[matthew]

Is it possible to train long distance running and to maintain a decent power base for pulling through overhangs and the like?

I've recently started upping my running/cycling milage and have seen my upper body strength decrease due to lack of training etc. If I'm going to keep some form of power to seperate me from those who can't campus board when should I train? Can I do a run(10miles) followed by a power session or will it confuse my muscle recovery? Should I dedicate different days to upperbody muscle building and running and cycling?

I hope that makes sense,
Matt

[Monolith]

Matthew, I'm currently involved with such a routine myself. I'll bow down to the knowledge of the forum's resident sports science knowledge but I've found separating days to be much more productive. For instance, if I run 8 miles cross country on the monday, I'll hit power pulls and/or hangs on the tuesday which leaves me able to run the wednesday etc etc.

Like I say, I'm just speaking from experience but currently feel like this schedule works well for me.

[jfw]

do you want to train both? or train one and maintain the other?

depending how hard you are training (at either sport) it doesn't necessarily work swapping "legs" to "arms". there's quite a lot of core involved in both (obvious for steep climbing - but also becomes more apparent in running as you up the distance).

the other thing to remember is that you need glycogen to exercise, and you need to replenish the glycogen in between bouts. now in general your body doesn't know care that  it's your arms rather than your legs using the juice - it still has to find the juice.

if you want to recuperate/ recruit from a session/work out you need to give your body a chance to do that - that's not to say you can't build up to training every day - but that even if you do, its still worth doing alternately hard and easy days or hard and rest days.

if you want to maintain a level of climbing you should be able to do so on one or two sessions a week.

strength training is generally understood to inhibit rate of aerobic improvement - that's not to say you won't improve - you just won't improve (aerobically) as quickly.

any way don't listen to me i just ended up not climbing i was enjoying running/biking so much.

[webbo]

when i was a young man i.e. late 30s i used to run 10 miles in the morning then go on the board in the evening.i never felt running effected my upper body strength.   

[Snoops]

I love my fell running, and it has only made me a better climber. As long as your climbing regularly It only helps the power to weight. In fact half of the dark peak fell runners are climbers, some of them strong ones! Climbing up all the lake fells is great calf training for standing on all those little edges 

[jfw]

webbo - i would always try do climbing before running if doing them both in one day

i could do a steady longish run then climb - but if i was putting in efforts/hills - i wouldn't be able to train power after.

its all very individual 

also worth bearing in mind what your particular circumstances are - ie length of working day:training time available

 every one is different in terms of training load - so what your mate can do, isn't necessarily the same training load that you can sustain. in fact replace training load with stress load and remember to remember that other stressors like work stress and family stress can take it out of you as well as training (ie if your having a stressful time at work, you might need to scale back training to avoid getting run down).

webbo is a hard man - and i am a feeble girly (with the immune system of a dead hamster) 

[webbo]

these days running across the road is probably beyond me.i do find that if i cycle before climbing i lose what little body tension i have.