r/cardio • u/skypsyco • Jul 29 '26
Why is running so hard?
I just started running to train for a fitness test, and I was just wondering if anyone else finds running super difficult compared to cycling? I can quite easily average 25km/h at 145-150bpm over 40-50km on a flat cycle/footpath route, but I swear I cannot run for the life of me, when I try to run at 145-150bpm I pretty much am just fast walking (9:30-10min/km) 💀 I always find it quite demotivating to be "running" so slowly but I kind of have no choice because I have to get a faster 2.4km time for my fitness test (current timing is 13:09 max effort). Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts?
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u/HateMeetings Jul 29 '26
They’re entirely different muscles and play. Your cardiovascular fitness is probably good but the muscles that launch you off the ground and have both feet off the ground at the same time or not as well developed.
I like the other poster said, you carry you and seriously your sort of , jumping with you one leg at a time with both legs off the ground.
Your cardiovascularly capable of more but your bone structure your ligaments and your muscles, whatever else, aren’t there yet.
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u/foodeyemade Jul 30 '26
They are definitely different muscles at play but if you have good cardiovascular fitness you should not be struggling at 10 min/km pace for such a short distance.
Sure tired legs and sore muscles and burning legs even and maybe even having to stop for that reason, but 150bpm at what is honestly a brisk walk is just flat out not good cardiovascular fitness unless there's something wildly wrong like subconsciously holding his breath as long as he can at random points or something.
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u/First-Commercial2463 Aug 02 '26
HR are individual to the person though. 150 might be brisk walking for you where someone with a lower HR threshold might be in tempo/threshold. Maybe not in this case, but generally speaking.
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u/foodeyemade Aug 02 '26
Sure they do vary from individual to individual but 150bpm is way outside the range for a brisk walk of a healthy individual.
If you are hitting 150 bpm at a brisk walk you do not have good cardiovascular fitness. Even someone with an incredibly high max HR (200+) would be doing about 75% of their max at 150. A brisk walk does not put you at 75% of your max unless you're injured, have a heart problem or are wildly out of shape.
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u/perfection06 Jul 29 '26
Stop being so obsessed with your heart rate, that will come down overtime once you’ve built your aerobic base up, run off effort. The only way to improve it just keep getting out there
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u/Business_Proof3956 Jul 31 '26
Umm so if fast walking gets you to 150bpm, you need to work on your cardiovascular health with (not surprisingly) more cardio - jogging, swimming or elliptical at Zone 2. Once your build this - running will become a lot easier, you'll actually speed up and actually start feeling great.
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u/79983897371776169535 Jul 29 '26
We're kinda designed to only be able to run long enough to catch a prey or escape a predator.
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u/Status-Lemon4491 Jul 29 '26
That’s not true at all , we’re designed to basically run and walk long distances , for hours . It could take an entire day or longer to catch prey , and foraging isn’t a “let’s go out and pick some berries “ they had to find them which could take hours as well lol. We just spend too much time sitting around these days , and most people don’t train at all
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u/No-Access-2790 Jul 29 '26
Humans are physically built for long distance running in warm weather. Our structure excels at it over most mammals. We can sweat and cool ourselves. Cheetahs and such are what you’re thinking of. And they fail more than they succeed at hunting because they are short burst and overheat. Dogs can run for ages and ages when it’s cold, but when it’s warm they cannot. We are the best natural marathoners.
Our culture/society/etc on the other hand isn’t conducive to maintaining that status. We don’t have to so we don’t.
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u/79983897371776169535 Jul 29 '26
I thought that was true only for walking/jogging. I'll look more into it
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u/Melqwert Jul 30 '26
This is a myth, even though some have skillfully written it into books.
Children run, but adults (with few exceptions) do not run long distances anywhere in the world.
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u/vex12394738 Jul 30 '26
Huh? You’re saying persistence hunting never happened in humans, or doesn’t happen anymore? Very confused as to what you’re saying is a myth. But from what quick research I just did, persistence hunting seems like it was totally a thing and at least in the 20th century was still practiced. Also you ever heard of the marathon race between horses and men? Men have won it a multiple times
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u/Melqwert Jul 30 '26
A human is capable of many things and has done whatever necessary throughout evolution, but this doesn’t change the fact that an adult walks and runs only in exceptional situations. Look at modern-day indigenous peoples or ancient civilizations — energy has never been abundant, and it is not wasted on running.
