When the weather is bad, what do you do? Take to the turbo? Go to the gym? Many do. I prefer to go for a run. Infact I incorporate running into my training programmes believing that it is an excellent form of training for your cardio vascular system and can help strengthen both muscles and joints for the season ahead.
It is also a superb way of training in a short period of time when you have the demands of work piling up and you're concerned about your general fitness. You can change, run, stretch and shower in about an hour and not have too much energy to do too much else.
It is also worth trying a bike/run training session if time is short. In this you cycle, or turbo, for say 45 minutes and then run for 15 minutes. If you've never experienced the bike to run transition in a triathlon, you are in for a treat with this one and again at the end you will be fairly well spent.
Running is the most natural of all athletic activities in the sense that most of us start running as children and continue throughout the course of our lives. However it can also be one of the most streeful sporting pastimes in that it is very easy to over stress joints and injure muscles. Cyclists need to be particularly careful because they are moving from a sport where the bike carries most of their body weight to a sport that is totally load bearing. I am led to believe that each time your foot hits the ground, a force the equivalent of 4-5 times your body weight goes through the leg.
Whilst I am not a runner of any significance, I have outlined some basic techniques and methods that will hopefully be useful to most cyclists. I enjoy running and find it beneficial as an integral part of winter training (when I raced off-road, I incorporated running the whole year round). If you want further information about running, I know that there are many publications regarding the subject.
Choosing your equipment
The beauty about running is that all you need is a good pair of shoes and socks, shorts or tights, and a vest or thermal top, perhaps a hat and woolen gloves for when it is very cold. Remember the following when you are buying your running shoes:
Always buy them from a specialist shop and preferably one with staff who are experienced runners.
They should be suited to your style of running.
Are you a pronator or supinator?
Do you land hard on your heel, or are you a midfoot striker?
What terrain do you tend to train on?
If you train mainly on trails (best for cyclists), then you will need shoes that grip and support well, that cushion against the shock from stones and roots etc. If you train on the road, you will need a different shoe. Some shoes serve both purposes, but there is no harm in having separate pairs for road and off-road.
Remember that running shoes have a shelf life. Using shoes beyond their shelf life can contribute to running injuries. A pair of running shoes worn by a cyclist who won't do major miles should easily last 12 months but a new pair each winter shouldn't break the Bank.
Basic techniques and tips
As natural as running may be as an activity, there are some basic techniques that you should follow. Concentrate on the following points of technique:
1. Lean forward slightly.
Look at the postures of top runners and you'll see that they all lean forward slightly. To help yourself, try fixing your gaze about 10 to 15 metres in front of you.
2. Strike the ground lightly with your heel first.
If you were to slow down the foot action whilst running, you would see that you land on your heel and then roll forward, through the ball of your foot, pushing off with your toes. A "normal" footfall sees you neither gravitating too far to the outside of the foot (supination) nor toward the inside (pronation). If you do tend to "pronate" or "supinate", don't be alarmed you're not alone. Also running shoe manufacturers tuned into this many years ago and now produce shoes for runners with either tendency.
The best way to determine if you pronate or supinate is to get an experienced runner to watch you run. Another way is to examine the wear on the soles of old running shoes. I strongly suggest that cyclists seek out a store staffed with experienced runners rather than go to their local hyper sport shop and choose the flashiest pair of shoes they can find. Even when you go to these kinds of shops take your old pair of running shoes with you.
3. Starting your running session
At the beginning of a run, keep your stride short. Too long a stride incorporates a high kick at the back of the stride, which quickly tires the hamstring muscles. As your legs begin to loosen up on the run, then you can lengthen your stride.
4. Use your arms
You will be surprised how much your arms work during a run. On hills, you pump with your arms to help you, or you should do. Sometimes, if you haven't run for a long time, your arms will be more tired than you legs at the end of a run! Your hands, arms and shoulders should be relaxed but working when you run. The hands and forearms shouldn't cross over the body as they swing back and forth. Nor should they be held too high. Don't tense your hand into a fist. To avoid this, trying running with your hands held open. Don't hunch your shoulders.
5. Keep your breathing relaxed.
Breathe from your diaphragm, not from your chest. Think of the wall of your stomach as a bellows: when it bulges outward, it is sucking in air, when it pushes inwards; it is forcing air out of your lungs.
Tips for the cyclist runner
If you have never run before or only run in the winter, start gradually, 5 or 10 minutes to start with is no problem. You don't have to run continuously, many start by running for 1 minute then walking for one minute and build up from there.
A cyclist does not need to run for more than about 45 minutes. Unless you want to go for a longer run on a Sunday morning if the weather is so bad you can't get out on your bike.
Cyclists should ideally run on grass or trails, as this is less stressful to the joints and muscles.
As with your cycle training make your run training progressive but never add more than 10% per week to the time you run i.e. 10 minutes week 1, 11 minutes week 2 etc. Unless you wish to try a Duathlon or triathlon you do not need to run more than 2-3 times per week during the winter months.
Some argue it is worthwhile running during the cycling season, others state it is a cycling taboo. If it works for you, I say do it. Afterall there are some very fit Tri-athlets around!!!
