what can a TDF cyclist run in the 5k without training for it?

I don't know what qualifies as pro in cycling, but I know of a local guy that is "sponsored" that surprised me with a 16:12 at a local race this year, but he also ran 4:30's in HS. I'm guessing most real pros that never ran would run 17's with terrible mechanics off cycling fitness, maybe 16's if they ran to supplement their cycling, with the potential to go 15:00.

Sample Size = 1 but...

I was a hack club cyclist before running. Maybe averaged 150 mpw for the year. When I decided to try running (in an attempt to try a duathlon), I ran 19:52 with less than 10 runs under my belt. I was 200 pounds too. Hills that you see on a typical road running course are an utter joke for a cyclist who rides a lot. The quads and calves are so much stronger than a runner has that you just float up those "nubbins" of hills.

The impact is what'll do them in though. I got ITBS twice in a year, as well as suffering from extremely sore shins for a long time. Even now I haven't run a whole lot faster than that, and I think it's because my cycling days are now 5 years gone and all that strength and aerobic work is gone.

zodd wrote:

I don't know what qualifies as pro in cycling, but I know of a local guy that is "sponsored" that surprised me with a 16:12 at a local race this year, but he also ran 4:30's in HS. I'm guessing most real pros that never ran would run 17's with terrible mechanics off cycling fitness, maybe 16's if they ran to supplement their cycling, with the potential to go 15:00.

There are top cyclists who run a few times a week during certain times such as off-season. Running slowly is a good way to loosen up and get some exercise

Some of these guys may have run a lot as kids before taking up cycling, or even competed as runners when young. They are likely to have good mechanics, and could probably run something like 15:00 for 5K in the off-season. Similar to how a gifted soccer player with elite running potential could do the same.

Nobody is getting much under 15:00 for 5K without fast running in their training, and cyclists aren't going to do any fast runs.

A couple 6-7 min/mile jogs a week for 2 months a year will take someone with the muscular and aerobic strength of a pro cyclist to a pace of between 5:00 and 5:30 for 5K assuming they are a respectable weight. To average 4:50 or 4:40 for 5K they are going to need specific training.

Similarly, nobody is running a 2:20 marathon without getting the miles in as their muscles and tendons will be shredded halfway through.

There are certainly pro cyclists who couldn't even run sub-17 or 18 for 5K and those will be the heavier sprinter types who didn't run or play soccer or rugby as children.

I was a pro for seven years, started two TDFS and finished one. I ran a 15:36 5K without training. I don't think there would be anyone who couldn't hold 6min miles for a 5K. I would guess a lot of guys other than sprinters would be in the 15s or 16s. There are some freaks though. I would not be shocked if Nairo Quintana could do 14:30.

Cycling Fan wrote:

Cycling Fan wrote:

Steve Tilford didn't ride in the TdF, but did a lot of other pro races and is a world champion in cyclocross, I believe..

He said he ran something like a 1:12 half marathon on a lark. Said he walked the last mile or two because his legs were so tight.

Ooops, he said 1:15. My mistake.

"I have never ran that far. I did a 1/2 marathon a long time ago. Cold turkey. I hadn’t ran a step in a year or two. I did 1:15 and walked the last couple miles. It wasn’t like I was cramped up, it was like my legs were so tight they couldn’t extend more than 8 inches. But, I never could run as fast as Gwen does continually."

http://stevetilford.com/2016/11/06/nyc-marathon-today-gwen-jorgensen-is-running/comment-page-1/

He had to be exaggerating greatly. I can believe he ran 1:15 but he didn't walk the last few miles to do it. He would have to be on a ridiculously fast pace to walk any meaningful distance and clock 1:15.

My honest guess is around 16:00 ish

Former tdf wrote:

I was a pro for seven years, started two TDFS and finished one. I ran a 15:36 5K without training. I don't think there would be anyone who couldn't hold 6min miles for a 5K. I would guess a lot of guys other than sprinters would be in the 15s or 16s. There are some freaks though. I would not be shocked if Nairo Quintana could do 14:30.

Yeah, right.

Team?

rabbbbbbb wrote:

what's the difference?

Fabian does less peds.

I think y'all are way off. I was a mid 14 guy in college, and after 2 years of bike racing and going on the occasional easy run, I'd be surprised if I could break 16. Guys who ran with me before I started cycling say that my running form has completely changed for the worse. Sometimes I try to "push it" at the end of the run, and 6 flat pace feels like 4:30.

he gets it wrote:

alan the moran wrote:

Every cyclist was a runner once. Every runner can't necessarily ride a bike.

Maybe every TDF-level PRO cyclist was a runner once (but probably not). Certainly every runner can ride a bike.

False. Every kid runs before they get on a bike. Some runners have never ridden a bike and never will.

