Whether you're planning to do a marathon, three peaks, a triathlon or are just planning a walking or cycling holiday, most people have a fitness goal for 2017.

A good way to train or build fitness for these goals, while still going easy on the joints, is cycling. You may be wondering how cycling can make you a better runner or help you achieve a longer distance but there are lots of reasons to either start with cycling or combine it in your current training regime.

Better for the joints and bones

While running is a high impact activity doing too much too fast or not building up to it can put increased pressure or strain on bones or joints ultimately leading to injury. Cycling is a lot easier on the bones and joints ultimately leading to injury. Cycling is a lot easier on the bones and joints and is a great way to improve fitness and stamina. It can be used as a start point to building up fitness before you begin running or incorporate it into your current regime.

It's time efficient

You could leave the car at home and fit cycling in to your morning commute. If you're someone who struggles to find time to exercise, choosing a bike as your new method of transport is a great way to save time and money.

Cardio

While a low impact exercise (depending on incline) it will improve fitness and endurance meaning you'd be able to walk, run. hike or swim for a longer period of time.

Builds muscle

As you probably already know hiking, swimming and running use both upper and lower body muscles. The primary muscles used are your leg muscles and the more lean muscle you build in your legs the better your run or walk will be and it makes injury a lot less likely. Cycling can help you build more muscles than those targeted in running and walking. These muscles will compliment your main running muscles to help improve your strength form and (by a small amount) speed.

If it is running, walking, swimming that you're wanting to improve then you will need to incorporate these in to your training regime with a particular focus on them. Cycling is a great form of secondary exercise to include to help you meet your overall fitness goals.