How fit can I get from biking to work? How to get marathon ready

achillestenten wrote:

How fit can I get from biking to work?

I live 10 miles from works, so Ive been doing 20 miles a day 4 days a week.

Im not running much right now due to my achilles tendinitis, but I ran a 2:52 marathon and am hoping to run Boston in April.

Any suggestions on how to keep fit? What workouts should I do? Should I be adding extra mileage too?

Aerobically speaking 20 miles is equal to 4-6 miles depending on how hilly your route is. I'm not saying it is the same as running 4-6 miles. How fit can you get? Fitter than you would be if you drove to work.

I wouldn't start running again until you are sure your achilles is back in action. Achilles injuries are one of those career-ending injuries.

do intervals on the way to work every other day. when you go hard, go up a gear and stand up, this is more like running and a lot higher heart rate. On the off days, just go at an easy pace in an easy gear, but really make sure your core is active and your shoulders are relaxed, a lot of bikers get lazy about posture. If you want to add extra, make it a 90 minute effort, say twice a week as this is about the sweet spot for biking intensity .

achillestenten wrote:

How fit can I get from biking to work?

I live 10 miles from works, so Ive been doing 20 miles a day 4 days a week.

Im not running much right now due to my achilles tendinitis, but I ran a 2:52 marathon and am hoping to run Boston in April.

Any suggestions on how to keep fit? What workouts should I do? Should I be adding extra mileage too?

zero fit. cycling doesn't do crap for running.

cat6 wrote:

achillestenten wrote:

How fit can I get from biking to work?

I live 10 miles from works, so Ive been doing 20 miles a day 4 days a week.

Im not running much right now due to my achilles tendinitis, but I ran a 2:52 marathon and am hoping to run Boston in April.

Any suggestions on how to keep fit? What workouts should I do? Should I be adding extra mileage too?

zero fit. cycling doesn't do crap for running.

not true. cycling helps but not as much as running would

runnerbro wrote:

cat6 wrote:

zero fit. cycling doesn't do crap for running.

not true. cycling helps but not as much as running would

That's disrespectful to cycling. Cycling beats sitting on the couch. I mean look at Jack Foster who cycled a lot before starting to run in his early 30s, one cannot deny that helped him since he wasn't that high mileage. One has to remember the country side he ran on was up mountains. There is a mini documentary from the 70s about 20 minutes that go over some kiwi runners, and there is a clip of Jack Foster running up this mountain side and than basically slides down the side of the mountain. If I recall right he also biked to work.

Here's a link to that documentary:

achillestenten wrote:

How fit can I get from biking to work?

I live 10 miles from works, so Ive been doing 20 miles a day 4 days a week.

Im not running much right now due to my achilles tendinitis, but I ran a 2:52 marathon and am hoping to run Boston in April.

Any suggestions on how to keep fit? What workouts should I do? Should I be adding extra mileage too?

OK there's a certain guy on this thread who will most likely disagree with me and if he get's on here, maybe just ignore him - he's a big waste of time - 1st of all congrats on your 2:52 - anyone who can break 3 hours deserves a tip of the cap - you're doing fine ! If you have a running injury, getting that healed up is #1 on the list. So I pray for a speedy recovery for you - stay on the bike - just watch out for cars! This is a true story (but a certain guy may call it a lie so brace yourself) - met a guy in Los Angeles who uses his bike for transportation because he just can't afford a car for whatever reason - at least that's the story I got - but in addition with his cycling he also puts in running miles - he'll ride his bicycle to run races then ride back home - the guy is really really fast - at this training event he was given a gift card for a 10K race (run) he did in Santa Monica that he clocked in the 29's and was in the top 5. (and it was this guy's birthday so cake for everyone!) I talked to him and he definitely said the biking was a big factor in his overall success as a runner. So there you go, that's from a sub 30 10K runner guy - I'm just the messenger. (but like I said, brace yourself for ole mister slewfoot! - that's a nickname for the DEVIL)

Oh boy better get the statement totally precise because slewfoot will be watching - when I said "the guy is really really fast" that means he's very fast runner wise - got that slewfoot?! Cycling wise he rides at whatever speeds he feels like riding - sometimes fast, sometimes slow - cycling is his way of getting around - it's his transportation - but the cycling gives him a side benefit that helps him as a runner - and for the record slewfoot this guy just wears regular athletic clothes when he's on a bicycle - he doesn't pretend to be a pro cyclist because he'd be the 1st to admit he has no intentions of pro riding - but he's trying to break 29 for 10K as a runner - he may have already done so by now!

I bike about 100-150 miles/w and run around 50. I'm slowly building mileage so the delta between the 2 will decrease and my goal is to hit 100 mpw in a couple years, but then I prob won't bike at all.

I'm not crazy fast, but have gotten a great base, ran a 2:47 marathon a few months ago, and going for sub 2:40 this fall.

Orren wrote:

I bike about 100-150 miles/w and run around 50. I'm slowly building mileage so the delta between the 2 will decrease and my goal is to hit 100 mpw in a couple years, but then I prob won't bike at all.

I'm not crazy fast, but have gotten a great base, ran a 2:47 marathon a few months ago, and going for sub 2:40 this fall.

That's a very good plan - (I'm in my serious mode now) very good plan - makes a lot of sense and I like it - you just gave me some good ideas for my training - if you're in 2:47 shape (that's my exact PB pace for HM - wish I could do 83 1/2 X two!) man you're doing great - as the saying goes "there are many ways to skin a cat" your plan may prove to be one of the better plans out there - thanks for sharing,

runnerbro wrote:

cat6 wrote:

zero fit. cycling doesn't do crap for running.

not true. cycling helps but not as much as running would

No, it doesn't. Ask any elite cyclist to go run. It'll be hilarious, I promise.

ocracoke wrote:

I wouldn't start running again until you are sure your achilles is back in action. Achilles injuries are one of those career-ending injuries.

Right answer. Achilles is incredibly slow to heal, and then tends to inflame after that.

Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider - he can do both very good - nobody has been saying cycling only - you have to put in running miles somewhere in the equation - there are people out there who use cycling as a supplement to running - but they still hammer out runs - I know of at least one guy in California who does exactly this procedure and he's a 29 (10K) runner guy

Spinachrunner wrote:

Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider - he can do both very good - nobody has been saying cycling only - you have to put in running miles somewhere in the equation - there are people out there who use cycling as a supplement to running - but they still hammer out runs - I know of at least one guy in California who does exactly this procedure and he's a 29 (10K) runner guy

How much cycling does that 29 min 10k runner do and how much does he run?

Sand Dunes wrote:

Spinachrunner wrote:

Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider Durian Rider - he can do both very good - nobody has been saying cycling only - you have to put in running miles somewhere in the equation - there are people out there who use cycling as a supplement to running - but they still hammer out runs - I know of at least one guy in California who does exactly this procedure and he's a 29 (10K) runner guy

How much cycling does that 29 min 10k runner do and how much does he run?

He does not own a car and to the best of my knowledge this was initially because he couldn't afford a car - so his bicycle was and still is his primary source of transportation - I don't think there's a set #of miles he rides - he rides his bike everywhere in Los Angeles - he rides work, he rides to his training, he rides to races - his running mileage? don't have an answer for it, but he can do 5 mile training runs in 27 minutes like with hardly a sweat - I never asked him how many miles a week he runs - sorry that's all I can tell you on that - but he told me his cycling is a huge part of his running success.