Impact of bike commute on running performance

Question

I'm a runner and I currently run about 35-40 miles per week.

Recently I was giving the possibility to commute to work twice a week using the bike. I would be given $0.30 for every ridden mile from to work. Work is about 12 miles away on a reasonably fat terrain.

I love to bike, yet i'm worried that this commute might have a negative impact on my running performance?

Does anyone have any studies/personal experiences on the combination of running & bike commute?

Kind Regards & thank you for the input.

Answer 1

There should be minimal effect from a typical bike commute on your running workouts and performance. This is a common workout among triathletes, called a "brick" workout, where they are going at a much harder pace than a commuting pace.

A few things to think about:

• Time span - If you run directly after getting off the bike, be aware that you will need longer to get to a loose running state, as your muscles will be just coming off stress in a different position/motion. Stride and pace may be affected. If you have any significant time (20-30 minutes) between, the effect is lessened.
• Effort level - If possible, I would arrange to have your key workouts (interval, threshold types) be on days when you don't commute, especially at first. That will avoid any impact on your more intense workouts.
• Food/water - While not as intense, you will use some fuel while biking, so a small snack and drink or something may help, unless you can't run on a full stomach.

Answer 2

Here is an article that says it is better. However that is biking page. I would expect positive effects, anyway. Maybe not with 12 miles, but in general, with biking it is easier to develop higher VO2 max. That is strange to me, I've expected that rowing, or running are better, but as in referenced post - biking is simply better.