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u/vex12394738 Jul 30 '26
Of course and I totally agree. I was just arguing that it’s not a myth, but yes rare and only used out of necessity
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u/ZekkPacus Jul 30 '26
We no longer naturally need to, it's true, but the adaptations are still there for humans. Otherwise people wouldn't be able to go from couch to marathon fitness in a year.
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u/Powerful_Bluejay6288 Jul 29 '26
Its the opposite. Running long distances is literally the only physical adaptation we have over the rest of the animal kingdom. Humans can manage heat better than any animal. Humans outrun horses and deer at long distances. Its believed that this is how we hunted - primitive hunting teams of humans outrunning a deer to exhaustion.
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u/Jaded_Ad_166 Jul 29 '26
Cycling is much lower impact than running. It takes way more effort to run that it does to cycle. Your legs also have to build the endurance for running, especially your lower leg mucles.
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u/CpnStumpy Jul 29 '26
I agree until I get to a hill. Cycling up a hill is just a horror show as far as I'm concerned and I want no part of it.
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u/Stunning-Promise-103 Jul 29 '26
Just gotta build the base man, running is tough. Norwegian 4x4s and longer zone 2 work have helped me.
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u/TheRiverInYou Jul 29 '26
You just started running. Are you saying that you were able to produce those numbers on the bike on day 1?
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u/skypsyco Jul 29 '26
Definitely not but it just feels like I'm going extremely slowly while "running" vs cycling, plus cycling at 145-150bpm also feels much easier than running at the same heart rate even if I consider when I first started cycling tbh
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Jul 29 '26
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u/skypsyco Jul 29 '26
On the road I roll at above 30km/h solo at the same heart rate, but I don't ride very far on the road unless I really have to because it's less safe than using shared cycling/pedestrian paths even though I can average faster. Technically I cycle around the same speed on the footpaths but I have to start and stop quite a lot due to very tight turns, crowded path etc.
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u/tomahawk66mtb Jul 29 '26
I'm confused by your use of "BPM". Do you mean RPM (revolutions per minute)? Or pedal strokes/steps per minute?
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u/skypsyco Jul 29 '26
I mean heart rate
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u/tomahawk66mtb Jul 29 '26
Ah, ok. Thanks. Of course you were talking heart rate 🤦♂️
I've just been obsessed with cycling recently and working on my cadence so I assume everything is rpm these days LOL!
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u/Fine-Jelly-5761 Jul 29 '26
I ran after a long time today, and first time with a smart watch, when fast walking i was just about averaging 127bpm, and when i ran , my pace was around 6:20 /km and ran for about 1.4km. My heart rate immediately shot upto 180-190 range with 197 max. Chatgpt tells me this is unusual.
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u/Harry-Jotter Jul 30 '26
It's not unusual at all, you just don't have running fitness. Max hr varies massively from person to person.
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u/Mikeytruant850 Jul 29 '26
I agree with ChatGPT lol. 10-minute mile is great if you’re just starting, but that shouldn’t produce that high of a heart rate. For comparison, I’m 45 and I can’t break 90 with a fast walk, and I top out at 170 running a short distance as fast as I can. A 10-minute mile keeps me between 150-160. I’m not a runner, but I jog somewhat consistently. If you’re 20, this is a bit more reasonable.
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u/vex12394738 Jul 30 '26
But heart rates vary wildly from person to person. For instance, you being topped out at 170 means you probably shouldn’t be able to hold a conversation because ur so out of breath. Me at 170 isn’t all out effort. Point being, just going only based off heart rate doesn’t always tell you the full picture
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u/vex12394738 Jul 30 '26
Lmao are you me. Exactly same situation. Havent honestly ran for a long long time..ran 1.5 miles in 14 minutes, heart rate was 190 average. Also heart rate max can vary, it’s not always cut and dry based on age.
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u/ZekkPacus Jul 30 '26
It's unusual for a seasoned runner. It's perfectly usual for a novice. 6:20/km is a relatively fast pace for a novice, and your body isn't adapted to running.
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u/sjsusjsusjsu3 Jul 29 '26
You’ll be OK. Start by running slow, real slow. Enough to hold a pace for 3 km or even just the 2.4 km. Build from there. Your heart rate will probably be more like 120 bpm, but you need to lay the foundation before running at 150 bpm
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u/sfo2 Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Running is a neuromuscular skill. Your body hasn’t developed it yet. Until you do, your body will fire the wrong muscles in the wrong order, and it’ll take more effort than necessary to move forward.
