Does cycling compliment running? (Read 2086 times)

In my experiment of one (6 month), I've found that Tri training has really helped my running. I cut down on the running milage, and try to really up the swim and the bike. My tri/race times would indicate that the xtraining really does work. For example-I did the LA Tri in september-I had about 3 months starting from nothing (few months off) to race day. My 10k in that race was <45mins, and that course was killler-had to go up two walls. i feel i could have had a pr on that day, on a flatter course. my "science", if you're starting from nothing in running, then just run. if you have a low base in running, and want to suppliment it with biking and/or swimming, it will help you. i think swimming helps for different reasons than biking-swimming does stuff like stretch you out, works on sore hips, get arm work in there, core work; whereas biking actually works some of the same movements. anyway, my workouts from june 2008 through now i think prove that biking (or, possibly, biking and swimming) help running. my mileage has gone down, bug my times are getting better. also worth noting is that you can do things on the bike that you can't while running-like go for a 65 mile ride to some place nice, where you eat a packed lunch near something cool, and then get back on the road. you can really work on your endurance on the bike. should be noted that i get serious leg issues as i cross 20, 25, 30 mile weeks. and="" that="" course="" was="" killler-had="" to="" go="" up="" two="" walls.="" i="" feel="" i="" could="" have="" had="" a="" pr="" on="" that="" day,="" on="" a="" flatter="" course.="" my="" "science",="" if="" you're="" starting="" from="" nothing="" in="" running,="" then="" just="" run.="" if="" you="" have="" a="" low="" base="" in="" running,="" and="" want="" to="" suppliment="" it="" with="" biking="" and/or="" swimming,="" it="" will="" help="" you.="" i="" think="" swimming="" helps="" for="" different="" reasons="" than="" biking-swimming="" does="" stuff="" like="" stretch="" you="" out,="" works="" on="" sore="" hips,="" get="" arm="" work="" in="" there,="" core="" work;="" whereas="" biking="" actually="" works="" some="" of="" the="" same="" movements.="" anyway,="" my="" workouts="" from="" june="" 2008="" through="" now="" i="" think="" prove="" that="" biking="" (or,="" possibly,="" biking="" and="" swimming)="" help="" running.="" my="" mileage="" has="" gone="" down,="" bug="" my="" times="" are="" getting="" better.="" also="" worth="" noting="" is="" that="" you="" can="" do="" things="" on="" the="" bike="" that="" you="" can't="" while="" running-like="" go="" for="" a="" 65="" mile="" ride="" to="" some="" place="" nice,="" where="" you="" eat="" a="" packed="" lunch="" near="" something="" cool,="" and="" then="" get="" back="" on="" the="" road.="" you="" can="" really="" work="" on="" your="" endurance="" on="" the="" bike.="" should="" be="" noted="" that="" i="" get="" serious="" leg="" issues="" as="" i="" cross="" 20,="" 25,="" 30="" mile=""></45mins, and that course was killler-had to go up two walls. i feel i could have had a pr on that day, on a flatter course. my "science", if you're starting from nothing in running, then just run. if you have a low base in running, and want to suppliment it with biking and/or swimming, it will help you. i think swimming helps for different reasons than biking-swimming does stuff like stretch you out, works on sore hips, get arm work in there, core work; whereas biking actually works some of the same movements. anyway, my workouts from june 2008 through now i think prove that biking (or, possibly, biking and swimming) help running. my mileage has gone down, bug my times are getting better. also worth noting is that you can do things on the bike that you can't while running-like go for a 65 mile ride to some place nice, where you eat a packed lunch near something cool, and then get back on the road. you can really work on your endurance on the bike. should be noted that i get serious leg issues as i cross 20, 25, 30 mile weeks.>