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March 02, 2005
Cycling vs. Running
Nathan asked me to compare cycling with running, including costs, health benefits, potential, etc. Also if I had to give up one, which one would I give up? I’m by far not an expert on either subject, but here’s my experience so far:
On March 16, 2005 I’ll have been cycling for one year. I started out slow, but by June I was riding faster and farther and decided I liked cycling for fitness. I was commuting back and forth to work every day and to get more miles in I found ‘alternate’ routes. The first one was seven miles, then I found a good 13 mile route, then I found a 20 mile route, then on some nights going home, I would end up riding about 30 miles. At that point I knew I wasn’t just commuting anymore, but it felt really good. Somewhere in August I peaked at about 210 miles per week, then tapered off again after Labor Day, until shortly before Christmas when I rode the bus. Then I decided I didn’t like exercising in the house, so I bought a mountain bike the week before Christmas and started riding it to work the following week.
Also at that time I decided I needed to start training for bike racing coming up in the Spring so I made up a schedule that included running, commuting by bike and an upper body workout. That’s why my earlier blog entries about running were under the category of cycle racing. To start running for me was a monumental hurdle. First of all, I’m 42 years old and I used to be a good runner when I was in my teens and early 20’s. My fastest timed run was a 10:24 two-mile race when I was 19 years old in the Army. I ran a lot then and it was kind of required for my job. All of my friends got into fitness and I loved running in groups. We used to run 10 miles at a 7-minute mile pace, in formation, everyone in step. That was fun. Anyway, we never competed in 5k or 10 runs with the public, but we had to do this 2 mile run, along with as many sit-ups we could do in two minutes, and as many pushups as we could do in two minutes. I maxed out at 72 perfect pushups in two minutes. If our arms did not break the horizontal plane the pushups weren’t counted. Ah, but that was then. I’m older and not nearly close to that kind of shape. Along the way, I got out of the military, quit running and working out, and poured all of my free time into the vacuum of my computer career. Ever since quitting running cold turkey, I have not been able to start again. I had some kind of mental block against it and it was excruciating to even try, which I did on a few occasions. I used to love running, but then I couldn’t. Mentally I think it had a lot to do with my leaving the military and putting that behind me. I would not be able to go back to that either. But something changed in me since giving all that up.
I realized that I needed to get myself back into shape and have regular exercise for many reasons. First of all, I was sitting behind a computer desk every day at work and every evening at home. I started to fall apart physically. I wasn’t very healthy and I wanted to start exercising. So about a year-and-a-half ago, I rode my bike a few times to and from work. That felt good, but then it was Fall and I rode the bus. At that time I was changing my views on commuting and car use and was starting to ride the bus. For me that was liberating in itself, even without the freedom the bicycle offers because I was still free of my car. Then last year as I was used to riding the bus every day to and from work the bus strike happened. I had to figure out how to get to work. I think I drove a couple of times and had to find and pay for parking, and got a few rides, but then I decided to pull out my bike. On March 16th, 2004 everything changed. I started riding my bike, I started my fitness plan and I’ve been riding since then.
Another reason I started exercising is because regular exercise is good for our mental health. It helps fight depression and anxiety and relieves stress. Physically it helps lower cholesterol and decreases our risk of heart attacks. But the mental benefits are reason enough to stay fit. To have a well-balanced life, I believe we need to include adequate, regular exercise in our lives.
To me cycling is just pure fun. When I was a kid we rode our bikes everywhere. I don’t know why we are so willing to give up something that’s so fun and so good for us. And combining cycling with commuting to and from work is a natural fit for daily fitness. It saves time and money. You don’t even have to buy a club membership for that.
About halfway through the year, I became more serious about my overall fitness and started to feel more like an athlete than a casual rider. I liked that feeling. It reminded me of my younger physically fit days, and I could feel the improvement in my daily life. I could take six flights of stairs without dying. I could walk to work, which I did on several occasions, without dying. I had more energy too!
