Due to having time only once a week for a 2 hr + ride, I run 7 km twice a week. Running gas improved my VO2 max, but did not improve dramatically my cycling performance. It seems as if running and cycling are two completely different worlds.
Alfred, your running form is hilarious. I'm a long time GCN viewer. I'm more of a runner then triathlete then cyclist then mtn biker. My first duathlon in 2010 was a huge wake up call about the necessity to pace yourself properly.
One point to the test - I'd go both ways. Bike -> run and then run -> bike. Would be interesting to see the effect of being trained to one kind of fatigue and how it affects the performance in another sport.
For the most part, cycling is not a weight bearing exercise. The runner carries the entire weight of his body every time he runs. Therefore, a runner will always be more fit. That said, cycling is a better long-term sport for that exact reason. Great cardio, and much better for your joints. I went back to power walking, and light weight training to compliment my cycling, so that I reduce the risk of osteoporosis, etc… with some weight bearing exercise. It has been a nice compromise.
I am a cyclist for many years but recently started running in the winter to avoid cleaning my bike/damage to my components/safety issues. I believe that running is way harder than cycling. You spend a lot of time in your head and learning to pace yourself. Doing both now and enjoying both.
Same here. I enjoy both for different reasons. Cycling is my favourite but running is more productive when you have less time. I’ve been angry cycling into a headwind for miles and never been angry running no matter the weather 😂
I recently got back into running to help with weight loss. I cycle as well (since 2017). I find running helps me maintain leg strength for cycling and I've always enjoyed doing it. Sometimes its hard for me to do both consistently, especially in the spring/summer time when I do a lot of group rides.
Was a runner for 36 years, having run over 90,000 miles over that time. Then my left knee forced me to stop running and take up cycling. Those many years and miles allowed me to almost immediately begin riding with groups I shouldn’t have been able to stay up with, especially at age 61. Running produced amazing leg strength and heart/lung conditioning. Cycling is so much easier on the body.
I'm not sure if you already know this but. Heel strike could be the main cause of knee pain rather than old age. I used to have bad knee pain until I realised it was cause I landed on my heels, switched to landing on my forefoot and all the pain was gone. Gym work could also remedy knee pain.
Faster or slower it’s all good fun as a rider an runner, bikes let me enjoy my early morning runs with biking just hope in the future cars an cyclists can co existing without malice for either,
@@2ball434it could be the case but you should not recommend people to change their stride if you haven’t seen them run. Many professional marathoners are heel strikers, and heel striking being bad by itself is simply not true.
Running is definitely harder (aerobically speaking), but a fit cyclist can be a fast runner, whereas a fit runner generally lacks the power to become a good cyclist.
Fully agree, I'd love a sequel after they both had a bit of training by an expert. Also, I think the bike part should be around 4 or 4.5 times longer than the run, not just twice.
I do a bit of both of late (been running 10Ks for about 10 years, relatively new back at cycling) and in my limited experience I find it easier to transition from running to cycling than the other way round. Whilst a cyclist is generally strong in the legs and fit aerobically, nothing but training prepares your feet and legs for the impact of running
Cyclists are notorious bad runners, and if they are doing competition they should avoid it to save their knee joints and ankles. Both of these sports can be really harsh (eg Tour de France, eg Marathons,...) Marc from Belgium.
As a runner for many decades before I took up cycling, I can say that you have to cycle 2 to 3 to 4 times as long as a run to get the equivalent of a run. Running is a more concentrated form of aerobic exercise.
I have to sort of disagree with you. I think cyclists in general take it a lot easier than runners because running doesn't really allow you to cruise. However, if you are able to push yourself and ride very hard, you can get an equivalently hard workout in the same time.. it's just your average cyclist doesn't.
Exactly what Daniel wrote. Many cyclists just like to take it easy, which can be done on a bike on flat or not too steep roads. If you push yourself on the bike it can be equally hard work, especially if you ride technical XC stuff up and down you can get pretty exhausted in a hour. A good example is the XCC (Cross country short track) which is around 20mins long and elite MTBers are falling off their bikes at the finish line. Running is definitely harder on the body though, no doubt about that!
Great video. I remember when I first tried running I said to myself - I can easily cycle for many hours so how hard can a 30min run be? The answer was a red faced wheezing mess who had to stop after 15mins to avoid being sick!
