ve lured you over to the running dark side…
Running can turbo charge your aerobic fitness and endurance
Want to be able to ride further, faster? That’s all about building your aerobic base. And while long days in the saddle will certainly do that. Mixing in some running could help to turbo charge that process. Running offers great bang for your buck when it comes to getting the blood pumping and your lungs burning. It’s a full body activity, and since its higher impact, you’ll notice it’s ‘easier’ to get your heart rate up. This means running is a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. That means you’ll see aerobic fitness gains, which will help to improve your endurance and your ability to push power on the bike.
Improved strength and coordination will make you more efficient on two wheels
Running provides your body with a different training stimulus to cycling, getting your muscles to work and adapt in different ways. Especially if you head out onto the trails, running engages your core muscles and forces you to work on your balance and coordination if you tend to prefer staying upright!
As cyclists, we can often end up with muscle imbalances caused by repetitive use in the same position. Running can help to strengthen muscles such as your glutes and hamstrings which may have been playing second fiddle to your quads while you’re riding. Developing strong, well-balanced muscles and improving your core means once you’re back on the bike you’ll be a more efficient – and therefore faster – rider. Time to dig out those running shorts!
Weight-bearing activity may help to improve or maintain bone density
As we get older, maintaining healthy bone density is vital. Weight bearing exercise, such as running, helps to maintain higher bone density. The mechanical stress placed on the bones acts as an osteogenic stimulus: put simply, the impact stimulates the bone cells which improves bone density (source). Better bone density means less susceptibility to things like stress fractures.
While cycling has a long list of health benefits, those long days in the saddle also add up to a long time spent in a weight-supported position. A study on cycling and bone health states: “road cycling does not appear to confer any significant osteogenic benefit. The cause of this may be related to spending long hours in a weight-supported position on the bike in combination with the necessary enforced recovery time that involves a large amount of time sitting or lying supine, especially at the competitive level.”
That’s not to say that we should all be giving up cycling, lest our bones crumble into dust. There are plenty of other physical and mental benefits of spending time on two wheels. But it’s worth adding some other, weight-bearing activity into your routine to take care of your bone health too. Running is a great way to do this, while also being complementary to your bike training. Interestingly, the BMC article also notes that mountain biking has been shown to be beneficial to maintaining bone density (presumably due to the higher impact style of riding). So if we can’t tempt you into running, at least you now have a bone-afide (sorry, couldn’t resist) excuse to get yourself a mountain bike!
Switching up your routine may improve your motivation levels
Feeling stuck in a rut? If you’re getting bored of the same old routes or struggling for cycling motivation. Adding some running into the mix is a great way to break up your routine and try something different. Long hours in the saddle can start to become a bit mundane. Doing something different gives you a positive mental boost and a fresh perspective. Which can be just the ticket to bring you out of a cycling rut and help to reignite your love for spending time on the bike.
Running could make it easier to stay consistent
Whether you’re having to travel a lot for work, or you’re just struggling to find the time (or the daylight hours) to get out on the bike. Getting into running could help you to keep exercising consistently, even when life gets hectic. The beauty of running is that all you need is yourself and your trainers. You don’t even need to plan a route – a simple 20 minute out and back jog will do the trick. By having an alternative option when you haven’t got time to ride, you can maintain your fitness so that when you do get back on the bike it doesn’t feel like you’ve gone back to square one.
The perfect way to explore new places
Following on from the above point about being able to train when you’re travelling, simply by throwing a set of run gear into your suitcase. Running is also one of the best ways to explore a new place. There’s something special about getting out into a new city and seeing all the sights before the sun (and the tourists) wake up.
Even if you’re running from home or your everyday office, chances are you’ll discover new routes and trails you didn’t notice were there when you were flying past on your bike!
Ready to jog on? Here’s your next steps:
- Read our guide to getting into running
- Check out the Stolen Goat Run range for running gear that will make you feel epic.