I’ve written about a lot of these experiences before, like the adventure involved in riding a bike. Adventure is good for the soul too. Finding and discovering the city like I’ve never seen it before is worth the effort! Now here is what I’ve learned in the past year about what it takes to ride a bike all the time: The bike does matter. Although it’s not what you might think. I’m not advocating or pushing any high-priced trendy or yuppie bike. I’m also not advocating a one size fits all bike. I found out that it depends on what you want to do with the bike. In my case I wanted to ride faster and farther. It was really hard keeping up with the fast cyclists for 30 miles on my old metal Schwinn bike that weighed 30 plus pounds. That bike was good for short rides and more leisurely rides, but I needed something lighter and faster. I wanted to do that. It wasn’t forced on my by high pressured bike salesman. But when I started to look for a faster bike, I did run into the expense wall. The faster lighter bikes all started at around 500 dollars for the cheapest models. Then I went to a bike swap in Minnetonka where I found a 500-dollar, entry-level aluminum-racing bike that had only been ridden a few times, for 300 dollars. That was really more than I could afford, but I bought it and it made a huge difference in my speed. I started to be able to ride 25 miles per hour and hold that pace for a while. That was a major breakthrough for me, and got me thinking about trying bike racing. So I made a plan to try that this year. And that’s where I’m headed. To ride in the winter I bought a mountain bike because of the knobby tires and straight handlebars. I don’t regret that switch, because I think that’s much better suited to riding in the snow than my racing bike. I felt much safer and have ridden through a lot of crap I wouldn’t have wanted to ride on with my racing bike. And then since I had a mountain bike, and I found a class on making studded snow tires, I decided I would actually try that ice racing! It was really cool! It was a boost to my confidence and I think my racing bike would not have been as good as this bike on the ice. This year, I also have two mountain bike races scheduled so I can experience that.
I know everything I’ve said about cycling so far is why It’s such a good fit for me. It’s not hard to get into and any old bike will do to get started. It’s a cheap hobby and fitness aid as long as you are not into buying all the latest and most expensive gear. Shopping around really helps. You can find deals on the good gear. I didn’t know that at the beginning. But I didn’t care either until I wanted to push my limits and go faster. Learning to repair your bikes helps. Mainly just flat tires. It’s horrible to get stuck way out somewhere and not be able to fix a flat. It does happen. I think I’ve had about 10 flats this last year. Those skinny tires go faster but they are also more prone to flats, because they are so thin. Buying the right gear and bike for your purpose is something that you can ease into once you decide what that purpose is. But even so, in my experience, my purpose changed and so did my needs. Now I’m getting rid of my two Schwinn bikes and just keeping my racing bike and my mountain bike. I’m getting road tires to put on the mountain bike for grocery shopping and other rugged tasks, like hauling paint from Menards, or hauling my aluminum cans to the recycling center, etc. I also bought a second set of wheels for my studded tires, so I’m going to put the road tires on those rims for the summer and I can quickly and easily swap to my mountain bike tires for my off road adventures. Then in the winter I’ll take off the road tires for that set of rims and throw the studded tires on for ice adventures. That way I can use one bike for multiple purposes. I bought the rims for 10 dollars apiece so it’s worth the investment to me. I also had to buy a toolkit for my bike. I hate getting stranded.
Overall the cost is still way cheaper than running my car and paying for parking. It’s good for fitness and it’s fun. Now about running. I’m doing it to make my bike racing a better experience and to be able to do a duathlon this Spring and a Triathlon in August. I used to love running when I was younger and now it’s still a challenge to me. But it’s getting better and more enjoyable the better shape I get into. I used to be a runner, so I know I used to like running a lot. It’s definitely a good workout. The first thing I noticed about running after having cycled for almost a whole year is that it uses different muscles. I was stiff and sore the first few times I ran, and then each time I increased the miles. With cycling I didn’t feel that way until I hit 20 or 30 miles at a good pace. To compare, after running 5.5 miles today, I felt about like I did after the first time I rode 30 miles at one time with no breaks. Every muscle in my body felt tired. Running also forces us to breathe much harder, more continuously, than when riding a bicycle. In cycling we can coast some and regain our breath, but in running there is no coasting. The heart has to keep pumping hard enough to maintain the exertion. I do find that my breathing is getting easier when I run slowly, but it’s still breathing hard. I think our bodies need more oxygen for running. Well, except in the case of cycle racing. Then I think it’s about equal. I felt the same physical sensations when I was doing that ice race as I feel when I’m running my 5.5 mile loop. But racing is a much greater exertion level than normal bike commuting.
Now that I’m running, just using my K-Mart bought running shoes, I realize that I need a better pair of running shoes that provide better cushion, so now I’m shopping around for the right shoe for my needs. I’m looking at 80-90 dollar shoes. When I was younger I invested in a good pair of Brooks running shoes because I got shin splints once with my older, cheaper shoes. The new shoes made a huge difference and actually stopped me from getting that injury again. Shoes are the only major investment a runner needs to make, and I feel it’s necessary to prevent injuries. I’m going to have to buy some better shoes eventually. But it’s cheaper than buying a new bike and the workout is definitely hard.