So I am a elite runner who has been transitioning to cycling. One of the biggest difference between cycling and running is how with cycling while you are going the entire time, you are able to find small breaks ( going around turns, down hills). These breaks you are able to reduce the load on your legs and still be able to gain speed. In running, you are always having to put down force and you don’t really ever get the same type of breaks like you are able to do with cycling, because even when you get turns and down hills if your legs aren’t used to it then the impact and extra force is going to wear you out just as much as running flat. The aerobic fitness is going to be slightly better with cyclist (Jonas Tdf winner has vo2 of 97, kipchoge has vo2 of 90) but with running you have the impact which makes it a lot more taxing on your body
As just a hobby trail runner who also just picked up a hand-me-down bike over the last few months it's this. It's basically that you can get "free distance" while cruising on a bike not doing anything whereas with running you are always required to put down some level of impact in order to progress at all. I thoroughly enjoy both as it's just different ways to connect with the ground and each can get you to see things or get to places that the other might not.
It depends on what kind of cycling you do. Climbing is much harder on a bike because of gravity and the rolling property of tires of course, also keeping 25 mph on flat terrain is not easy. Cycling is one of those sports that can be very approachable or very hard depending on how hard you push it
A track cycling bike does not allow you to halt your legs, though, especially when you're on a time race. I suppose this is the cycling equivalent to running.
I do both regularly and quite aggressively for my age. One advantage the runner will have is that they're typically lighter and can therefore immediately benefit from this when crossing over to cycling. However, the slightly heavier weight of the cyclist is detrimental when switching to running. Cycling needs bigger, stronger leg muscles, and the running needs low weight and strong cardio. Also, cranking out any sort of improvements in cycling becomes exponentially harder due to the extreme wind resistance, so you tend not to appreciate the difference as much.
The pain Alex is in on the run is hilarious and a well known feeling to me! Always amazes me how a runner can do what they just did and was not even out of breath!
Tough one. Alex was definitely a better cyclist than Alex. But then, Alex was a better runner than Alex. Clear to me that overall, all things considered, Alex was the top performer here. Signed, Alex.
Well, Alex with the longer strides, clearly the better technique. And of course Alex also had the better position on the bike... So, yeah, Alex takes the cake.
Yeah watched Si’s video on the canyons and he used a stick again for propping up really expensive bikes I have noticed Si always stays low and near to the bikes but now I realise it’s coz the bike is propped up with a stick he wants to able to catch it maybe
100% cyclist here but had a hiatus into running a few years back, found running was great for getting a lot done in a shorter period but it took a lot to get my body adapted to running and getting shoes that worked was a headache. I ended up trail running way more than road and I found that it caused less repetitive strain on calfs etc plus I felt the time went a lot quicker for a given distance as I was always trying to negotiate obstacles. It was this fact I went back to cycling full time as my local trails back then were in Epping forest and during the winter they become a absolute bog and I hated running on the road. I do miss the simplicity and the cost factor of not having to buy expensive cycle equipment, If I lived in a better climate I could easily see me doing way more running.
Trail running is far easier on the joints and is also more demanding due to changes in terrain. It also offers a much nicer environment that allows for a stronger sustained pace.
Cost is the big barrier to competitive cycling for me. Obviously, you can ride a cheap bike for fun and that's great, but it takes serious money to buy a decent bike racing setup. I just can't justify spending that on a hobby.
Run is much harder if you are not used to it - I used to be a runner - but cycle now due to heavy body - its no real problem - but running as heavy is pure torture.... But if you dont get injuries (run in terrain or variable dirt roads) running is the best way of getting/keeping in shape... you have to lose weight - and you can do it everywhere - its more time effective and much cheaper.
@@gcn A 200K on bike is easier than a marathon by foot. You GCN guys and gals are fit, so you might very well be able to do the marathon faster, but you will more tired than Alex after a 200 K on a bike.
@@DanielHernandezRiveraTop runners cover a marathon distance in 2 hours plus change, where as in a similar time pro cyclists cover between 80 and 100km. As a cyclist this distance is a Sunday morning spin, do runners do a marathon every weekend?
8:09 There’s also similar technique like drafting in running. In a group run, there’s pacer group. Running in group makes maintaining pace a lot easier. Also, in running race like full marathon, there are runners whose job is to pace the main star runner. One pacer leads the group and maintains certain pace, then peels away from the group after he/she is exhausted and then replaced by another pacer who takes turn leading the main runner. Much like domestique in cycling.
