Cycling UK Forum

I'm new to this forum and "sort of" new to cycling as I've just had to give up running - I wondered if there were any ex-runners who found themselves turning to cycling and going through the same process. So I don;t have specific questions - this is just an open ended starter for conversation.

I have done a fair amount of cycling on and off but that was for variety of exercise but I've never really enjoyed it that much compared to running. I was told a few months ago that I have grade 4 patellofemoral arthritis and that they aren't interested and/or able to do anything atm - I'm heading back for a second opinion and more info but for the time being I'm having to start making cycling a focus - I'm still not really enjoying it as I grieve the loss of my chosen sport but, what can you do? I just have to accept it and move on. I had some knee surgery in 2005 (microfracturing) and have had a great 8 years with my running but I'm 52 and ran practically my whole life so it's really hard to accept (I don't think many ppl understand how I feel - the first word I've always used to describe myself was "runner") - I had so many dreams of placed I would go and run - the lakes and forests of Finland was on that list. Begrudgingly I started doing more cycling which, surprisingly is ok for my knee (low/no impact) but it'll never mean the same thing to me as running - you don't have the freedom to go anywhere the way you can when running and road biking (in the rural area I live) still puts you in close proximity to traffic which I don't like - I don't think my knee would be up to off-road or mountain biking so my other idea to recapture that sense of wild and lonely freedom is to start open water/river swimming so I'll be buying a suitable wetsuit very soon. I used to run a lot in the winter, the colder the better so maybe Finland can stay on my list after all although I don't think swimming at night is an option; I used to run at night (esp. in the winter) but I also used to wait for the hottest part of the day in the summer to go running - the endurance aspect was the really addictive part - anyway - enough about grieving about my knee. I look at days like today when the temperature is hovering just above and below zero and I'm not experienced enough/uncertain about cycling when there is ice around - it would have been a beautiful day for a run. I don't fancy gym work but I will be joining the gym, mainly to use the cross-trainers and try the rowing machines to see if my knee will put up with that (I have a feeling it won't) - I prefer to exercise alone, off road and outdoors - running, I felt, gave me everything I wanted - I don't like being restricted to country roads as vehicles are still something to be wary of, indoor swimming is boring and the pools are always crowded, gyms are claustrophobic so I'm hoping cycling will give me some of the outdoor experience although I think open water swimming will probably feel more like running however I'm probably going to have to do that within an organised group context until I can hook up with someone who wants to pair up - I suppose solo swimming is possible when I've got a bit more experience and confidence.

Currently I'm cycling on mildly undulating rural roads around the Cheshire basin - typically 2-3 hours but feeling like that an hour of running equates to about 3 hours of cycling for my legs but doesn't really challenge me aerobically as running used to - the problem is that I can't put too much force through my knee - I'm going to try some spin classes and see how that goes. I'm hoping swimming will be more of a challenge in this respect although I need to work on my front crawl as an hour of breast stroke is murder on my knees for about 24 hours afterwards.

Lemonstar I am sorry to read that you have had to stop running because of your injury.I also understand how you are feeling as given à preference I too would rather go for a run than a bike ride. I miss the ability of just putting the appropriate clothing on with some trainers and setting off on a predetermined route but with the ability to go through woods and parks at a whim.Something I find not so easy to do on a bike.Also on the bike I have to take inner tubes etc and be prepared to avoid any idiot other road users.
So yes I do feel your pain. But I too use to suffer from so many soft tissue injuries that the cost of physios become too expensive and so waiting or resting a injury become too prohibitive that I decided to cycle and swim.more. Its now become mainly cycling as going to a pool is a real chore.
I am fortunate that being retired unless my wife has planned otherwise I can get out on my bike when I want to. But I am still guilty of not going far enough.So hopefully in 2015 I will change that.
Because I am now more cycling focused I also get a lot of pleasure from working on my bikes by changing bars wheels tyre etc so that's not so bad.And incidentally the advice you can obtain on here is second to none.
So I know its not what you really want but the is a life afteafter running and if you ride as slow as I do you may get to see more of the countryside you are cycling through.Oh and as for challenges just look at the 10000 mile thread in a year thread. That really 8s a challenge. Oh and welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you will get lots of experienced advice on here. I've always been a cyclist first and a runner second. Ever since I saw the 1959 Milk Race passing through my village I've been a fan of cycling. I took up running in the 80's to loose weight, and it certainly worked, but I soon reverted to cycling only. I tried running again about three years ago but found the impact on the body was too much. I now ride my bike for pleasure, without any thought for trying to beat the fast boys on the club run. It's all good excercise.

