I went for a 2 mile run at about a pace of 12-minute miles. When I was done My knees were so sore that I could walk upstairs. So in my case, cycling is a great way for me to push my endurance, cardio, and get that volume w/ still being functional the next day. Saturday I did a 62-mile ride and felt great during and after. Which makes the 2-mile run sidelining me is frustrating.
I totally agree. What it also says to me is that you need to gradually increase your running volume. Being able to run isn’t an on/off switch. You have to build into it. Unless there is a mechanical issue, it takes a lot of miles to build up a resistance to running.
For weight loss, I would bike more than anything and, equally important, not over-compensate with food. For all of the reasons mentioned above, you’ll be able to put in a hella lot more hours on a bike. And weight loss is only about input versus output. (The MTBers you mention may be suffering from the common delusion that their activity level gives them permission to “eat whatever they want”.)
@atamankoszowy:
…but you are applying cross-country training principles to skimo training.
You basically say that for skimo – Bjoergen’s training approach (who trained for cross-country) is better than Bonnet’s, Gaston’s, etc. (who train for skimo). Even though they are world-class elite with exceptional results in skimo competition.
No, I’m applying endurance training principles to an endurance sport. I’m saying that we should look to mature endurance sports for programming advice over immature sports. (XC versus skimo training is decades different.) Judging only by results is outcome bias. Picking a few select athletes is cherry-picking. Judging by the process, the number of times it’s been applied, and the results is much more likely to get to the ideal method.
Winning doesn’t mean that a method was the best choice. If I train for a year and Gaston eats donuts, he will still beat me. Does that mean you’re going to take the year off and eat donuts because “hey, it worked for him!”?
Have you tried ski touring with high-level mtb bike athlete?
Yes. And I race against one in particular. And he kicks my ass. Always will. Does that mean his training is the ideal choice? Am I now the universal training standard benchmark? I’m flattered that you think so.
The bottom line is that small sample anecdotal evidence is meaningless. You have to take a process and apply it over a large sample of subjects over several years and see what happens. Confirmation and outcome bias won’t get you nearer the truth, they get you further away.
I really don’t see why this is such a big deal for people. It’s one of two things:
A. “I value performance over participation, so I’ll train using the best practices of a mature sport;”
OR
B. “I value participation over performance—i.e. fun—so I’ll train any damn way I please;”
AND (actually there’s a third):
C. “I want to have my excuses lined up in advance, so I’m not going to train at all.”