As a former marathoner starting to bike, biking is a lot easier. Switching back to my favorite sport Tennis meant now I could not afford to put more stress on the knees by running. Biking is a splendid way to maintain fitness without the down side of impact
Eh, but all the highest vo2maxes are held by cyclists, not runners. cycling is "easier" on you in the sense that it's not high impact like running but all that translates to is crazier ultra and top end events in cycling than running promoters could ever dream of getting underwritten because they don't have to worry about breaking the athletes when keeping them in the 'pain cave' longer.
Of course cycling is easier if you go 30km/h or only doing downhills. its like jogging 10min/km for 6 miles and saying running is easy. Both are equaly hard if you do them both correctly.
I started off as primarily a cyclist and then got really into running. Eventually got into ultra marathons, then triathlon, eventually Ironman. Without a doubt, when runners pick up cycling their fitness transfers over so much easier. They don't seem to miss a beat and in fact, a lot of runners start off as stronger climbers than even casual cyclist who have been training for years. Whenever I see cyclists switching over to running, they struggle. That was also my experience picking up running. Running is just so much more aerobically intensive and it takes time for your bones to harden and the capillary network in your feet to grow.
Legit that’s how I felt! My scale that can pick out bone weight and fat% picked up 400gr of bone weight that I gain every month tu first 3 month of running! After that that 1kg200g stayed and I never felt better! Running was not a pain anymore!
Great video! As both a runner and cyclist, in the cycling, I think you'd see huge differences in favour of the cyclists open up on hill climbs but not on a flat circuit as aero is so punishing at higher speeds so even if you can output ~35% more watts, this is only going to translate to ~10% more speed. Running on the other hand, doesn't have this issue so you can see the equivalent 'power' differences (for running) show as a true ~35% difference.
So as a triathlete, and mainly a runner I have a certain opinion on this. I would say that cyclists and runners have a much different definition of fitness. When I bike in training, it’s never a cardiovascular struggle, except maybe up some hills, however my legs don’t have a lot of strength. Running is much more about cardio and while leg strength is important, it’s not the main factor. Simply put, bikers have much more leg strength while runners blow cyclists out the water with cardiovascular strength and endurance
Great episode that answers a question I've often asked myself. I'd like to see comparisons in the future against other types of high-level amateur athletes!
Solid video and idea. Main reason I took up cycling a couple of years ago was repeat injuries kept limiting how long/far I could run. Just couldn't get the efforts in without risk of it happening. It's been a joy to not have to worry about it.
Only downside with my bike is deluding myself over workload (power meter and WahooX/SYSTM help with that).... When you run there's no freewheeling, no easy bits as you're carrying the full load. I used to run back in the 90's, but just got really bored with it, the bike can take you out further and for longer and is more interactive than plod, plod ,plod....but each to their own eh?
FWIW too, I don't think everyone is cut out for distance running, another ectomorph discipline. I got my old Nike "Skylons" analysed (ie by eye) in '92 and was informed there was negligible wear to the heel and all wear was on the forefoot- I was told I was running(jogging more like, best 10k race was 48mins) like a sprinter, and nobody did shoes to cater for that, all for "heel striking" (funny how they realised that heel striking was unnatural and tried to re-train runners as forefoot strikers with the advent of "Newton" shoes).... Anyway...fast forward to my 4DP test on SYSTM and lo and behold I'm a "sprinter" yet again.... it's why I'm crap going up hills (Short, stocky....)
Would be interesting to see how much each improves with some training. A couple of sessions with a trainer would see both improving quite a bit but would also highlight the different muscles used.
Super interesting video! I started out with cycling, then went into running and was initially absolute crap at it! The better I got at running the better I became at cycling, especially my climbing ability increased. Cycling then helps with running recovery. But I didn't find that cycling made me a stronger runner... sadly. (these observations were made on a very novice level for both sports though but seem to align with the findings in the video)
@@IceHockey08xI'd disagree, I started running after cycling for years and had no issues with maintaining a stable (slow) pace for up to an hour or more within a couple months. The stamina, heart, and lungs all benefitted me
@@nk-dw2hm Well okay, probably the pace thing factors in. If I would have started at a very low pace, just running very slow for a longer time, I would see the effect of the cycling. For me though, training for a 5k run, which was 2 month after starting with running, it didn't really help that much. I would start to run and was dead after 500m. 😄
I *really* enjoyed this because it resonated - Couple of years back a friend who runs said he wanted to do a 100-mile ride and long story short: I did with him as an outrider at his PACE to help him ‘round. But he asked me to do a 5km run with him at the start of him doing a half-marathon training run - it nearly killed me! Couldn’t walk properly for two days and I thought I’m bound to be able to crank out a 5km given the leg strength you develop doing hundred mile rides. My view: runners are the better athletes mainly because they have no option to rest and conserve - cyclist can free-wheel on hills if they need to for respite. Running is just relentless.