Lemonstar, your wonderful description of why you love running sounds exactly the same as a cyclist describing why they love cycling. Unfortunately winter is a frustrating time for cyclists no one likes the ice and cold, but bear with it, it will be spring in 2 months and then you can head off for the hills on your own, blowing the cobwebs away just like you do on a run. Enjoying the freedom of being outdoors.

Can you keep a link with your running world, volunteer at parkrun, events, training others, while trying out other sports?
Try and keep positive, it will take a while to adjust but you will get there.

Hi I'm another ex runner with knee problems. I got into running when a new gym teacher arrived at my school. He took us out on a cross country run and much to my astonishment I was the only person who could keep up with him and even outran him at the end. That set me off into running regularly, pushing myself to find out how far and fast I could go and how many miles a week I could achieve. I ran distances up to beyond half marathon but had shin splints and later knee twinges that made it clear I probably shouldn't attempt marathons. The running came to an end when I was asked to make up numbers for a team. The trouble was I hadn't recovered from having flu (proper flat on my back aching muscle flu not just a sniffly cold) I did the run but struggled and wasn't right for quite a while after. As well as that I had moved from the countryside where it was a pleasure to run to the city where I didn't feel particularly safe running by myself. I really missed the running and had really bad withdrawal symptoms.
I got into cycling when my sister in law gave me her old bike. I really enjoyed being able to go further than I had on foot. I love maps so route planning was another attraction and this evolved into touring. Everything nearly came to a halt due to work and other commitments. The only way I could keep cycling was to commute the twenty miles each way to work. Since I've been doing that there hasn't been the same incentive (or time) to go out for day rides but it does mean that I am fit enough to do reasonable distances when I get the chance to get away. I'm a big traditional music fan so I usually combine touring with festivals by working out a route that finishes at a festival I want to go to.

Cycling certainly doesn't give the same work out as running but for me, there is purpose to the cycling I do and I think that's why I enjoy it.
I would take care with the spinning. I pushed myself too hard and really crocked my knee up badly.

Sounds like you liked running for its own sake and cycling is just another exercise method? Whilst I do cycle for exercise its not the primary purpose. For me, cycling is primarily about going places and seeing things, getting exercise on the way. You can travel great distances on a day out on the bike. Even if it is just the changing seasons and the effect on the woodlands and fields travelling through countryside and visiting new towns which I find interesting. Its what the CTC was originally about. Personally I eschew traffic and stick to quiet byways, its so much more pleasant. Mountain biking in the woods is also great , no traffic, perfect peace. You can get away from everything. There are probably plenty of nice hills in nearby North Wales. Why not approach cycling from a new angle?

Al

If you can ride a bike on the road, you can ride or walk on a bridle path.
Have a look at the photos linked in my signature.....see the sorts of places I can get to in my late sixties, with one post-op. knee.
I ride a traditional British drop-bar tourer with 35mm tyres, although the people I'm introducing to the trails almost all ride "mountain bikes". ("Wheel Easy")
Buy an Ordnance Survey map and start exploring, you can legally ride anything that is bridlepath status or more, (eg byways.)

Colin your photographs are a great advert for cycling. Ted

Hi, I know how you feel, I could almost have written your post myself. I was a fell walker, not a runner, but I had to give it up about 14 years ago because of a recurring ankle injury, so I switched to cycle touring instead. Previously I had given up (pool) swimming after I developed surfer's ear. I know what you mean about breast stroke, I had to quit that within weeks because it was wrecking my knees, crawl is much easier once you get the hang of it, just don't make the common mistake of trying to swim with your face out of the water. I too feel like cycling is a poor second best, I never quite escaped the feeling that I'm not seeing anything I couldn't see by car. Climbing is frustrating too, roads cross over the ridges instead of running along them, so no sooner have you reached the top than you are throwing it all away racing down the other side. The speed is fun, but that doesn't last very long. Walkers climb high, and then stay high until the end of the day by following the ridge. (If I'm selling you the idea of fellwalking, bear in mind that a long steep descent is hell on your knees!). There's the risk from the traffic, of course, but as a walker there was the risk of falling anyway for me, so it was swings and roundabouts. I find that pushing too high a gear played hell with my knees, so be careful of that if you have to nurse a dodgy knee.

I've now had to give up cycling as well because of heart arrhythmia, so I'm sat in the armchair most of the day feeling like life is over, and developing pressure sores where protruding sit bones used to be padded with muscle. It doesn't make things any easier to have doctors, patients and cyclists all telling me that there's no reason to stop exercise, but I have had nine trips to A&E by ambulance as a result of following that advice. I'm now waiting for an operation that I might well never have needed if I'd quit earlier, and continuing with exercise halves the success rate, so that's probably my lot.

