Sat-Sun: Bike-Run or Run-Bike

I've done it both ways....but prefer to run, first.

YMMV

If you are a weaker runner do it Saturday as you will be fresher and will run better.

Personally I would run on Sunday, especially if you been primarily focusing on running.  I have been doing the same and running much more during the week and using Saturday as active recovery on the bike and then my long run on Sunday. 

If I were run-focused I would do the run first.  There's basically no way you can have the same high quality run after 75-100 miles on the bike the day before.

(My view on the long run is that it is NOT 'slow and easy, conversational pace'.  I save that stuff for my mid-week runs.  My long runs are normally done with some -- not a lot, but some -- intensity.  If you are a LSD kind of guy, then I don't think it makes much difference.)

ETA: For tri training, I generally (but not always, like this weekend) do bike first.  I still do most of my long runs at a quality effort, but not as much as if I hadn't biked the day before.  These are the compromises we make for tri...

Edited by Experior 2010-09-17 8:07 PM

OK- well, I'm glad there wasn't some obvious answer that I'm missing.  

Here's my decision: I'll cycle tomorrow, just because I've done a lot of running already this week and want to ride my bike tomorrow.  Plus, I have a little more time in my day on Saturday than Sunday.  If I feel too fatigued for my Sunday long run, then I'll just cut it from 16mi to 12 or so.  My next distance running race isn't until Nov, and I've already got plenty of hay in the barn for that, so I don't need to cram in last minute mileage.

I've decided to concentrate on running this winter- because it's a lot easier to get up and run in the cold and dark, than it is to cycle in the cold and dark.

Run-Bike

I feel like it works better for my body and it works better with my schedule. Saturdays are too busy to go out for 2 or 3 hours. Sundays I have a little more wiggle room because we can go to late church or even an evening service. 

Unless there's a compelling scheduling reason otherwise, I run Saturdays and ride Sundays.  As per one of the posters above, if I do it the other way round I think that my run suffers a little.

Whatever you do, do it early.  Going to be a hot weekend.  But I'd run first since it's your focus

First thing my "run guy" told me when I signed up for the HM was........don't compromise the quality of your long runs.

Food for thought.

Given a long run/bike split between Saturday and Sunday, to avoid overuse injuries, you should long run on Saturday (fresh legs) and long bike on Sunday. Cycling on tired legs is less stress on your legs than running on tired legs.

Cycling on Saturday, running on Sunday is not a brick, and does not work like a brick - you are not getting "brick" benefits for it. Long run on fresh legs...

Edited by tjtryon 2010-09-18 9:24 AM

Thanks Coach.  Guess I did it wrong. Rode almost 5 hrs this morning.   If my legs aren't feeling up to it tomorrow- I'll ease back on the mileage and pace so I don't hurt myself.  I'm trying to be more in-tune with my body.

I wasn't thinking 'brick'.   Just wondering if there's a general rule as to which comes first.  

Is there another argument to be made that learning to run on tired legs will train your body for that last 6 miles of a marathon?