I searched and searched and only found some tangential mentions… My training plan calls for 2hr weekly endurance workouts and since I’m training for a non-cycling event (hard enduro moto race) I’d rather mix it up and do a 2 hour outdoor run instead. What’s a good way to match my run to the prescribed bike workout? Say my next one is “Slanta Endurance 2.1”. I know approximately what heart rate a steady spin at the required power would result in, is it reasonable to just say “run for 2 hours at a speed that will produce HR = 110 at the start going to about 120 in the end”? Anything else I can do?
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Do you have a history of running and or run regularly? I wouldn’t recommend just going for a 2 hour run out of the blue as running comes with a much bigger injury risk and 2 hours is a pretty good chunk of time to be running if you aren’t used to it. Which could be even worse if you’re coming with a good level of cardio fitness as you will feel like you want to push more than you probably should. The ligaments and tendons need time to get used to running longer distances. Def something you want to build up slowly.
Also something to bear in mind but running and cycling HR zones aren’t the same. I find my running zones are around 5-10 beats higher than the corresponding cycling zones.
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I am light (160lbs/5’11") and kinda know what I’m doing from way back running wise, so yeah worst case I’ll bail but not likely. Just need to understand what to use to determine my pace so I am still following the training plan. I have a heart rate monitor. I don’t mind getting some silly watch thing but it irks me to do so since I think my phone plus HR strap can do at least as well.
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What @Eightball said….just jumping into a 2 hour run is a mistake. Even if you were previously a runner, you have not built up your joints, tendons, etc to take the pounding associated with a 2 hour run now.
Even if you were ready for a 2 hour run, it is not the same as a 2 hour ride. IMO, you would be better off finding a mixture of aerobic activities to do for 2 hours vs. substituting a run for a bike on a 1:1 basis.
Go for a hike / trail run, but only run for part of the time. Go to the gym and get on the elliptical and then a rower, etc.
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I always ran concurrent to cycling and feel there were certain types of runs that were more complementary to certain cycling goals, e.g. long slow runs were more transferrable to aerobic / endurance base and doing track work and intervals had some transference to cycling intensity. Not better than doing specificity in cycling training, but in those days I was training primarily for triathlon so had to run regardless.
I had to stop running for a period of time after a knee surgery for a torn ligament and fell out of the habit for a period of time. After running at least 3x a week for more than a decade, coming back to running after a year off was almost like starting over again. After getting through the initial shock of it I could push through and knock out an hour run if I really wanted to, but was incredibly sore afterwards in ways I never was before.
The problem with saying you’re going to do a 2 hour run if you haven’t kept up with running is that you aren’t going to realize the hole you’ve dug for yourself in terms of joint pain and soreness until a large part of the damage is done.
YMMV I suppose, but seems like a recipe for disaster if you’ve had any nontrivial lapse in your running history
Okay okay I got the message, will ease into it, thanks. But once I’m up to speed, how do I pace myself to match workout TSS?
I’d start by not matching the duration of the workouts.
Your goals are probably important here. Are you trying to run the farthest you can in 2 hours while using TR or just looking for some variety?
I just want to follow the training plan so I’m at best fitness come my moto race time. And I really dislike sitting on a trainer for 2 hours spinning steady. Outside ride is out of the question for now since it’s dark when I have time to do it and the weather is crap, but I have a long enough level and partially lit trail nearby.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Like suggested above, I’d progress from purposeful walking to walk/running before continual running. After that I’d say go on rpe 6 which for me equals 120-140bpm and correlates nicely with a z2 bike workout.
I don’t tend to set an exact time limit for these workouts, just go for as long as feels sensible i.e. my form doesn’t break down through tiredness.
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slightly off topic and just an idea, but it’s somthing i do…
if you’re only starting to get back to running swap the endurance ride to a 1 hour (at similar intensity to the 2 hour) and go straight from that into a short, easy 20-30 minute run. A bit like a ‘brick’ workout.
i find this does a couple of things for me, i’m nicely warmed up from the bike but more importantly it helps me to keep a lid on the effort levels and distance, also gets joints, tendons etc. used to running again. Do this for a couple of weeks and then start looking at doing longer runs.
i find this helps with the boredom of 2 hours ‘easy’ on the trainer and get’s me outside
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If you can and do run, know how to, and have built up sufficient impact resistance and lower leg strength that a 2 hour run is comfortable for you, then the pacing advice I would give would be to use RPE.
Heart rate is a poor mimetic because you use more muscles whilst running (keeping the torso erect and stable, using your arms etc) so for the same peripheral effort level (i.e. where you are going for the adaptations, in the mitochondria of your muscles) you will have a heart rate that is slightly higher.
For me, a Z2 bike caps at about 140ish bpm. A z2 run I would be content as long as my HR doesn’t broach 150.
Tl;dr use RPE. It should feel comfortable, and this will often require you to walk hills.
Oh, and obviously, if you aren’t a runner then do what everyone else says and don’t go full ham into it because you can almost certainly guarantee yourself an overuse injury.
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I wouldn’t match TSS. I don’t think the stress from cycling and running are really comparable. I tend to use a mixture of heart rate and RPE to pace myself.
I use the suggested method here to work out my Heart rate zones for running. It essentially involves running as hard as you can for 30 minutes and taking the average HR of the last 20 minutes as an approximation of your lactate threshold heart rate and then setting the zones based on that.
Again like the long 2 hour run this isn’t something I would suggest doing straight away until you are up to speed with running. It’s another way to get injured with running. Too much intensity too soon. Ive seen so many people start running and just get an injury because they pushed too hard too early and the body wasn’t ready for it. Dont be that guy. Build up nice and slowly with some run/walks. It’s going to seem slow and a bit boring honestly but your body will thank you for it down the line.
In terms of the intensity to start with I would go with a pace you could hold a conversation at. You really shouldn’t be out of breath.
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