Hi

I ran to school from the age of five, and competitively until I was thirty when my legs started complaining too much. I then joined a triathlon club and swam freestyle and cycled and competed in a few triathlons. Swimming front crawl and cycling both have a nice rhythm, which is different to running but can serve as a decent replacement. I then raced bikes for a few years, all disciplines, but most enjoyed road racing. Late thirties until 53 I had no desire to compete, and just cycled for pleasure and commuting, with occasional swimming. I watched an aquathlon last year and realised that running around a grass field is something I miss, and have now been trying to get back into running. Just going for a run and slowly building up I kept having setbacks. I decided to go back to basics and rebuild strength and mobility in my muscles and joints. Now I have a programme where I will do between 20 and 40 minutes cardio on my water rower or my bike on a turbo trainer, and then do a series of exercises. These including sitting on a table with my legs dangling and lifting leg up straight with a 2 kg ankle weight, 3kg hand weights and lifting arms up at side and out in front, 3kg hand weights and calf raises, 3kg hand weights and squats, 3kg hand weights and reverse lunges, planks, situps, old inner tube between legs and pulling leg sideways to strengthen hips. Then hamstring, calf and quad stretches. Then back mobility exercises.

This has got me to the point where I ran for 45 minutes on Christmas day. I am not suggesting it would get you running again, but by your early fifties you will have lost a lot of strength, mobility and core strength. Getting this back would greatly help your cycling and swimming, overall fitness, and most important enjoyment. For swimming I would also suggest joining a triathlon club where there should be some good coaching - this is particularly important as good swimming technique is not as intuitive as running or cycling.

For many years I convinced myself that cycling was better than running, particularly because it involved less day to day muscular pain and a lot of endorphin related highs. However, running is a more beautiful activity when it goes right, and I have finally realised how much I miss it.

Regards, Geoff.

Lemonstar,know where you're coming from. Running can take you anywhere,and it's less complicated than getting on a bike with a more 'limited' network of trails. And then you have cars,lorries,and wotnot. Still,running as it was for you, looks like it's in the past.

Wotsabout that open water swimming? I think if I lived near the coast,and knew that coast and tides,you could really get into that scene. Maybe not your goal,but I see the oldest person to cross the channel was 73,and did it this year. With open water swimming you have lakes,rivers,sea...the lot. And you know what? You go in cold water for a bit 10,20,50 minutes...it's a challenge getting in...and swimming...but coming out and having done it,drying off,warming up...it must be as good as E! Moreover,you could set yourself achieveable goals: swim x river A-B,swim every open lido LEJOG.

I like the touring side of cycling. I like my swimming and would do more but I am limited in all exercise by a systemic form of arthritis. I do as much as I can...and know it aint going away. Cos I can't(or refuse to)develop competitive or long distance swimming goals(too much training,no gold medals!),I go for technique. If you saw me in the water you would probably jump in to save me,but the delusions of improving my stroke/technique haven't harmed myself or others at the moment,so am avoiding Care in The Community. With running you've probably lasted longer than others.

I should be out on the bike this mornng. But I'm not. The reason is I am a coward. It's a bright fine day. Ideal? Not for me it's not. I cycle in an urban environment. Lots of traffic. traffic that cannot see you in front of them at the best of times never mind when the strong sun is so low in the sky. So today at some point I will be out for a run. Only icy weather will stop me running. All other weather is not a hindrance to a run. Well I jog I suppose, I don't run. Sometimes I'll just fast walk or try to, but it still end up running part of the route. I used to run marathons but find them just too much. I do love the bike but the preparation and the traffic often makes me think twice about going out whereas running I just step outside the door. I'm not a good runner. I'm too big and heavy, but I love the endorphin rush I get on occassions. I never get this on the bike. Funnily enough I tend to get more aches on the bike than running.
In the OPs situation I would head for the gym. Strength training, especially for the muscles surrounding the patella and using their running/walking/cross training machines could help. I don't use them myself as I find them mind stultifying but many people seem to be able to get into the zone and cruise along for ages. I enjoy weight training and the social side of that. I would have thought that swimming preparation takes almost as much as cycling. Can you walk far? It's supposed to be one of the best exercises.
I don't know where you are in Cheshire but the South Manchester CTC do quite easy clubruns through quiet Cheshire lanes that may suit you.

Lemonstar don't mean to wind you up but your thread got me hankering about getting out for a run again and yesterday morning I did.
Now I have ordered a new pair of trainers as well so I don't know whether to thank you or blame you for your efforts.
So I would now say even if like it's say two miles and you can manage to do it then do so because nothing for me can replace the feeling of having a good run.