My experience as a former runner who now cycles (age, bad knees) is that running got me fit, but to race well in both sports, the cyclist has to push him/herself into a discomfort zone that it isn't necessary to enter as a runner. When racing as a runner, I would push myself to a point just below the red zone. I didn't have to worry about drafting or running with a group (though is some windy races, that would be a good idea). But in cycling, you HAVE to keep up with a group, and you have to push yourself into the red zone sometimes to race successfully. So to me, that requires a higher level of perhaps anerobic fitness not required for marathoning, for example. Also as a cyclist, no matter what, I end up with a max cadence of high 70's rpm. To me, cranking faster just drains me -- puts me in the red zone. I'm a slow twitch guy, and I think alot of cyclists who are fast are fast-twitch. My impressions, not based on science :) Thanks for the vid. Very interesting.
Another brilliant video, great to see how someone from one discipline, can have a try at the other. Both of you did really well at each others event. I was a mid to decent level runner, (33min 10k, 75 min half, at my best), before I took a bad knee injury, which knocked me out of the sport for 5 years and a further achilies injury on top of that when I did come back, which was another 18 months out, to which I never fully regained my previous form. I transitioned to cycling,, after the achilies injury, on the advice of my physio, who said that it would help with my recovery, strengthen the leg, without the impact and stresses of running on the road, which it did and is what got me hooked on cycling. Now, I do mostly all cycling, with only a small bit of running, thrown in from time to time, but I enjoy both, albeit at a more relaxed pace now.
Such a great video! I was cracking up while watching Alex suffered. Please do a rematch with bike / run mimicking the ratio of a triathlon race for a better comparison?
Such a nice guest, and the painful shuffle of a run Alex did was hilarious and also very relatable when you're tired and trying to keep up with someone faster than you. No drafting in running - just a mental tether to the person in front of you....if you can hold it. ;)
As a relative beginner in both disciplines, I definitely find running harder now, even though it feels like it would be simpler. I run on average about 3 hours a week, and cycle for 4,5 hours, but that includes commutes so I "train" running more than I do cycling basically and I definitely have made more progress in running since starting than in cycling, but I'm also much further from the top in running than in cycling (EDIT: And by top, I mean the local top athletes around my area, not like Olympic athletes and such). I'm really far from running a 67 minute HM for example like this guy here. I just did a 1:48 PB actually, and that was 10 minutes faster than my previous PB. So a lot of progress, but still bad at it. So it doesn't surprise me one bit that a fit runner is a better cyclist than a fit cyclist is as a runner. That certainly matches my own experience with both sports.
1:48 is not a bad half, that’s pretty good. More improvements will come with time. I went from 1:59 to 1:24 in my first 6 years running. The most important thing was just consistency
I ran my first HM and second race ever a few weeks ago. Did a 1:43, been running for 5 months now tho I was in a better shape 2 months ago, skipped a few weeks of running and I just can't quite get it back.
I can personally confirm that you have two completely different sports here. And that the top athletes in the two can't be easily be compared, as your video illustrates well. I've had the privledge of competing on a major shoe company sponsored running team in the late 70's into the early "80's. I made 7 National XC teams for IAAF World Championships, and had a top 10 Boston Marathon finish. Then in early 90's took up cycling at the age of 35 (which is Masters for USCF) with my local club. After the requsite two broken collar bones from crit crash, I devoted my attention to time trials. With my Look Hinault road bike, a mylar J Disc rear wheel, and Scott clip on's I qualified for USCF Nationals in Borego Springs, CA. I'd go as far to argue that even within the sports of distance running and cycling you have areas of specialty that are sometimes difficult to compare. Time Trialists vs. KOM vs. Sprinters are all specialized. As are Cross Country vs. Road Racers vs. Track specialists. Big thanks to GCN for putting together such an entertaining piece! much appreciated.
