Dr. Day told me to stay on the PC’s and don’t bother beating my legs up running as much as I normally would to prepare for this race. He was correct in his advice.
Whew!!! congratulations.
I guess another area for controversy is: Just how much running on the road can one give up and still improve when using PC’s? AND What is the proper mix of training to optimize running performance?
Dr. Day told me to stay on the PC’s and don’t bother beating my legs up running as much as I normally would to prepare for this race. He was correct in his advice.
Whew!!! congratulations.
I guess another area for controversy is: Just how much running on the road can one give up and still improve when using PC’s? AND What is the proper mix of training to optimize running performance?
First, to your original question…I think the more you ride them the faster you adjust and the faster you get. i do not think it is realistic to race on them. After 20 months, they are still harder than normal cranks. When I switch to my tri-bike (with normal cranks), it’s easier and I can go faster for longer period of times at a lower heart rate.
To your second question. I think you can substantially drop your running mileage and add a weekly ride or two. Personally, my running has improved from 5k all the way to marathons since using the Power cranks with 1/2 the mileage I was running before. I also think that they train your legs to run off the bike which is an added benefit. I never have that “dead leg” feeling when starting runs anymore.
I am surprised that, after 20 months, you still find the PC’s harder than normal cranks. I take it you are not using them exclusively but, also, take it you are pleased with them. How are you using them? Why do you feel this is better than using them exclusively?
Do you think you could drop your running mileage even further if you increased your PC mileage? Or, have you not considered this possibility?
Frank
Francois; thanks for the suggestions, I think you are right on the problem with hamstrings and my running. I know I overstride for a long-distance runner. I was a sprinter in my younger days, and have only recently begun to learn to do endurance events. When I sprinted, I pulled hard with those hammies. Plus, in the fall of 2001, I tore both plantaris tendons (not plantar fascia), and I had to minimize that shock of landing my foot right under my center of gravity in order to run at all. Now, I really need to work on shortening my stride (and I have made improvements in this area, especially since being on PC’s)…it’s just that those long strides are what I tend to revert to when I summon speed. This is probably why keeping PC’s on all the time is important, if I ride regular cranks, I can see how I could revert to my old style of pedalling very easily, especially when tired.
I will work on more forward body lean and putting that foot down closer to the center of my body.
Still, I’m pleased that I’d only run two long runs in the past 15 years, and these two runs were only 7.9 miles each, and they were done only a couple of weeks ago.
I don’t think I’d have run as well as I did if I wouldn’t have had the PC training, because I had zero problems with commanding a fast turnover (a function that demands excellent hip flexor action) when I decided to increase speed. In the past, although I’ve only run up to 10K’s, it was just too hard to get those legs flying towards the end…because my hip flexors were very tired by then.
I managed 20 minutes on my first ride and it was difficult. By my third ride I was able to handle an hour and by the 6th ride they felt normal. For me, I was back to normal training distances and speeds in less than a month. I am in off season mode. If this was in season and I was able to ride outside, I would have expected better results. Probably more like 3 weeks to return to normal speeds and distances and greater than normal speeds within 1 month. I did change my riding position a bit. I had to raise my handlebars just a bit. Otherwise I would not be able to ride in the aerobars. However, I expect to be able to lower them again before the season starts.
As for running, I have had some great runs lately despite only running twice per week for the last 3 weeks due to an ankle injury. The infrequent runs have helped my ankle to heal and the PCs seem to be keeping me in running shape. A couple of weeks ago I had my best run of the year. This is after 2 weeks on running only twice per week. I will only run 3 times per week this season. Any more and I am prone to injury. I am hoping that the PCs provide the extra training I need to go IM distance.
Gary in SDs comments may be true for him but they don’t hold up for me. I only had to cut back on bike training time for maybe 3 weeks. Then it was back to normal. No big deal. I am convinced that these things will be a big help this year. I will only be able to ride them 3 weeks out of the month through much of the year. I will be on the road 1 week out of the month and will not be able to bring my bike. Fortunately, I will likely be home on saturdays for my long ride. However, during my travel weeks I will catch spin classes and ride a stationary bike. Just got back from a week on the road (no bike and no PCs). Did a couple of spin classes. The ride on my PCs today went great. Best ride yet. Didn’t loose anything by doing spin classes last week. Dont expect any negatives from spending some time off the PCs this year. Time will tell.
Bottom line, your experience may vary. TTN went 100 miles on ride 3 so to say that there is no way you can be back to normal riding in a month is BS. Some people will be back to normal sooner than that. 1 month was about my experience. I fully expect that some will take longer than that. Try them, if you don’t like them, send them back for a refund.
Mike P.
I am surprised that, after 20 months, you still find the PC’s harder than normal cranks. I take it you are not using them exclusively but, also, take it you are pleased with them. How are you using them? Why do you feel this is better than using them exclusively?
Do you think you could drop your running mileage even further if you increased your PC mileage? Or, have you not considered this possibility?
Frank
The PC’s are on my road bike and I ride on them 90% of the time. Most of the PC rides are long slow base miles. I do speed work, fast group rides and race on normal cranks. I am extremely pleased with the PC’s and think my cycling will continue to improve. I do not know why I can ride at faster speeds and generate more power with a lower heart rate on normal cranks as compared to the PC’s. I hope to be able to ride them on fast group rides late this season.
Yes, I think you can drop your running mileage down even further. The first five months I had the PC’s (and the reason I bought them) was because a bad back prevented me from running. I rode six times a week and ran 0. The only time I ran was in races. I have slowly added back some running mileage, but still consider the PC’s as running and biking training. Five rides a week and two days running is my plan for this year.
ktalon: "One hour, 38 minutes, 40 seconds on a mildly hilly half marathon in temperatures below 20 degrees. "
Good on ya mate! I had my long-anticipated half mary today. Went through 10 miles in 1:18. Right on track for a 1:42 or so. And then the wheels came off like I’ve never experienced. I took 30 minutes to go the final 3.1 miles. I just had no gas in the tank. Legs felt ok, but I just bonked hard. I had that overwhelming feeling of “I just really want to lie down and sleep.” I guess I’m not quite over the flu yet.
Or, maybe I just suck…
Nah! I’ll just keep running.
What? PC’s don’t cure the after-effects of the flu? I’ve been robbed! Man, you must be one of those crazy triathletes that don’t know when to take a rest! (I would have done the same thing!) Sorry to hear about the bonk…sounds like you’d have done just fine without the flu-bug sucking your energy.
I looked at my splits, and although I started the first miles about where I wanted, with splits just over 7 minutes, I ran five in a row at about 6:47. Then I felt I’d better throttle back and started talking to other runners. Before I knew it, I had an 8:50 and a 7:45! Hard to make up those slow miles. Since I wasn’t sure of how much energy I’d have, I just slowly ramped the speed back up. My last two miles were 7:07 and 7:00. I could have run them faster if my calves and right hammy held up…but, they were very sore, and I didn’t want to cramp. The thing is, my hip flexors were allowing me to get as fast a leg turnover as my weakest muscles could take…got to be the PC training! I’m really looking forward to working on shortening my stride and relying upon faster turnover for speed, now that I have that ability.
Well, I’d better go swim today…to give those legs a rest. But, later on, I’m going to visit the rollers on my PC’s for the first time! Should be fun! (See what I mean about those crazy triathlete types!)