Can running keep up cycling fitness?

[JTE83]

Can running keep up cycling fitness?

Last year I biked 2080.88 miles, lost weight from 192.6 lbs to 159 lbs, and hit a max top speed of 32.9 mph on the flats with no wind. But then I had a 1 month long vacation to the Phillippines with no bike so I lost the motivation to train before and after the vacation. So I went 9 weeks without biking and that erased my my legs and my performance! Like when I tried doing a top speed at the beginning of this year 2005 I could only hit 25.8 mph. So far this year my max speed in the flats was 29.8 mph with no wind.

So, the next time I go on a long vacation with no bike - maybe I should run? This would probably keep me fit aerobically but might not exercise my biking muscles that much. Has anyone tried this - running to keep bicycling fitness and did it work?

Actually, I do hate running though. I only road bike for fitness / losing weight workouts.

 

[jyeager]

It might be heresy to say this on a cycling board, but for simply fitness and weight loss running would probably be more efficient than cycling.


However, back to your question, yes running will maintain most of your cycling conditioning. Nothing can replace your cycling training for cycling performance (should be obvious) but the running is a great substitute when there's nothing else.
Besides, you can then naturally move to triathlons which are loads of fun.

 

[TiMan]

You will keep basic endurance fitness and ultimate VO2 max BUT......not cycling power at threshold or VO2 max power at threshold.

According to the literature their is SOME cross over trianing effect when you are going from a sport that uses MORE muscle mass to a sport that uses LESS....running uses more than cycling. BUT nothing will even come close to improving your cycling performance than cycling itself.

That said.........there are a lot of former very good runners that get on the bike and kick butt after only a few months.
I had my butt kicked by one up Mt Lemmon last year