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How To Run and Walk the Next Day
For those of use with bad knees, ankles or anything else attached to our legs, cycling provides an incredible way to exercise that is low impact so we can actually walk (most times!) the next day after a long ride. Running for exercise…for many of us…equals great aerobic exercise, but comes at the expense of some extreme pain the following days. The fact is…running can improve your endurance and strengthen up muscle groups that we don’t typically use in cycling. Running is actually one of the better cross training techniques that can make us better mountain bikers and overall cyclists. How can we put running into our regiment but still be able to endure the days following?
To get an answer to this question, I hit up a friend of mine that owns the runtowin.com.
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My main reason for cycling as a way to stay in shape (outside of doing it because I love it) is because my knees have an incredibly hard time with running. Ideally, I would like to strengthen up for cycling by getting in some run time as well, but if I can’t walk the next day because of knee issues and shin splints…it doesn’t do much good. Any ideas on how to curb that?
Blaine Moore from Run To Win
There’s 2 suggestions I can make.
1. Go to a specialty running shop that can actually fit you into the right shoes.
2. Don’t be afraid to go slow and try throwing some short 10-30 second walk breaks in every few minutes at first and see how that feels.Having somebody fit you into the right shoes is probably the most important thing. I need to have fairly neutral and minimalistic shoes or my knees will ache; too much cushioning and I have trouble walking for a few days. Some of the folks I coach are just the opposite. Hope that’s helpful.
What Blaine explains about shoes makes perfect sense. After I read his response, I realized that if I took as much time picking out running shoes as I did frames and components, I would get rid of most of my running pain. In the past, when I go to pick up a pair of running shoes, I pick out a pair from a brand I like or a style that fits my needs…forgetting that fit is the most important factor in a pair of shoes that are going to be used for a specific activity. I take a lot of time picking out my mountain biking shoes…so it is time to take that same care and research into a correct pair of running shoes.
After that…I need to start with small runs and work my way up. I was talking to a friend about this yesterday and we came to a very real conclusion. As serious cyclists, we have built up an endurance that can handle several miles worth of running out of the gate. What we haven’t built up yet…is the strength in the correct muscle groups and bones to handle that kind of distance. We need to start at ground zero and work our way up…being patient as our running stamina catches up with our endurance.
My goal is to live a happier and healthier life by doing what I love. The more diversification I bring to my physical health, the healthier I will be in the long run and the result will be better riding on the road and trail.
Do you run and how did you get past the beginning stages?
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1:21 pm
Yes, I found shoes make soooo much different.
I just started training for Dualthon at Blankets and I think that I like running and I will try to stick with it as my cross train.
I just registered for Chattahoochee Road Runners 10K this weekend, please join me if you can.
Post your update on this training and more tips would be nice.
3:00 pm
Run on trails instead of paved surfaces. It’s much kinder to your joints and much more fun. Trail running is great when you need a workout, but don’t have time for a quality bike ride.
3:07 pm
@mandy
Great advise. Getting out for a run is also a great solution when the weather is bad and a road or mountain ride just isn’t in the cards for that day. It also takes far less time to run a couple of miles than get in a solid ride. Thanks for the input!
@omega
I wish! My running stamina isn’t quite there yet. I have to get my legs ready for the impact (which is what started the idea for this article).
3:05 pm
I know a few folks who swear by getting fitted through a running store. It makes perfect sense. I realize there are a lot fewer choices in cycling shoes than running shoes, but it would be nice to see as much thought and tech involved in fitting cycling shoes. Having recently shopped for some I found a wide array of advice and techniques to fit me from LBS to LBS. I’m happy with the shoes I ended up with, but I know it could be better.
3:11 pm
@Thelonius
Have you tried the Specialized Body Geometry System? They have you stand on a pad similar to the ones that you find in high quality running shops and you swap inserts in your shoes to fit your needs. I did that with mine…and it helped out tremendously.
3:41 pm
No I haven’t. I knew they did it for seats, but not or shoes. Oddly the local Spec dealer didn’t mention it when I was looking there. I will check it out though. Thanks!
9:50 am
If you’ve already got a good level of fitness from riding, make sure not to push your body too hard running. It’s apparently very easy to end up with an injury if you ramp up too quickly. Also probably best to start running in a flatter, level, area. Should lower the stress to your knees, shins, hips, etc.
+1 to being fitted to shoes.
9:59 am
Oh and +1 to running helping riding fitness. At least for me. Probably just by virtue of being able to get a quick run in on days where I normally wouldn’t have time to exercise.
12:57 pm
I dont know how you all have time to do all these sports, mountain biking, road biking, running, gym. I have to work for a living, about 60 plus hours a week. I am doing good to get in my mountain bike rides on Sunday, my only day off, and maybe 2 or 3 evening rides during the week.
4:16 pm
I’m a long time runner/cyclist. If there is a common running related injury out there, I’ve probably had one form or it or another. I thought that I was always destined to have running related aches and pains for as long as I ran. I thought about giving it up on more than one occasion.
Then I stumbled upon the book Chi Running. This book helped me understand that I didn’t have weak ankles or bad knees or mis-aligned hips. What I did have was bad running form. All the correct equipment (fancy running shoes) weren’t helping me. It was my form that was causing the pain.
I read this book. I applied the principles and I’ve been running pain and injury free for over 2 years now. I now average about 25 miles per week with my running.
So my advice if you have pain after running. Yes, make sure you have the correct shoes, but even more importantly, make sure you have the correct form. Get the book Chi Running. I checked it out of the public library for free.
Here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Try to run quietly. If you hear a loud pounding noise as you run then you are pounding your body.
2. Don’t bounce up and down. Your head should actually stay pretty level. If you’re going up, you’re putting your energy in the wrong direction.
3. Everything below your knee should be relaxed. Don’t push off. This creates the up and down motion.
4. Lean forward from the ankles. Running is really just controlled falling. Lean forward from the ankles and catch that fall. The lean creates the forward momentum not pushing off.
5. Visualize a bungee cord tied to your chest pulling your forward. This will put into the correct posture.
6. Start out slow with low miles.
Hope this helps. Have fun running.
7:49 pm
I tend to trail run in the early Spring and late Fall when the trails aren’t quite dry enough to bike or when I’m burned out from riding. It’s a great way to mix things up and cross-train.
I’ve got super flat feet and must have ample arch support or else my knees, back and hips are in a world of hurt. I always put orthotic insoles from either SOLE (www.yoursole.com) or Superfeet (www.superfeet.com) in every shoe I own.
I’ve found that prescription orthotics are overkill and way overpriced, so these $40-$80 insoles are well worth it and really reduce the joint and muscle pain I feel if I ever run without them.