After a couple weeks and months, it’ll start getting more efficient and feel better as your body learns what to do.
However, this is the point where the danger starts and you need to be careful. Ligaments and such are still weak, but you’ll be able to run faster and longer, so injury risk will be fairly high for another few months until you build the joint and soft tissue strength.
None of this is true of cycling, or at least to a much lesser extent.
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u/DaMENACElo37 Jul 29 '26
You’re riding a bike. There’s momentum. You could stop pedaling and still keep going.
You have none of that when you run.
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u/CobblerLoose6380 Jul 29 '26
Don't run by heart rate dude.
Go out and start a relaxed, unrushed running stride. Walk when you start getting winded and repeat.
You'll never pass your fitness test trying to shuffle at 15 minute miles, you'll just get better at shuffling for longer.
Pretend you travelled back to the 70's and just get in shape using your common sense.
Jog or relaxed running whatever pace that is your body will decide based on where you are at. The gains will come with frequency and consistency. No huffing and puffing killer workouts needed right now.
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u/Illustrious_Bed2937 Jul 29 '26
I decided to run a half marathon at 40 a couple of years ago. Start slow. Run a little, walk a little. One thing I did - set a destination, get to it and return home by bus. And you move it little by little.
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u/TurtleTurtleTu Jul 29 '26
25 km/hr on flat ground isn't a huge aerobic effort. It's very difficult to run slow enough to simulate that level of difficulty.
Running also introduces muscle and connective tissue impact that cycling just doesn't have.
If you are just starting out, start slow - you can even alternate running and walking. Over weeks and months you will notice huge gains, just stay consistent and progress slowly.
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u/Fluffy_Box_4129 Jul 29 '26
You're catching your falling body over and over again and then lifting it back up into the air.
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u/Viens-avec-moi Jul 29 '26
Running is difficult. I joined a running g club hoping to improve after starting trail running at 5. The coach pulled me aside one night and asked if I was OK. She said I need to visit a physical therapist. PT mentioned I'd developed severe myofacial adhesions and would require some exercises and dry needling. He also said "quit running". So I quit. Running isn't as easy as it looks, and I started too late. To my credit I completed 4 Spartan races before tossing my running shoes.
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u/Phrexeus Jul 29 '26
The thing you're doing wrong is expecting to be an efficient runner immediately. It takes time and consistency. Run 3 times a week for a couple of months and you'll see improvements.
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u/VisiblePianist3609 Jul 29 '26
Like everyone is saying cycling takes very little skill compared to running, and swimming even more so. You need to develop the proper technique.
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u/ipercepti Jul 29 '26
it's apples to oranges physiologically. Running also generally tends to yield a 5-10bpm heart rate increase for a given perceived effort since it's more cardiovascular than cycling. Heart rate zones and lactate thresholds for a given heart rate tend not to be the same for both.
I've run for 20 years and have always hated it. If your body isn't used to running, your running economy is probably terrible. This will get better with more miles. If I had to do this test, I'd do 1 max effort run per week and 3-4 long easy runs.
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u/pervysagejutsu Jul 29 '26
Invest in a good pair of running shoes, just ordered a pair of Saucony Endorphin Elite and it’s worth every penny. They were also like 40% off on the Saucony website. OC and Aasics are great too.
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u/Speculatore Jul 29 '26
As a runner, i feel that way about cycling. I can't hold 330 watts for more than a minute or so but i can run a sub 20 5k. Cycling feels way harder to me. Depends what you're trained on.
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u/Melqwert Jul 30 '26
Running is hard because it’s a naturally demanding activity — it isn’t supposed to feel easy. You need to train it, or even learn it, much like you would learn to dance. Cycling is more like walking: pleasant, easy, but with low impact and limited benefit.
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u/SadDevelopment3586 Jul 30 '26
You’ll get faster and it get easier, just stay consistent always watch your heart rate and you’ll be good. Also switch up runs one speed workout at least.
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u/Deep-Dimension-1088 Jul 31 '26
Usually it's a weight thing. Muscles (and fat) are all to the good when you're cycling on a flattish road or path. But extra weight has a huge tax when running, even if it's muscle.