Not a chance. I say 18:40s without training as the question asked.

does not translate wrote:

Not a chance. I say 18:40s without training as the question asked.

Where's Kombucha I'm sure he'd have some anecdotes

With zero training I ran like 16:58 after 3 years of no running and one month into the offseason, I'd say I would have done 20 seconds faster if I did the 5k a week into the offseason. But I'm not a good person to go off of because I have a running background. I'd guess most of my teammates would run anywhere from 18 mins to 20 mins.

A very select few would dip into the 17s. Obviously all of this would change drastically if we were given months/years to train. I'd say some top level guys in peak fitness could run in the 16s after a few weeks of running. But cold turkey I'd bet there isn't one guy who could go sub 16:20. It's just totally a different. Your mechanics are awful. When I raced the 5k, I felt terrible. But my ability to focus and tap into the suffering potential let me run on pure aerobic ability.

Takeaway:

They might be able to "muscle out" a reasonable time, but the muscle groups trained are different enough that I would guess it quite difficult to pump out a reasonable time.

Longer story:

Runner here who trained 10 months for a bike event (logging 50 miles every other day for the last few months). Stopped running during the last four months to avoid injuries.

After the event I went back to running (to start up for the fall season).

I couldn't believe how weak my hip adductors (groin) had become.

It took me several weeks to regain what felt like "balance" in my stride and lack of soreness in my legs - mostly in the adductors (though little things elsewhere as well).

For those of you who care: 29:50 10k in prime, though a "hobby jogger" 35:30 10k these days as a 50 y/o.

adductors wrote:

Takeaway:

They might be able to "muscle out" a reasonable time, but the muscle groups trained are different enough that I would guess it quite difficult to pump out a reasonable time.

Longer story:

Runner here who trained 10 months for a bike event (logging 50 miles every other day for the last few months). Stopped running during the last four months to avoid injuries.

After the event I went back to running (to start up for the fall season).

I couldn't believe how weak my hip adductors (groin) had become.

It took me several weeks to regain what felt like "balance" in my stride and lack of soreness in my legs - mostly in the adductors (though little things elsewhere as well).

For those of you who care: 29:50 10k in prime, though a "hobby jogger" 35:30 10k these days as a 50 y/o.

So you run 35'30 as a over 50, which puts you in top 50 age group in your country, and call yourself "hobby jogger".... Pinocchio....

rabbbbbbb wrote:

if some tour de france cyclist with good climbing ability decides to run a 5k although he hasn't been out running for years, how fast can he do it? what about 10k and half marathon?

If memory serves right Harmstrong ran a half around 1'14-15 in his prime, which is not even under 16' 5k, but he hadnt the body of work of a "skinny" climber ... I'd say a very fit climber can get 15'30 ish 5k.... possibly even under 15'.

for reference the best ITU/ Half Ironman guys they do manage to do long time trials over 40km/h and these guys are low 14'... albeit they would probably struggle as pure climbers...

Runningart2004 wrote:

What could a pro distance runner do in the TdF?

Alan

Provided they were given experience and training on their bike handling skills, someone like Bekele or Geb would win the Tour de France convincingly by an hour or so. If East Africans were seriously into cycling the sport would change completely. As it is right now, cycling is a very soft sport in terms of global competition, It is just too expensive and too impractical to practice for most of the world's population. Running, in contrast, is the most competitive sport globally and is several orders of magnitude more competitive in terms of numbers of serious comeptitors.

Cycling Fan wrote:

Cycling Fan wrote:

Steve Tilford didn't ride in the TdF, but did a lot of other pro races and is a world champion in cyclocross, I believe..

He said he ran something like a 1:12 half marathon on a lark. Said he walked the last mile or two because his legs were so tight.

Ooops, he said 1:15. My mistake.

"I have never ran that far. I did a 1/2 marathon a long time ago. Cold turkey. I hadn’t ran a step in a year or two. I did 1:15 and walked the last couple miles. It wasn’t like I was cramped up, it was like my legs were so tight they couldn’t extend more than 8 inches. But, I never could run as fast as Gwen does continually."

http://stevetilford.com/2016/11/06/nyc-marathon-today-gwen-jorgensen-is-running/comment-page-1/

But, he can't tell you the race so anyone can verify, right?

rabbbbbbb wrote:

if some tour de france cyclist with good climbing ability decides to run a 5k although he hasn't been out running for years, how fast can he do it? what about 10k and half marathon?

A slightly more answerable question is what would the range be if you exclude the top and bottom 25% of running ability, i.e. if we focus on the middle 50% from 25th to 75th percentile.

I'd guess top 25% to be running 18:15 off the bat and bottom 25% 20 min or perhaps 20:30.

But this is based on absolutely no evidence. I don't think that many would crack 17:45 or run above 21 is what I am saying.