Has anyone tried running?

[Milzy]

An AI answer:

Neither exercise is universally "better"; running is superior for bone density, rapid calorie burn, and convenience, while cycling is better for joint longevity, muscular hypertrophy, and sustained endurance. Both offer nearly identical cardiovascular and mental health benefits.

Direct Comparison

Metric	Running	Cycling	Winner
Cardio Health	High intensity; quickly elevates heart rate.	High capacity; easier to maintain for hours.	Tie
Joint Impact	High impact (absorbs 2–3x body weight per step).	Low impact; smooth, circular motion.	Cycling
Bone Density	Weight-bearing; stimulates bone mineral growth.	Non-weight-bearing; negligible impact on bone density.	Running
Calorie Burn	Higher per minute (requires supporting your own weight).	Lower per minute; requires longer durations to match.	Running
Muscular Build	Tones lower body; high mileage can limit muscle mass.	Builds lower-body strength and leg power via resistance.	Cycling
Practicality	High convenience; requires only a pair of running shoes.	Lower convenience; requires a bike, helmet, and route planning.	Running

How to Choose Your Sole Sport

If you are forced to choose just one for the rest of your life, the decision comes down to your personal health profile and daily routine:

• Choose Running if: You have limited time, want maximum efficiency per minute, want to protect against osteoporosis as you age, and have healthy, resilient joints.
• Choose Cycling if: You are carrying extra weight, have a history of knee, ankle, or lower back issues, or want a sport where you can easily exercise for multiple hours at a time without excessive muscular trauma.

Regardless of which you pick, the "better" exercise is ultimately the one you enjoy enough to perform consistently week after week.

See webbo, a bit of running is good.

 

[ivegotabike]

Fitness. Longevity. Reduce body fat. Build muscle. Things that will help your cycling.

A few months ago, I added a bit of running to my cycling. Not with the intention of it helping my cycling (though it might), but to add some weight bearing / impact exercise into my life. Which has plenty of benefits.

I don't see it contributing much to the aerobic fitness side of things. I won't be doing enough volume for it to move that needle significantly. Indeed, there are many very good runners who use cycling to improve their aerobic fitness. e.g.


View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY2KGC1IuxK

 

[bulldoze]

Running is definitely 'better' than cycling for fitness and health for those that are able. It is a natural movement and cycling is not. I am not sure how anyone can argue against this most fundamental of facts.

But I would also argue that pounding the pavements for a few hours a week is not particularly healthy either. A fast 6 x 200M workout up a soft underfoot hill is a staggeringly good workout that is accessible to many - once a week of that is plenty.

2 x cycle workouts a week.
2 x running workouts a week.
2 x weights workouts a week.

I am in my sixties and that keeps me in about the top 1% of people in my age bracket I would estimate.

 

[Webbo2]

See webbo, a bit of running is good.

So my weekly regime of 3 rides a week( either 2 100k plus and one interval session or 2 interval sessions and one 100k plus rides) walk Bertie our cocker 4 and half miles 5 days a week. Climb 3 times a week, one weights session and some stretching and injury prevention exercise will not be up to much because there’s no running.😏

 

[ivegotabike]

Would it be "better" if you made half an hour of a couple of the dog walks into a run?

It would be different, but would it be better?

I expect Bertie could keep up - for the first few weeks at least!

 

[Homers Double]

I ran for a while, 2 x marathons and several half marathons, loads of 10ks etc and two 70.3 triathlons (1/2 Ironman)
I'm overweight and slow and my knees definitely felt the pain.

I've got to a point where I've said sod it, I'm not running anymore as I didn't enjoy it. But I've lost a stone recently so maybe it is in the future, who knows.

I do know that I want to complete a full ironman in my lifetime which unfortunately involves some running...

 

[Mo1959]

Hope for us all yet!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvzezxeye969o

 

[Milzy]

That paratrooper could see 100 years old.
I think Webbo does enough already. If he ran with the dog he’d only gain an extra day or two of life so not much point.

 

[wakemalcolm]

That paratrooper could see 100 years old.
I think Webbo does enough already. If he ran with the dog he’d only gain an extra day or two of life so not much point.

Reminds me of a Mash article about a run that added 20 minutes to lifespan actually took 30 minutes.

 

[Webbo2]

Would it be "better" if you made half an hour of a couple of the dog walks into a run?

It would be different, but would it be better?

I expect Bertie could keep up - for the first few weeks at least!

Unfortunately because Bertie is a Cocker Spaniel I couldn’t run with him because as a breed Cockers cannot walk/ run in a straight line plus I would be spending several hours trying to retrieve him when he’d gone after a Pheasant.