I’m not choosing to give up one, as I posted yesterday in the comments section, because I am purposefully doing both. I think it’s good to have a more well-rounded fitness plan. I’m not in this for strictly one sport; I’m in it for overall fitness and health. I will also be adding swimming to my fitness plan as soon as it gets warmer outside so I can start swimming in outdoor pools and lakes. I want to prepare to do my first ever triathlon in August. I also don’t like to have monthly bills, as much as I can help it, so I don’t want to join a health club. Both running and cycling I can do with minimal investment and no monthly fees. Of course it gets more expensive when our purpose changes and we see that we need some more specialized gear for a particular purpose. As a citizen athlete, I am going to enjoy all of these sports. We’ll see where it takes me.
Posted by carl1236 at March 2, 2005 11:23 PM | Cycle Racing
Comments
You are a maniac John. Your committment to fitness is really impressive. If you get the chance, you should read a biography of Teddy Roosevelt. As a young man, he had a similar obsession with physical betterment. His story reminds me somewhat of your own, with all the running and biking and general exercise. Of course, at age 42 he was President, so the parallels break down at some point...
Still, it's quite amazing what you're doing. I have to believe that you will be among the most well trained racers out there this season. I have a friend who is a few years older than yourself, who, a few years ago, was state champion for his age group in some cycling event I can't recall (he may have been the only competitor:)). He doesn't race anymore, but he has lots of knowledge on the subject. If you want, I will invite you the next time I go riding with him and maybe you can pick his brain.
Posted by: Jim at March 3, 2005 09:46 AM
Such a response! Thanks. I'm glad you got into it.
I’m getting rid of my two Schwinn bikes
Getting *rid* of? What about making a single-speed or fixed-gear? Or a utility bike? Speaking of which...
mountain bike for grocery shopping
I've been really digging my Xtracycle. If you find you need a little more cargo space, be sure you look into that option. For my needs it seemed like the way to go instead of panniers or a trailer and I'm glad I got it. As a bonus, my kids (5 and 3) *love* riding on the back - they both fit and there's even room for their four-year-old cousin!
bought a second set of wheels for my studded tires
Hmm, I've considered a second set of wheels with a second set of tires but two sets of wheels and *three* sets of tires would be even *more* flexible! The thing that keeps me from jumping right on that is it doesn't jive so well with generator hubs, which I'm also considering.
Do you have to adjust your brakes when you swap wheels?
Posted by: nathan at March 3, 2005 10:50 AM
"Do you have to adjust your brakes when you swap wheels?"
Only if the rims are of a different diameter (e.g. 700c instead of 27" or vice versa) or if the rims are a different thickness (i.e. a wide rim for fat winter tires vs a narrow rim for skinny summer tires). The other possibility, especially if you get cheap, factory-made wheels, is that they won't be altogether true. In this case, the brakes may need to be loosened a bit to accommodate the wobble without rubbing. Never let the brake pads rub the tire.
Usually, however, the answer to your question is no.
Posted by: Jim at March 3, 2005 11:52 AM
That's what I have. Two sets of wheels that are almost identical. I did have to loosen the breaks slightly but they still work great for both sets of wheels. Right now I have the super-studded ice riding tires on one set of wheels (front and back) and regular mountain bike tires on the other set of wheels. My intention was to buy a pair of slick mountain bike tires and replace the studded tires with those for summer riding to and from the grocery store, and running to Menards, etc. (smoother ride than the knobby tires) And then when I want to ride some trails, it's a matter of 5 minutes max to swap out my wheels for the regular knobby tired wheels. It may not be the best approach, but I like this idea because it's flexible and cheap. It cost me only 10 dollars per wheel for the extra wheels. I can detach a trailer and still be able to use that one bike for multiple purposes (less storage space required for another bike)
I looked into the Xtracycle and it's a really cool idea. I may yet go that route and I'm not very far into debt by going with my plan for now. I have been studying trailers and think I can make my own lightweight trailer for a lot less, so we'll see. I'm still open to anything. As far as getting rid of a couple of bikes, don't worry, haha, I still have an old Schwinn I'm restoring and have a secret project planned for another really wierd use. So minimizing some of the bikes I use sounds like a good plan to me, and cost effective. But as I said, I'm still open to good ideas like the Xtracycle. We'll see where I end up by the end of this year. My cycling adventure is a work in progress haha.
I'm not sure about single speeds yet. I like gears and contrary to popular belief, the twin cities and the surrounding areas are not flat. I ride up Ramsey hill and others frequently so why would I want to cut the number of gears? I'm still learning about that and maybe have to be convinced of some benefit to a single gear. I've found that my gears work pretty well in the winter if I keep them lubricated with silicone spray. But I'm not opposed to single gear, but I'm just not convinced it's an improvement for me. I might have to try one first.
