Putting your running shoes back on during the cycling break: how to manage the transition

The end-of-season cycling break, often in October or November, is a crucial period for recovery, but it also offers an ideal opportunity to diversify your training. One of the best ways to do this is to put your running shoes back on. Be careful though, it is essential to proceed with a gradual and measured approach. Here are some tips for integrating running during this period without risking injury and maximizing the benefits.

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: DR

The benefits of running for cyclists

Integrating running during the break has several advantagestages. First, it allows you to vary the stimuli and to solicit muscle groups that are not always used when pedaling, in particular the stabilizing muscles and the postural muscles. This improves overall resistance and strengthens the joints, in particular the ankles and knees.

Additionally, running challenges your cardiovascular system differently, which can provide a boost in endurance and the ability to recover better during bike rides. It's also a great way to stay fit during the winter, when long outdoor rides are more difficult due to cold and inclement weather.

When to start?

The transition between the end of the cycling season and the return to a sport like running should not happen too quickly.. After months of intense effort on the bike, the body needs rest. It is often recommended to take one to two weeks of complete recovery after the end of the season. This means no intense training, or even any physical activity in the first few days, in order to allow the muscles, tendons and joints to regenerate.

After this rest phase, running can be a great way to gently restart, but be careful not to immediately want to find sensations or training volumes similar to those of the cycling season. The muscular and joint shock is much greater in running than in cycling. The muscles are not used in the same way, and the mechanical stress is much greater with running. It is therefore necessary to forget the usual benchmarks and start with a very progressive approach.

How to get started?

A cyclist who wants to start running must absolutely set realistic and prudent goals.. A common mistake is to think that the endurance acquired on the bike can be directly transferred to running. While the cardiovascular system may indeed be well-honed, the musculoskeletal system is not at all accustomed to the impact that running imposes.

The ideal is to start with short sessions, alternating between walking and running.. Here is a simple and effective protocol for the first outings:

2-week start-up protocol:

• Day 1 : 10 minutes of effort alternating 30 seconds of very slow running and 30 seconds of walking (10 repetitions).
• Day 4 : 20 minutes of effort, with 10 x 1 minute of running followed by 1 minute of walking.
• Day 7 : 20 minutes of effort, alternating 4 x 4 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking between each series.
• Day 10 : 20 minutes of effort, with 2 x 8 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking between the two segments
• Day 13 : 20 minutes of continuous running.
• Day 15 : 30 minutes of continuous running.

Progress: Then increase the running time by 5 minutes every other day. until stabilizing at 50 minutes of running without a break, always at low intensity. The goal at this stage is to build a solid base without trying to accelerate.

By following the protocol described, you will reach 50 minutes of continuous running after about 8 more days starting from day 15.

Here is an estimate of the schedule:

• Day 17 : 35 minutes of continuous running
• Day 19 : 40 minutes of continuous running
• Day 21 : 45 minutes of continuous running
• Day 23 : 50 minutes of continuous running

So by day 23 you should be able to run for 50 minutes continuously without a break, while maintaining a very moderate intensity.

The goal here is to gradually accustom the muscles, tendons and joints to running without overloading them.This method allows you to resume gently while minimizing the risk of injury (tendinitis, muscle pain, etc.).

Over the next few weeks, you may want to start thinking about intensity exercises, but that's a topic for another article. The important thing at this stage is not to try to increase distances or speed too quickly.

When to stop or reduce?

This transition period may extend until January. From there, the priority usually falls back to cycling, and it may be wise to cut back on running. That said, it is not necessary to stop it completely. Some professional riders, such as Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock or even former champion Jacky Durand, incorporate a light weekly jog throughout the cycling season. Why? To maintain a minimum of mobility and muscle tone in the lower body.

Suggestion for integration into cycling season:

A short jog of 20 to 30 minutes, at a very slow pace, can be included once a week, for example Monday, a day generally reserved for active recovery. This allows you to maintain a certain muscular flexibility without encroaching on cycling preparation.

To conclude

Running can be a valuable ally during the cycling break, provided that you follow a really gentle progression — don't start out as if you were trying to beat a time. Here, there's no need to rack up the miles like you would on a bike, but rather to vary the pleasures while letting the body actively regenerate. Remember, the key to success lies in patience: It's better to do a little less and stay on your feet than to burn rubber from the start! By integrating this approach intelligently, you will come back stronger for the next season, ready to pedal like never before.

=> All our Coaching articles