Ever since I dipped into triathlon coming from cycling I think cycling is really a breeze compared to running (or swimming). Running is brutal for the body. But it gets you SO fit!
@@JBDazen Easier? No, that entirely depends on your effort level. Top level cyclists generally have the best FTP and VO2 max scores of any athletes with XC skiers and runners second and third. The only aspect in which cycling is easier is on your body, and also to an extent for a beginner, since most people could do a 15km ride without much effort on the flat, but most people couldn't do a 3k run with no prep.
@@hendrixinfinity3992 you basically just illustrated my entire point yet still you're trying to argue the opposite. Life is funny that way :-) Cycling is pushing your legs while mostly sitting on your ass. Running is endlessly pounding your entire body with up to 4 times its own weight. Running pushes you to higher heart rates because more systems in your body are engaged. Runners are warriors. Cyclists are elitist whiners. And I say this as a cyclist, in good fun 😉
@@JBDazen You're not really saying very much other than running is more damaging to the body. That's kind of an obvious point but isn't relevant to fitness level. If you're hitting higher heart rates on a 5k than a hill climb then you're not hitting the hill climb hard enough. I peak at 190 on a hard cat 4 climb, sustain around 160 for the longer ones. You should be engaging your core, lower back and legs and have a high cadence.
Great video! As a fellow runner, I am extremely impressed with the Cyclist's abiility to run. I would be interested to see an updated version of this challenge, but with hills! Or longer distances!
I'll offer one metric: when I became unable to run, I came over to your channel, focused and put all my running energy into cycling, and my seasonal cycing avg. speed went from 17.5 to 19.5 mph.
I do both but I find it takes about three hours to get the same level of workout as a 45-60min run. So I just run for convenience a lot, find it quite boring unless I'm running out on trails.
How so? You can simply do more on the bike. So you can burn more calories in the long run. But if you are short on time, sure a run is more convenient. And if you are a cyclist running will give you DOMS 😅
Sure if you live in a city. But on the countryside or a long climb with constant pressure on the pedals, not freewheeling 70% of the time noodling in a group cycling can be just as "effective" 😅
Great content! My partner is a cyclist and I'm a runner. When we ran together for the first time, I was quite surprised that he can pace with me considering that he doesn't run at all. Of course, I was trying to slow down so he can keep up, hahaha! But kidding aside, I was surprised. I haven't cycled with him but I'm very open to give it a go. Cycling and running are closely similar just different in some ways. Both are very interesting sports! But yeah, I'll always choose to run because as you said, the bike is 20 times the value of my running shoes. 😆
Here's what I think: For a younger individual, a tremendous level of fitness is possible with running. However, as we get much older, certain things about running, such as the impact and other aspects of the movements involved, are limited by changes in the body. However, with an older body, cycling allows a much higher level of fitness than can be attained with running. When I was younger, I could get a really great cardio-respiratory, muscular, etc. workout from running fast at distance. At an older age I can continue to get in really great cardio-respiratory, muscular, etc. workouts (really high-quality exercise) from cycling. I think one reason for this is because cycling is essentially a zero-impact form of exercise. Cycling allows much more! Also, when intuitively examining what an individual can accomplish in one day, for example, at any age, I would have to conclude that cycling would allow a higher level of fitness than running would. Another way to express this idea might be to say that a Tour de France racer would be in a higher level of human fitness than a marathoner, ultramarathoner, or world-class runner running any type of running event. Therefore, to test how well a runner cycles and compare this with how well a cyclist runs does not really do justice to thinking about the maximum levels of fitness reached by the two different types of activities. However, running is certainly more natural than cycling. Everything I wrote here is my own opinion, so if you don't agree, don't worry.
Mike Wood started as a middle distance runner before injury transitioned him to cycling. Tour de France stage win - successful transition! Can’t think of a comparable transition success from cycling to running.
I've been cycling for 3 years during the pandemic. From home to work and vice versa. Then i decided to do running which led me to join my very first Duathlon. Honestly, i got hooked in both sports and now registered on future running events. Virtual too. 🤘
I love both running and cycling, I ride my bike on running shoes, when running a lot I can allways go for a ride and enjoy, allthough my butt and shoulders might hurt after a while, when riding without running, running has to be trained for months before it gets fun again.
