Running and climbing can coexist...Right?

Most of us are lifestyle climbers, so is there any reason why you shouldn't go for a few jogs each week if it improves your mental health?
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I run at least every other day, it certainly does not hurt my climbing.

Yes...and no. I actually started running to support my climbing habit. As I began to expand my climbing to alpine areas, I quickly found that being based in Texas was a major drag. So I started running regularly to boost my cardio, allowing me to function side by side with my more acclimated partners. In this case it greatly improved my climbing ability. Not just at altitude. Even at lower elevations being in good running shape helps to fight the pump by clearing the muscles of lactic acid more quickly and supplying the muscles with more oxygen, faster.

However, I soon discovered that I actually like running too. As a result, I typically take it to the extreme once or twice a year and train up for an ultra-marathon or two. These require big milage weeks of the 50-60 miles per week variety. During these times my climbing definitely suffers. I loose muscle mass in my arms, chest, and shoulders making me weaker. My hamstrings always have this base level of soreness which makes overhanging terrain very tough.

The best of these worlds is about a three week period as I am transitioning from heavy climbing to heavy running. There is a sweet spot when I'm still strong, but start loosing mass and become lighter just as my cardio is ramping up. I find that is around 25-30 miles a week.

For years, I thought running would help climbing and I ran veraciously. But Mike Anderson's Rock Prodigy book makes the point that running actually does nothing to help climbing muscles (contrary to what the previous post said) and it can actually hinder serious rock training. Running can tax the body and make your training sessions less effective. You'd be better off resting up for your next ARC/strength/power endurance session.

Personally, I significantly improved my climbing once I gave up running and poured all that energy into rock training. Of-course, Alpine climbing with huge approaches could require a different skill set and the Rock Prodigy book admits that.

Depends on your goals and how far (as well as fast) you want to push your personal climbing potential.
As Aaron points out, at some point along the training continuum running becomes a waste of time and resources that could be more efficiently applied elsewhere.

Running may not improve your climbing muscles, but the resulting weight loss can make your climbing muscles feel much stronger.

For me, personally, I think running benefits my overall climbing day.

Even for alpine climbing, running doesn't help that much. Rarely are you doing any running, mostly hiking. It's great cardio for transition and base phases but is useless when applying sport-specific exercise. At altitude, studies consistently show that acclimatization is mostly a genetic predisposition, although training and having a good base cardio sure doesn't hurt.

I do some trail running. The vertical gain as well as the rough terrain helps my cardio as well as my ankles. However, I avoid running on roads. Climbing is fun, but running is work!!

I run because these guys would be grumpy if we don't. I'll admit that I do enjoy the chemical high of a good run.

Climbing and anything (even crazy over eating) can co exist, but as many have pointed out they may not allow to reach your full climbing potential. That being said, if you aren't training solely for climbing, its a good idea to sample other forms of exercise, it will help reduce over use injuries, can help keep you fresh (new challenges stimulate and keep us sharp) i weight train and play soccer regularly, in the winter i snowboard, xc ski and snowshoe, this winter i plan to incorporate more climbing specific training because i would like to really push my climbing this coming spring. I would argue that for alot/most of us put there, mixing it up in regards to sports activities is a worthwhile thing to do, for those with very specific goals - not so much.

I wouldent expect running to do much for your climbing, except on the approach or maybe if you're speed climbing. As far as losing weight, that is much more easily obtained with fasting and healthy eating habits (although the best option is exercise and eating healthy). A large Costco pizza, which many people will eat entirely on a day or two, is about 3800Cal. You would have to run about 35 miles if you weigh 155 lbs to burn that off. So what's easier, just not eating a pizza or running 35 miles?

As to the original question, is there any reason not to run? Well, it wont "hurt" climbing, but dont expect to climb that much harder just because you took up running. That said, I love running and do both, but for completely different reasons. I run to stay fit for my job, I climb for fun.

my dogs cant climb, and there's no better time to be alone with your thoughts than on a nice long trail run...

I would be interested in how Roger Briggs would answer this question.