Running and cycling training program

A couple riding mountain bikes. Video of the Day. Training With Running. A woman running. Training With Biking. Man riding a mountain bike. Training Nutrition and Hydration. A runner drinking water after a workout. This will help ensure you reduce fatigue before the big event. However, this usually means doubling up at least once a week for higher volume cyclists, if not more.

There are two main concerns when combining both strength and endurance training on the same day. The stress and fatigue incurred in the first workout will reduce the quality of the second one. One solution is to prioritize one or the other. Additionally, you can pair your strength training days with easy to moderate difficulty rides.

In general, we recommend prioritizing your cycling training by doing it first. Then, with as much time in between as possible, completing your strength training. This helps avoid fatigue-driven mistakes in form and technique that can lead to injury. Once you have a handle on the movements, feel free to switch the cycling workouts back to the mornings. Aside from preserving workout quality, another concern with concurrent endurance and strength training involves different cellular signals.

In response to training, your body produces special enzymes called kinases that regulate biological processes. It increases fat burning and glucose uptake while limiting other energy-consuming functions, all of which ensure you have the energy to perform endurance work.

Either form of training activates both of these kinases. AMPK limits energy-consuming processes, including protein synthesis and cellular growth, to ensure you have enough energy to survive, while mTOR wants to build and grow.

Not only do these have different goals, but they also inhibit one another. How are you supposed to combine strength and cycling training on the same day with competing cellular pathways? Research suggests separating your workouts by at least six hours.

But more time in between is even better. Just be sure not to work out too late and compromise a good night of sleep. The general recommendation is to prioritize the high TSS or hardest rides on your calendar and keep your hard days hard and the easy days easy. However, everyone handles the additional stress of strength training differently. For some, this means completing strength training after the harder rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For others, this means doubling up on the easy to moderate days.

The key is to schedule your strength training session with what works best for your schedule, preserves workout quality, and gives you the best chance at recovery. These are the default workout days for TrainerRoad plans, but you can customize this to fit your schedule using Plan Builder. If strength is a limiter and you need more recovery time, try reducing your cycling volume to a mid- or low-volume plan.

Training Plans for Cyclists Customized workouts delivered daily to your inbox. Subscribe to start your training plan Choose from ten four-week plans to get you fast and fit for your favorite sprint or climb Customize your plan based on your weekly training volume, from five hours per week to twelve Improve your fitness with bike workouts that can be completed indoors or outdoors Included free with a subscription. Start your Free Day Trial. Subscribe to start your training plan A subscription includes access to training plans from expert coaches to help you achieve your running and riding goals.

During the first three weeks, keep them social and recovery—oriented. These help maintain your aerobic base and help your body process the new and challenging run program. One interval run. Do it on the track. Focus on quick cadence.

But never do more than 2 miles of total hard effort. One strength or tempo run. Do this on terrain similar to your marathon course hilly, flat, etc.