Loved the vid, both guys were nice. I am an injured runner that took up cycling seriously for the first time this year. I have been cycling on and off since always but for the first time this year I have been learning and learning and it's a process so different from running. You have to learn all kinds of mechanical procedures, bike components and stuff. With running you literally just need to lace your shoes. I am now slowly transitioning into bikepacking, and will leave tomorrow for a big trip of 500 km. A marathon still sounds scarier but it would be hard (and fun)!
I know a few people who aren't into cycling at all and when they hear that I ride 100 miles every once in awhile, or 30 miles a day they are astounded. They can't really wrap their heads around the fact that I can barely run 3 miles.
Solid subject, mates! Recently married both by training and joining duathlon events. Amazing how biking and running helps each other for their respective fields. Still in love with my weekly epics, and running with my wife and mum for events. Ride and run safe to everyone. Cheers!
I have to say, the point when Alex got passed…when his initial response was to scream out “Jesus Christ!!” 11:36 I lost it. Watching this was quite possibly the highlight of my week if not month. Great effort by both, I would say. May have to give running a go even though I’ve always been horrible at formal running. Thanks for the entertainment, effort, and insights!
I’m 59 and started running (probably jogging is a better description @ 10kph average) 6 months ago and definitely say that running has benefited cycling but is way harder on the legs and needs a careful build up and conditioning to avoid injuries.
I'm a programmer, engineer and data analist, let me do the math: *Cycling* 18:30 vs 20:24 (20*60+24) / (18*60+30) = 1224 / 1110 = 1.10 = Runner was 10% slower at cycling *Running* 21:29 vs 14:12 (21*60+29) / (14*60+12) = 1289 / 852 = 1.51 = Cyclist was 51% slower at cycling = 51% - 10% = Cyclist is 41% worse athlete than a runner. On the side note, even tho I say "a worse athlete", this means, I'm suited to be a water boy lmao I wanna get into cycling :) I love cycling (at least as a teen)
Great vid 👍 As a once young cyclist turned midlife-crisis ultra runner returning back to cycling I can appreciate this discussion from both angles. If I look at my ‘numbers ‘ on COROS lab I can get my base fitter by running more than I can by cycling. Rule of thumb for me on that my training load for a run = 2.25 x run (ie 2h15 on bike is equivalent to 1h00 run) That said, with a lower heart rate I can cycle longer, enjoy my surroundings, take on fuel (and less of it) and generally Not be £;)&ing hanging after 5-10hrs. I recover much quicker too. Looking forward to my first 24hrs in the saddle and will report back!
A friend of mine put it best (80 years old when he said it) he was also properly competitive in both running and cycling…he said When I cycle I feel 19 again when I run I feel 119 !! Nuff said
I do both running and cycling in pretty much equal measures, although I don’t thing they particularly complement each other. You can go for a nice easy bike ride, but I don’t think you can go for an easy run as even jogging along slowly is hard. Running is a lot harder on the body and the recovery time is longer.
i do both but more frequent to running and i like both. i seriously think that my daily running do help me a lot when it comes to cycling. Enjoyed for doing both activities. cheers!
That is very fast running of Alex - running a 4:45 minutes per km for not practicing is huge!
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Yup, it was surprising to me as well, I'm around 6min/k but then I guess he might be more comfortable with an idea of exercising all out (when chasing he looks very close to vo2max) and even tho he slows down he still pushes it until the finish.
I practically never run, I much prefer cycling. However, I once joined a few colleagues for a 5k park run which is not a competition but there is of course some competitiveness involved...did it in 21:35. Which was surprising given that I literally bought running shoes the day before the event, so I had done no previous training. I am relatively heavy, at 79 kg, but i guess the fitness I have from cycling helped me there. HOWEVER, after the run, I was so sore for almost a week that I could barely sit down and stand up! Running definitely utilizes different muscles and technique and I have deep respect for runners and the amount of effort running requires. No freewheeling downhill, no easier gears, no help - it's amazing.
People forget about tendons, no amount of strength/aerobic training from cycling can prepare your tendons/joints for the harsh requirements of running. Being both a cyclist and a runner myself, running requires far, I mean far, more discipline for recovery, sleep, nutrition. I'm not bashing on cycling (which I find also enjoyable). I just think cycling is much more forgiving on the body, so it allows you be a bit less disciplined.
I picked up running recently after cycling for nearly a decade. Running is so hard. When cycling I can rest by easing up on the effort, but the closest you can get to with running is walking/stopping.
