Running

People have asked why I run and especially why I post about running on my cycling blog. Well here is the story:

I hate to run but it is the one activity I have found that sheds weight faster than anything else I have done. It is super easy to do it, just a pair of good running shoes and some appropriate clothing will get you out the door. You can adjust the effort on the fly depending on how you feel or add/subtract distance. When all else fails you can always walk.

Running, in regards to cycling helps the opposite muscle groups in the leg. So why would I want work them out? They are good for 2 reasons. One, they help in the aspect of climbing ability where the pull stroke comes into play for an easier spin and consistent power/torque up and incline. Also, they can serve as reserve muscles to give the primary muscles a rest. To do this takes some training as the "spin" is essentially reversed - pull strokes rather than push.

Above all that, running in general can burn more calories and generally hits the cardio harder than cycling in the same amount of time. That being said, there is still no substitute for saddle time. Especially when butt-toughness is what you're after.