REN's training engine evaluates and adapts your plan based on your running activities — and now also takes cycling activities into account, including power data.
We fully acknowledge that different types of training can be hugely beneficial for runners. Strength workouts, cycling, and other endurance sports can improve durability, reduce injury risk, and build aerobic fitness with less impact.
Why cycling, and why power?
Cycling is a natural fit for multi-sport support because the training load can be quantified accurately — especially when power data is available. Thanks to the expertise and technology behind the JOIN Cycling app, REN has a unique advantage in understanding cycling load and how it interacts with your running training.
With power data from your rides, REN can reliably assess the cardiovascular and muscular cost of a cycling session and factor that into your overall training load and recovery.
Experience level still matters
A key consideration is that the same cycling workout can have a very different impact depending on who you are:
- For a very experienced cyclist, a session might be relatively routine and easy to absorb.
- For a less experienced cyclist, the same session can be far more stressful and require more recovery.
REN accounts for this, so your plan adapts based on how cycling actually affects you — not just the raw numbers.
What about other sports?
Properly factoring in all types of non-running training isn't as simple as "add it to the total." Different sports create different kinds of stress and recovery cost, and that varies per person:
- Strength training can add significant fatigue without looking like "cardio"
- Two workouts with the same duration can have very different training effects depending on intensity and structure
We're actively working on expanding multi-sport support further. Our priority is to deliver plans that are safe and effective, not to rush a half-solution.
Specificity remains key
REN still follows a core performance principle: specificity. If your goal is to become a better runner, the most important input is your running training. Cycling is now included as a valuable complementary signal, but running remains the foundation of your plan. This ensures:
- Thresholds, paces, and progression stay consistent
- Workouts remain appropriate and predictable
- Adaptations are based on the most goal-relevant data
What you should do
- Keep logging your cycling activities — REN now uses them to understand your overall load.
- Make sure your bike is connected with a power meter for the most accurate load estimation.
- Keep doing strength training and other cross-training if it supports your running.
- Use REN's running plan as your "spine," and treat other sports as supportive training.
- Always log your in-app feedback (how it felt / self-evaluation), especially in weeks with extra non-running training — this helps REN interpret your readiness.
As REN continues to expand multi-sport support, you'll see additional activity types reflected more accurately in your training guidance.