Hey Jim, I'd love to go riding with you sometime and your friend also. Unfortunately I'm still working weekends, but I put in my two month notice at my part-time job, so by May I will have at least two weekends per month free to ride (I have bike races scheduled already, haha)
And, all I can say about the obsession part, is that I think I'm not nearly obsessed enough yet to compete with some of these guys. Actually it's a huge committment that I've made and nothing happens without hard work. If I can do this at age 42, then maybe that's inspiration for someone who is younger and more flexible and fit, and proof that we can still be active as we get older. When I was running yesterday I passed this really old looking guy who was out running. He was going at a slower pace, but he was doing it. It beats sitting in front of the computer screen/TV doing nothing and getting fat and lazy, haha. Not that TV doesnt' have it's place though. You know what I mean. I enjoy a good show every now and then. But I'm really enjoying being active. And I'm meeting some other really active people who love life. It's a good thing and I'm thankful I'm able to do what I'm doing.
Posted by: John at March 3, 2005 04:22 PM
There is a particularly ancient fellow, closing in on 100 I bet, who runs around Lake Harriet constantly. I rode around that lake lots of times last fall and earlier in the winter and I saw him out jogging almost every time I was there. The funny thing is that he didn't have normal jogging gear. He wore normal old man clothes, but with the chest of his shirt unbuttoned and he was listening to tunes on an iPod. Tough old SOB.
Posted by: Jim at March 3, 2005 05:04 PM
I was wondering why they teach phy-ed in Highschool. What is the purpose of that? And if the purpose of that is to teach people the importance of physical fitness throughout life, why is it that so many people stop all of their physical fitness activities after highschool? Does it mean they really did not learn the lesson, or that they didn't believe it? Even when I quit all exercise after leaving the military, I did not realize the importance and value of regular exercise. I had to go down a dark tunnel of non-fitness before starting up again. It's more than just having a good shape, it also helps our mental health and outlook on life. In anycase, this old guy has the right idea. I'm sure that running gets his blood flowing!
Posted by: John at March 3, 2005 08:38 PM
Speaking of really weird uses for old Schwinns, have you seen Torrey Nelson's Alien-Ray? I've got an old Schwinn Meteor I'm restoring that I might do something like that with. I grew up riding a Sting-Ray; still ride it around Como, actually. :)
I'm thinking about going fixed to get a different, more intense workout since my commute is only 5 miles each way. I'm also drawn to the simplicity of such a bike. And, since I now have a second commute-bike, I'll give it a go with my ten-speed frame this summer.
Jim, that old jogger sounds like an awesome character - you should stop to talk with him. Bet it would make a great 'blog entry for ya. :)
Posted by: nathan at March 4, 2005 11:30 AM
I too was in the Navy for my required four years with the normal regiment of exercise. After I left the military, I would continue to run… but not as much. I would run 3 times a week during a good month. Or I would pop in a work out video that I actually liked doing.
My workout habits completely stopped after I started my first semester in college (just a few months ago) and I gained 10 pounds. It’s not so much the number that bothers me as it is that I really don’t want to buy new clothes - and nothing fits! I tried to start running again, but found that I was really sick of running. I could not find the deep down motivation to keep me going on a long run and my whole body just hurt.
Long story shorter… I started biking – and I love it! But my worry now is that my body is going to change and my clothes won’t fit anyway since biking works different muscles then running does. I also do my work out video (daily) which includes a total body workout including weight training, and sit-ups.
If anyone can help answer my question, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by: Sally at June 3, 2005 05:31 AM
Well, most likely you will not bulk up from cycling like you would with weight lifting. Most cyclists have very strong, but lean legs. It does work different muscles than running, so that's why I've started running again. If you are burnt out on running, try a good jump rope with swivel handles. It works you even harder than running. I can't jump rope inside my house, but now that it's nicer outside I have been mixing that in. I also have been doing the Swiss ball, although not regularly because I've been too exhausted from long bike rides. I really should work on my upper body strength more to go with my cycling. I just have to find a way to get it into my schedule!
Good luck on your fitness and college goals! Any fitness tips you have would also be appreciated.
Posted by: John at June 3, 2005 11:03 PM
Thank you for the input! And thank you for the encouragement! I hope that I can start to see some of my results soon so that I can let you know how it is going for me. I’ve only been at it for 2 weeks. So far, I bike 5 miles a day (up and down hills… more up then down it seems), 400 sit-ups, along with one of the videos that I have. I truly fell in love with this work out DVD. It’s Power 90 or Beach Body. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes to switch things up with a video sometimes. It can be found on line if anyone is interested. I know the last time that I stuck with the video (2 years ago) ... everyone complemented me on the way my body looked.
Thanks again! I hope to chat with you all again soon.
Posted by: Sally at June 4, 2005 07:14 PM