No matter how aerobically-fit and lightweight a non-runner is, they will ABSOLUTELY gas and suffer tremendously on a distance run. Running is extremely specific and has an eccentric, impact component that no other endurance activity does. The only way to get comfortable at running is to run. It would be very interesting to see how a runner or cyclist would do in a mile swim or 1000-meter rowing race. My guess would be the cyclist would prevail in both since, like cycling, the body is being supported against gravity on a boat or in a pool.
I'm a runner first, and a cyclist for fun really. I find that running is much "better" for increasing my fitness and dropping weight, but it has one significant downside: the risk of injury, both of the immediate sort (pulled muscle) and longer term (inflammation). I started riding to be able to increase my fitness further without having to subject my body to even more running training, and I've come to believe that to reach the highest level of fitness, you'll need to do something besides running all the time. Biking is a great option - swimming as well. This is true when young, but it becomes more true the older one is, the heavier one is by body type, and the more injury piles up. It took a hip replacement at 27 to recognize this, after I had increased my training to nearly 200 km a week running, with one day of intervals in addition to the long runs of 50k plus.
This video was a lot of fun, just like the body builder vs the cyclist. Some caveats and ideas to improve the GCN "science": 1. The runner did not have to dig deep on the bike, but the cyclist had to on the run, as your typical run is much more taxing than a cycling workout per time spent. A true comparison would be to do a longer ride comparable to this run (e.g. 30-50km). 2. Aero has zero value in running, but is decisive in cycling. So the runner can run at max capacity, while a cyclist will have regressive power as soon as his speed picks up, so the watts pushed on the bikes translate to much less in terms of time difference on this short distance. A real test would be to have the biking on a long hill climb, where this is irrelevant.
Lots of reasons why cycllng is better for you physically. 1) Less wear on your joints 2) You can ride much longer and more frequently than running 3) During any cycling sessions you will do HIT whenever your do hills. With running that is difficult unless your training run focuses on HIT 4) Cycling requires much more mental focus to avoid cracks and potholes. Mental focus is great as you age. 5) When you ride out of the saddle you are using different muscles including working on your core. 6) Cycling strengthens your hands, fingers and forearms especially out of the saddle. 7) Ride with no hands and your balance will be improved. Especially good for older cyclists. 8) You can ride for hours and hours on successive days. I lowered my resting heart beat by 5 after years of running including marathons because I could simply exercise much longer cycling then running. 9) You can focus on your hamstring strength by pulling back thru the pedal stroke. No way you can do that running. I miss running and marathons but once I had my hip replace so had to switch to cycling. I am now in better shape.
4'48 is super solid. A lot of people who practice running regularly can't hit that time consistently. Cardio fitness is key here. And both cycling and running are great exercises to improve your cardio.
Former long distance runner, now commuting by 🚴🏼 and learning to race 🚴🏼: The GCN 🚴🏼 rider was not running, but jogging, with far too shorts steps, keeping his arms high = shorter steps, stift upper body and talking while running.
I was a runner for 19 years and quit out of sheer frustration. An endless cycle of train>make progress>get injured>repeat just got psychologically painful. I moved to cycling and have managed to train without injury. The only reservation I have is running was a lot more rewarding, but I’ll never ever go back
I used to enjoy running, but two years ago I ripped all the ligaments in my left knee in a farming accident. Now I can still go max effort for a few hours at low impact sports like rowing on the water or cycling, no problem. I can only run 3 steps before I am in pain and hobbling around for a week.
I'm 66yo, 5'10" tall, and weigh 235 lbs. I'm not in shape and haft to take a break every 10 minutes while cutting the lawn with a push mower. So I decided to get a bike. I bought a Schwinn GTX Elite 24 speed 18" frame that weighs about 24 lbs. I'm totally winded after about 2 miles. But after a month I'm doing around 3 miles. And now I can mow the lawn in one go! What can I expect in two more months of riding? In two more summers? This is a video you should make for us older folks.
My personal experience backs this up. I used to be a decent runner, and it did not require much effort to become an ok cyclist (especially for climbing). For personal reasons, I had to stop sports for a couple of years. I still managed to do a bit of cycling but no running at all. When I finally managed to get back to training, I only trained cycling. I managed to reach a level of fitness comparable to where I was. And then I tried running. It was horribly difficult. I was having exactly what Alex describes: short stride, heart beat super high, etc.... I was light years away from my fitness a few of years ago, even after several weeks of training. That was a sharp contrast to the running >> cycling transition.