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Originally Posted by BoxingFanNoMore
Supporting your body weight has nothing to with, in fact that is one of the disadvantages of running becuase its harder on your joints. Standing still requires you to support your body weight, but yet you do not create any mechanical energy or do any work.
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Supporting your bodyweight does in fact have everything to do with it. You are recruiting more muscle fibers by supporting your body and moving it through the desired distance as opposed to cycling where you recruit primarily the muscles of the lower extremities. Run a mile one day and track your heart rate. Cycle a mile one day and track your heart rate. Compare the two and you will see there is a big difference in heart rate levels, providing you tried to keep a relatively comparable pace.
I prefer cycling when I'm not concerned with sport specific training. It has a lower intensity and yes it is easier on the joints of the lower extremities. The key is finding what works for you. Research and theories are guides, they aren't substitutes for personal experience.