Biking vs. running

[liquidfeet]

Anyone know of the comparative strength-training and cardio-training merits of Biking vs. Running?

I used to run about an hour every day, 5 days a week. Then I broke my little pinkie and I've begun mt. biking, same number of days. Since I don't have to breathe as hard biking, I've concluded that it isn't as much effort, thus doesn't pack as much punch as running. So, I've doubled the time I devote to it (2 hours) when I can, and I am working on going faster, and on staying in higher gears more often than when I began. But I worry that it just doesn't hit the same number of muscles as running.

However, I do different types of rides. I go on-road, up hills as much as possible (progressively more hills per ride now), and I go off-road on what I guess are technical rides, roots and rocks and such, uphill and down, single tracks. That requires more thinking than running, thus delivers more fun. I think I'm converting myself into a committed bike rider who will give up running even when my toesie heals.

So what's the score on the payload here? As far as training for skiing, which matters more than anything. Anyone know?

 

[Lynn]

Only what I've read from other sites, but biking seems to be the off-season workout of choice for skiers. Suggestions I've read included making sure to do out of the seat climbing. Personally, I've always found it best to start with easier gears and only spin the first few weeks of the biking season, otherwise I get patellar tenderness. Once I've got some miles, I start to push harder on hills (my weak point) and for sections of the flats.
Running is definitely harder on your joints than biking. I have read that running leads to many of the necessary skiing muscles becoming tight, making counter balancing and angulating much more difficult. I have really cut down on running from minimal, to even less. Don't want to completely let it go since it's so easy to do if you're traveling etc.
Spin classes are okay in winter, but only a fair substitute for biking outside, IMHO.

 

[liquidfeet]

I have never heard of tight muscles resulting from running. I wonder which muscles are involved, and how the tightness arises? Does anyone know about this?

 

[Lynn]

Hip Flexors all tighten up. Running uses only a limited range of motion ,repetitively, resulting in stronger, but less flexible muscles. You need those hip flexors for counter balancing in skiing, especially racing. I have even heard some runners say that not stretching too much is BETTER for high level runners. Don't where you read about this though, I am out of touch with the running community. Perhaps some of our resident biomechanical gura's can give a better perspective. (where is Lisamarie when you need her?);)

 

[liquidfeet]

I've now tried climbing hills on my bike standing up (as Lynn suggested).

Yes, it requires (mysteriously) more heart pumping, and seems at the same time to be easier than just sitting down and relying on the quads alone. Perhaps my flat pedals contribute to its being easier -- I do not have clipless pedals, thus don't pull up with one foot/leg with each pedal-motion, so ... whatever.

Thanks muchly for the hint about standing and pedalling. Good advice always comes from lots of people putting their heads together. I look forward everyday to going out and doing more hills, more distance, more gnarly single-tracks (not so much now, because the leaves are gone from the underbrush and the gnarly trails are becoming invisible....), more standing-up stressful climbing of some sort.

I am so psyched for using all this muscle gain on the slopes!!! When oh when will it ever SNOW here?

 

[Lynn]

When Lance was racing the TDF, the commentators referred to him as 'dancing on the pedals' when he got out of the saddle in the mountains.
Liquidfeet, you now 'dance like Lance':D

 

[liquidfeet]

Dance like Lance - I should hope!
Last night at a bookstore I found the mountain bike section. Boy oh boy more stuff to buy! I've got all the how-to-ski books that I'll ever need; those shelves have gotten boring. Now there's this new section to start plowing through...lots of books on Lance, too.