Will getting into running harm my cycling?

[beany_bot]

I cycle to and from work and have been getting steadily faster and faster. I'm not racing anyone but it's good to know I'm getting faster and better all the time.

I don't run at all but I am going to go in for a corporate 5k thing in November. Thing is, I don't want to just do it, I want to win it. So I am going to start training hard for it. Just wondering if building these running muscles will in anyway be detrimental to my cycling? (which is my true joy).

Thanks.

 

[Sharky]

There are lots of triathletes who are very good at cycling, so I doubt if it will be a problem.

 

[simonali]

Exactly. Can start doing duathlons or triathlons if you get into it...

 

[Drago]

I'm not a top flight cyclist, merely a solid plodder, and running has definitely improved my riding.

 

[beany_bot]

OMG, triathlons... hadn't even thought about that! Of course!
Yeah can't be that bad! great news.

 

[midliferider]

The answer to your specific question is no. It won't harm your cycling.
In my view, it is actually better.
It is good to "cross train" so that various groups of muscles are developed and not just one. Perhaps you may even start swimming.
However much you enjoy cycling, there are days you just can't cycle. Maybe time, weather etc. In those days just go for a 5K run, done in 30 minutes or less. You do not need to worry about keeping fit and you can enjoy your cake.

 

[smutchin]

Agree with @midliferider re cross training. I've never been fitter than when I was cycling 30km+ every day on my commute and also running 5-8km 3-4 times a week, and the running certainly wasn't detrimental to my cycling - exactly the opposite, in fact.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I cant run for tuppence , but i wish i could as it would help my cycling stamina no end.

 

[vickster]

I cant run for tuppence , but i wish i could as it will help cycling stamina no end.

Swimming also good for stamina

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I don't run at all but I am going to go in for a corporate 5k thing in November. Thing is, I don't want to just do it, I want to win it. So I am going to start training hard for it. Just wondering if building these running muscles will in anyway be detrimental to my cycling?

If you jump in at the deep end with an aggressively competitive mindset, you'll probably end up overdoing it and injuring yourself. Just aim to finish the run in one piece, don't get silly about it.

 

[Jimidh]

If you are a fairly fit cyclist then you can knock off 5k running without any issue - apart from the dreaded DoMs for a few days afterwards.

As above I much prefer cycling but some days I quick 30-40 minute run has to suffice and it does me no harm.

 

[minininjarob]

If you jump in at the deep end with an aggressively competitive mindset, you'll probably end up overdoing it and injuring yourself. Just aim to finish the run in one piece, don't get silly about it.

This x10000 . Running will help you cycle but it’ll take a few weeks to get up to a reasonable 5k time (26min) if you take it slowly one step at a time to avoid injury.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It will harm your cycling.

Mostly because you could be riding your bike instead of running

 

[smutchin]

it’ll take a few weeks to get up to a reasonable 5k time (26min) if you take it slowly one step at a time to avoid injury.

Depends where you're starting from. When I did my first Parkrun, I had no idea what would be a "reasonable" time, so I set myself a target of 25 minutes and beat it comfortably. The following week I reduced my target to 24 minutes and beat that comfortably too. Less than four months later, I did my first sub-21min parkrun, and was able to achieve that without injuring myself or "overdoing it". This was as a 39yo who hadn't done any running since leaving school, but was reasonably fit from regular cycling.

An ex-colleague of mine who was much fitter than me, and a few years younger, also took up running a few years ago, likewise having not run since school, and was soon achieving sub-20min times for 5km. I believe his PB is now sub-17min. The sod. (ETA: just checked - 16:59, so only just!)

Without knowing more about the OP - age, weight, fitness level - it's impossible to predict what would be a "reasonable" time for him to achieve for a 5km run. We don't know anything about the abilities of the people he's up against either, so it's also impossible to say if winning the 5km event is a realistic target.

 

[pawl]

If you are buying new shoes go to a specialist shop who are able to analyse your gate.Plus any pronation problems.

Not cheap a bit like a bike fit.Better safe than injured due to inadequate cushioning etc.