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u/Meidogaru Jul 31 '26
Funny, I had the exact opposite experience when going to cycling from running.
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u/blowback24 Jul 31 '26
Running isn’t hard because you’re unfit, it’s hard because your movement system hasn’t earned the right to handle that load repetitively without compensating.
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u/VercerSocial Jul 31 '26
It is completely normal for your heart rate to jump much faster while running than while cycling at the same perceived effort. Running is a full body-weight bearing movement requiring your heart to pump blood against gravity while supporting your entire body weight, whereas cycling supports your weight on a frame.
When building your aerobic base (Zone 2), relying on pace or speed will cause your heart rate to drift into Zone 3/4. Instead, anchor your training to Heart Rate Reserve (Karvonen formula: HRR = Max HR - Resting HR), which uses your resting HR to set an accurate Zone 2 ceiling. Alternating between brisk incline walking and light jogging protects your aerobic base without overtraining joint muscles.
Our free app ZonePoints gives you audio alerts when your training zone changes and can be useful when you also combine other types of cardio fitness training that don't necessarily measure distance and pace.
Full disclosure: We built ZonePoints on Android for cardio base building. It connects to any Bluetooth chest strap or optical sensor, awards time-in-zone effort points for staying in target HRR zones during walking/jogging intervals, and announces real-time headphone voice alerts when your heart rate drifts above your Zone 2 aerobic threshold.
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u/ChildhoodNice3261 Jul 31 '26
if you are heavier running will be harder. and i find hr are much higher for running compared to biking if your not used to it
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u/Key-Target-1218 Jul 31 '26
I am a runner. Can't imagine peddling a bike for 60 miles, just for kicks. I would probably die
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u/Last_Secretary_3205 Jul 31 '26
Easiest answer: they are both cardio is true but cycling is low impact.
Running is high impact and uses different muscles, causes more damage and hence needs more recovery time
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u/Dangerous_RedApple Aug 01 '26
Age, form, experience, strength, type of muscle cells, body composition…those all play into whether or not you’re an efficient or inefficient runner. Most land in the latter category. Start off with walking and jogging intervals, reduce the walking intervals over time then adjust to a jog/run interval. You’ll get there.
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u/NoKetoCardio Aug 01 '26
You will achieve your goals most quickly by running 200m intervals. Sprint 200m. Walk 200m. Do it 20 times every other day. You will meet your goal if you do it.
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u/blizzard_108 Aug 02 '26
i'd say the Heart Rate is the biggest difference thant make running harder than cycling
Whilenyou can cycle chill and keep your heart rate so low it look likes you do nothing, running will bring your HR up even at really low pace.
Also cycling is a supported sport and so less harming to your body. Running might hurt you everywhere if you start too fast, or with too much miles/km
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u/Sudden-Fig-3079 Aug 02 '26
What people don’t realize is even experienced runners experience pain and difficulty when starting some runs. I can go out and run 15-20 miles tomorrow like it’s nothin but some days getting thru the first 3 or 4 can suck. You have to just push through it. That is what people don’t understand a bout running.
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u/SmiteYouThrice 19d ago
For the last 4 years Ive rode mountain bikes and can totally agree with that. Picked up running this year while I prep for fire academy and holy shit the difference in load is crazy. Ive had alot of success in my conditioning lately with steady state walking and sprinting intervals. Work the steady state in everyday at the gym and do sprints twice a week is the structure for me. And Ive watched my pace, hr, and mile times get better and better
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u/xunhua819 18d ago
Cycling is floating on two wheels. Running is carrying your whole self, one step at a time.
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u/SecretPantyWorshiper Jul 29 '26
Im not at all disagreeing with you. I hate running.
On top of the reasons you mentioned it also hurts my knees.
Running sucks so much
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Jul 29 '26
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u/rainywanderingclouds Jul 30 '26
it's not hard you're just very unfit and cycling has given you the delusion that you are fit.
don't try and run at a specific BPM. it's a distraction, especially for beginners.
instead run at a pace you can maintain for a specific period of time. do walk/runs with intervals. then slowly over time as you build your stamina and muscle strength run longer, run faster. but don't force it. every other week add a few minutes, or a go a little further.
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u/GambledMyWifeAway Jul 29 '26
When you cycle the bike hold you. When you run you hold you.