Monday, October 7, 2013

Two, two, two runs in one!

I'll bet most of you aren't old enough to remember those commercials - and those that are can't remember them.

Biking is over. I put the back seats back in my Element, a sure sign I don't plan to load up the Kestrel again any day soon. Nope, it's time to turn attention away from the bike and onto the running paths. There is still time to pull one more race together by the end of the year, and I think I'll focus energy there.

Huntsville is less than 10 weeks away. With little time to accumulate miles, it appears now is the time for the ultimate test of a little theory I've held for years regarding the equivalency of training vis-a-vis biking and running. If my supposition is correct, the biking miles I rode over the summer should translate on a 3-to-1 basis to running. By that logic...

150 mpw biking --> 50 mpw running, added to 30 mpw running equals 80 mpw training.

If that logic indeed works, I should be fine if I can get my long runs extended enough.

Before you shoot holes in the argument, let me do that for you. Yes, running muscles and biking muscles are different - similar, but different. There is not a direct translation here. However, cardio fitness is a very good translation, and that indeed does seem to be carrying over. I have no trouble going distance at all as far as breathing or effort is concerned. I do get sore from running though, and that's where the trouble will come.

Good news though... so long as the weather is cool, I have no trouble even with the muscular part. There is no strain at all to go out and put in miles. Tonight I did two runs pretty much back-to-back. I ran 5 miles with the girls, then drove to the group run and ran 5 more. There was a short break between, at most half an hour, so this was a pretty good overall workout. It was no trouble at all.

Fast? No! But I could have run 5 more miles with no difficulty. Beyond that I can't say, but I have total confidence I could have. I went to the gym later and lifted for 40 minutes of continuous motion. Even now I feel good enough to run more.

The big question then remains, will my calves and back hold up to this crash course of mileage? If they can, I feel very confident I'll be ready in December. 

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