Thanks! I’m coming from 3 years of recreational but very consistent running 5-7 days a week, following Garmin Daily Suggestions, with most of the daily runs being in the 35-50 minutes range with the occasional 90 minutes long run. I didn’t progress as much I wanted, but I think this is due to the daily suggestions not pushing me enough (I used heart rate as target, pace target would have been maybe more challenging, reading comments in Garmin forums, but Barcelona is not flat enough for that to be an option.)
I’m just trying to switch my mindset to cycling. I can definitely feel that, for example, burning 500 calories in cycling is much less devastating than in running (with all the precautions of Garmin calories estimate accuracy).
I agree that it’s largely to do with the impact of running. It’s also easier to utilise a greater proportion of your VO2max running.
I think in theory rowers, or cross country skiiers could do a lot less volume than a cyclist for the same aerobic adaptation. I don’t think they do though, presumably because a decent proportion of their training is cycling anyway.
Swimmers could really throw a wrench in some of these ideas.
Sprinters tend to work out 20+ hours a week for events that are 20 seconds to about two minutes long.
Distance swimmers tend to work out 25-30 hours a week for events that are 2 to about 16 minutes long. Marathon swimmers would be similar for mult hour events.
The OP’s idea of 1 hour sessions with more activities/hobbies in life sounds just fine. Some longer sessions, especially outdoor rides for fun mixed in also.
For purposes of health and ageing you don’t need to train on your bike at all. Just go for a ride in the time available to you, and keep it mostly aerobic
As to cycle vs. running training hours when you are talking sport. Running will be constrained by what the body can absorb. Cycling you could go 16 hours a day for a year and not break as per hours put in during some of the year record attempts. For cycling there will be diminishing returns in terms of performance improvements with the number of hours put in. Once you are putting in 30 hours a week, how much more would you get from 40 hours per week and at what cost? But going from averaging 3 hours per week to 6 hours per week with roughly same intensity distributions, you’d see some decent gains.
EXCEPT the road surface can play hell on wrists, elbows and shoulders. I hit a rather large pothole on a rail trail in a town I was visiting, I couldn’t see it before I hit it, and luckily did not flat, but I now have a scapholunate tear and an elbow that would rather be anywhere else than on the bike (even the trainer, surprisingly). Get a bike fit?
Had I seen that before I hit it, I could have hopped it or possibly steered away from it. Bikers trade the joint wear and potential for injury from the mechanics of running and the pounding to more acute shock and trauma. I was surprised to hit such a huge crack, that I didn’t flat, and that I really messed up my wrist and elbows. Yikes… I hope such injuries are rare. Sore hands, elbows and shoulders are a common complaint though…
I guess my comment is more about being very careful and rather pro-front suspension? People seem to think that rail trails are these wonderful places to ride without seams, cracks, and car harassment and detritus and yet it’s not all smooth riding. Be careful?
AND tendonitis is common, and ‘numb junk’, etc… But would I trade it for anything else? No. Be careful…
Like others have said, it all depends on your goals. Mine changed a lot over time. Now I’m trying to get as fit as possible before I age out and die. Here is - roughly - my progression . . .
Year 1 = 238 miles (total!)
Year 2 = 800+ miles
Year 3 = 1500 (Oh, segments are fun!)
Year 4 = 3k
Year 5 = 3.5+k
Year 6 = 6k
Year 7 = 6k-ish
Might shoot for 7k this year BUT its not always about the miles. Plus, I’m trying to avoid the “divorce line” and 6-7k might be about it for me. Like many TR folks here, I usually shoot for quality work…but many of the dorks in my local club are doing 10+k per year (one guy does 22k every single year!).
Good luck as you explore cycling! It is so much fun that I feel like we’ve discovered a life-cheat/hack.
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