6 reasons running is better than cycling

Many runners end up cycling at one point or another. If you’ve run for a long time, there’s a high probability that you’ve sustained an injury and been forced to spend some time on two wheels. While cycling is a great sport and a great way to stay fit, for many reasons, running remains the superior endurance activity. Here’s why:

Racing is straightforward

If you’re in a running race, chances are if you’re the fittest person in the group, you will also be the winner. If you’re in a cycling race, fitness matters to a certain point, but there’s a whole lot of luck, risk and tactics involved.

It takes way less time

There are only so many hours in the day that you can run without breaking yourself, which means that runners just can’t train for the same amount of time as cyclists. Running is a significantly more efficient mode of exercise if you’re time-crunched.

The gear is way cheaper (and there’s way less of it)

You would have to walk into a running store and say, “do your worst” for your total to hit $1,000 for an outfit. But when you walk into a bike shop, asking to use the washroom costs you roughly one hundred dollars.

You can run anywhere

Obviously some locations are better than others, but for the most part you can run anywhere. Major cities, no problem. Middle of nowhere, even better. On a bike, traffic plays a big factor as to where you can get a good ride in–but thankfully when you’re on two feet you’re not as limited.

Also, it’s way easier to run when travelling, because shoes take up about 99 per cent less space than cycling equipment. Another bonus, you don’t have to lie and say they’re ‘art’ when checking your over-sized bag and looking to avoid a fee.

Runners don’t care about how they look

Cyclists care deeply about “the look.” They want the latest and greatest gear, and they want it all to match. And not just match their outfit, but match their bike. Runners, on the other hand, can appreciate a nice garment, but we don’t really care if our headband doesn’t match the soles of our shoes. We’re a pretty low-maintenance bunch.

Runners don’t crash

Most cyclists have had a bad wipeout at least once, but wiping out while running is like a baseball fight: it almost never happens, and when it does, people are shocked.