Running and cycling are two words not often used in the same sentence when it comes to cyclists. When it is used it is normally preceded by the word swim laughter….and lets be honest they aren’t real cyclists are they?
As a triathlete and cross rider I tend to fall into the category between the two. Obsessive about my running, but not so much that I want it to affect my cycling. I took up running when I realised I needed to drop weight to aid me to cycle faster, cycling is great but not so good at cutting down weight. Currently I am on the sharp end of a stress fracture in my tibia so have been thinking about the most appropriate way to run, not just for cross but for cycling in general.
So lets think of running for cycling in a few ways:
(1) It uses more muscles so has a higher energy demand than cycling . A 30 minute run will use more energy (fats or carboyhdrate balance will depend on intensity) than a cycle of the same duration. So if you are aiming to cut weight why go out and do traditional low intensity 4-6 hour rides with one rice cake and a fig roll when you could just go for a run for an hour?
(2)It damages muscles. I don’t think even i can debate this. It just does. However…in the same way when starting anaerobic intervals you don’t think you will recover for the next session, your body is amazing and will recover from running. Give it time. Give it the 6 weeks it needs to adapt. Most importantly; take your time. If you’ve never run more than 5km don’t start with a marathon.
(3) Its cheaper and easier to slot in. It just is. A pair of runners, shorts and a t-shirt/jersey are all you need. Runs can be fit in during lunches, going to work, or in between family commitments. I’m also partial to bringing running kit on the way to conferences and business meetings, great way to see a city.
(4)It promotes bone growth and strength. We partake in a non weight bearing activity. Those of us who mountain bike are at an advantage over our road obsessed brethren. While mountain bikers constantly have to absorb the variations in trail surface road cyclists don’t get this muscular loading on their bones. This lack of impact on bones leads to osteoporosis and osteoarthritis through the lack of break down and replacement of bone tissue. In a sport that does involve the odd crash having weak bones is not an advantage.
Now when we look at cross we see a few things. First off you will have to run at some point. More and more Irish course designers are falling in-line with UCI rules, and long may it live. This in turn is resulting in more courses having dedicated run ups, dismounts, and remounts. Also if you are a single speeder, or on the weaker side, some ride ups may be non avoidable run-ups for you. Lets not even mention a mud bath and its eventual effect on the surface. These running sections can in theory take up to 10% of some courses:
So with this knowledge under our hats, how do we run for cyclocross? I present below a graph from a recent cross race Cyclocross nationals 2009. My own data. A long lap with a long run up and a flat out section afterwards. With potential for 10% of the course to be made of running we are talking 350m per lap, in a 9 lap race, that’s 3.1km. Food for thought…
Run up the steps
The run up sticks out well. As it should 36 steps flat out is not something that will go unnoticed by your legs. Add to that a flat out section to the main avenue and you have a recipe for attacking. This HR spike can be the end for some riders and the ability to absorb this and go again, repeatidly, is what makes cross a special sport. But this is only a short portion of the race. A short portion with a maximal intensity. So what good is running for 30-3.1km going to do for you? Nothing! You need to run fast. You need to run hard. But you need to run harder than the person beside you over short distances.
30-30-30
This is the session that I like to use to overcome this pain. Codenamed 30-30-30 its a pretty simple session in execution. 30 seconds riding flat-out, 30seconds riding at a moderate pace, 30 seconds running. Repeat for 15 minutes without stopping. Take 3 minutes cruising around at easy. Repeat it 2 more times. The session results in 15mins of super threshold riding, 15mins of tempo riding, 15mins of running and 9 minutes of cruising about….which is about 52 minutes so damn close to a normal cross race. Reduce the intervals if you want…you probably won’t want to though if you are doing it properly.
The moral of the story. You need to run for cross…but you need to run like cross rider not like a runner or a triathlete. Short and intense, off road and uphill. Most of all. Bring your bike. Wear your bike. Running with the bike makes it specific. Makes it easy on the day.