Use your fitness levels to make the jump to running.
If you are a cyclist, chances are high you have a developed cardiopulmonary system that allows for other endurance sports such as running. Use your existing fitness levels to build upon to compete in events such as a half-marathon running race. Going the 13.1 miles is no small feat, and the fitness you have from cycling is only going to help. Concentrate on developing a training plan that programs your muscles for the new movements associated with running, and incorporate healthy eating and snacking into the mix.
First Month
Start a new calendar using any home computer schedule programs or via an iPad or smartphone. If you are balancing work and family life along with athletic training, figure out consistent times of the day to train. To begin training your muscles for the rigors of running from cycling, plan on going for a run two times a week for the first four weeks on your training. For three days of the week, continue cycling. This gives you the needed cardio training, while programming muscle memory for running. When possible, run or cycle during the same time each day. Running or cycling near the same time each day keeps the body on a form of circadian rhythm. Often, this helps the muscle memory for the needed motions as well as keeping you in a disciplined and consistent routine; these are crucial to solid training.
Second Month
Now that your body is familiar with running motion, begin transitioning out of cycling and more into running. During the second month, move away from the cycling days by adding two extra days of running and removing two cycling days. Add distance to one run each week. This is called the "long run" or the "LSD," which is the initialism for long slow distance. The distances you run for the LSD day are determined by the distances you run during your normal training days. For example, if you are up to six miles for a normal run, go eight or nine miles, at a slower pace, for your LSD scheduled runs.
Third Month
You are now fully into the running schedule and should discontinue all but one cycling day. Use the cycling day per week as a slow, recovery period. Go slow and let the body heal. Your LSD runs are now up to nine or 10 miles consistently. A good example of the third month weekly schedule is three days of six to eight miles running, one day of slow cycling (around 45 minutes to an hour) and LSD runs between nine and 10 miles. For the last week, make the LSD day a simulated race day performance, going approximately 11 miles at your desired race pace. Take two days off after this day for body and muscle recovery. Proper recovery requires proper nutrition. After LSD runs, eat potassium-rich snacks like bananas along with a handful of nuts. The protein from the nuts helps the body process other nutrients and provides needed protein for healthy muscle cell recovery.
Race Month
This is the time to start the taper. Tapering is a reduction in workout distances and intensity. Begin the taper two weeks out from the race. Remove one run day per week, keeping the LSD runs. Cycle slowly twice over the course of three weeks, using the cycling sessions for recovery and muscle healing. Your final LSD run should be no more than two weeks before the race. For the week of the race, run twice only. You should feel agitated and like you are not getting enough exercise. The body functions best when tapered and hungry for exercise. There is a truism in running and endurance athletics; it is better to be 10 percent undertrained than 1 percent overtrained.
Talk With Your Doctor
Even though you have a solid foundation in cycling and fitness, discuss your goals with a doctor to ensure you do not overtax and harm yourself during the cycling to running transition. Talk about your age, typical daily diet, sleep patterns and any pre-existing medical conditions that may potentially affect your training or health.
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