How to use cycling workouts for runners to help your running

If you’ve ever asked this question, ‘does cycling help running endurance?’, the good news is, yes, cycling can bolster your running endurance, as a cross training activity and keep your cardiovascular fitness if you’ve had a running injury.

But how should you combine cycling and running in a way that makes you a better runner? 

We’ll dive into the details in this post.

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How does cycling help with running?

It can build your cardiovascular fitness without consistently absorbing the high-impact forces that come with running.

Give you a mental and physical break from running.

Develop your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. There’s a different emphasis on the leg muscles you’ll use in cycling. You’ll use your quads and glutes much more in cycling because these muscles generate the most power to turn over your pedals. 

Help you recover from a hard run, if you do an easy cycling recovery ride.

Work your core because your core keeps you balanced on the bike.

Boost your running cadence. Maintaining a high cadence throughout your cycling workouts can teach you to turn over your legs quickly, which can improve your running cadence

And if you’re working through a running injury, cycling lets you maintain your cardiovascular fitness during your time away from running.

But always remember, when you’re returning to running after an injury you will still need to rebuild your running fitness gradually.

Though your cardiovascular fitness is there, your body needs to get used to absorbing the impact that comes from running again.

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How to combine cycling and running into the same week

Keep your running interval, tempo workouts, and long runs. Your speed running workouts (interval, tempo, steady state runs) teach you to run fast and efficiently, with good form. And your long run builds your strength and your mental toughness for running long distances. 

If you run three to four times a week, add in a bike day or two, and try a hill workout or some bike intervals.

If you run five to six days a week, swap a running recovery day for an easy cycling recovery ride.

Keep your cadence high, around 90 rotations per minute (RPMs) to 100 RPMs to mimic your running turnover.

Rotations per minute are the number of times your pedal makes a full rotation. To calculate your cycling RPMs, count the number of times in 60 seconds your right knee comes up toward your handlebars. 

You’ll find more cycling workouts for runners below, but before we continue, sign up for the bi-weekly email for cyclists and runners and grab this free download that includes even more high-intensity cycling workouts.

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Indoor and outdoor cycling workouts for runners

Cycling recovery ride for runners

A cycling recovery ride is an easy conversation ride that lasts anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, clears lactic acid from your muscles, and increases blood flow to your muscles to promote recovery. ¹

Do this workout when you had a hard run the day before to flush out your legs.

The cycling workout for runners: 30 to 40-minute recovery ride, easy pedaling at an effort that you can hold comfortably for hours.

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Cycling hill workout for runners

Cycling or running, hills build your leg strength and speed. 

This cycling workout is an indoor rolling hill workout, so you can control how much time you’re working uphill. 

Do you prefer to ride your bike outside on some hills? You’ll find more cycling tips on how to ride your bike uphill here.

Warm-up 5 minutes, easy light spinning 

Increase your resistance, pedal for 1 minute then increase your resistance again for the next 30 seconds

Recover for 2 minutes

Repeat 3 times

Return to an easy gear, and spin at 90 to 100 RPMs for 1 minute

Recover for 30 seconds

Repeat 5 times

Cool down 5 minutes, easy light spinning 

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Cycling interval workout

10-minute warmup

5 minutes at tempo pace, or at a hard effort you can hold for an hour

Recover 1 minute

5 minutes at lactate threshold pace, or at an effort you can hold for 30-minutes

Recover 1 minute

5 minutes at tempo pace

Recover 1 minute

10 minute cool down

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