Strength training for runners

A little strength work goes a long way.

In last week’s newsletter introducing the Four Pillars concept, we talked a lot about food and sleep. This week, let’s focus on strength training. 

You know how some runners don’t enjoy working out? Not me. I love working out. 

Embracing a strength training program was one of the key decisions I made as a runner. I’ve been fortunate to avoid major injuries (knock on the world’s largest block of wood), and I believe my workout program is a big reason why. I’m much stronger than when I started training, especially in notoriously weak runner areas like glutes, hips, hamstrings, quads, and lower back. 

There’s a fine line between building muscle and overtaxing my system. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that the line keeps changing all the time and I can’t always resist tiptoeing over the edge ever so slightly. I usually wind up regretting it later, but not always. There is something to be said for pushing my limits and not becoming complacent. (See how easy it is to talk myself into doing more?) 

At the same time, I’ve tried to be more proactive than reactive and a lot of my workouts could be considered “prehab.” Toward the other end of the fitness spectrum, being proactive also means exhibiting restraint. For example, I haven’t done pushups in six months because of persistent pain in my left shoulder whenever I do too many pushups. 

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my 40s is understanding the need to dial things back during hard periods of training by reducing the number of sets or focusing on form instead of reps. Give yourself permission to bag a workout if you’re not feeling it, or if your body feels overly sore. Better an empty workout space in your training log than a week without running. 

Done at the right volume and intensity, however, I’ve found that strength training is a wonderful complement to my running. Building functional strength took years of dedication and consistency, but it also required flexibility and a willingness to adapt to my body’s needs. This instinct to work out by feel seems to be backed by a recent study that investigated perceived effort. As Alex Hutchinson writes for Outside: 

“You can figure out your limits by trial and error, but those limits are going to keep shifting from week to week if your training program is working. Ideally, you want to be able to reliably anticipate failure in real time before it happens. You want to be able to feel it.” 

BIG IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

I’m not a fitness instructor or physical therapist. Use caution and restraint when starting a new workout routine and take the time to learn proper form. Go slow, think good form more than lots of reps. As you progress, think about quality reps more than heavy weight. 

Rather than continue to talk in generalities about my routine, let’s get into some details. I run 4-5 times a week and average 3-4 strength training workouts during that span. I time my workouts to take place on days when I’m not running or on easy days, say 4-6 miles at a relaxed pace. 

So, my training schedule looks something like this: 

• Monday: Run 8-10 miles (Maybe planks, but otherwise no workout) 

• Tuesday: Easy run, 4-6 miles (Workout + Wobble board) 

• Wednesday: Run 8-10 miles (No workout)

• Thursday: No run (Workout + Ankles Bands)

• Friday: Long run, 2-5 hours (No workout)

• Saturday: No run (Yoga with some core)

• Sunday: Easy run or power hike, 4-6 miles (Workout + Wobble Board)

Note that Saturday yoga practice is as close to a genuine rest day as I get. Some people prefer maximizing full rest days with no activity at all, but I like having something on the calendar each day.  

You will also note that between running and working out, I spend a lot of time exercising. When people ask where I find the time, the answer is that I make the time. Sorry if that sounds cold, but if you prioritize working out, you’ll find time to do it. 

I don’t use traditional weights for anything except shoulder rows. Instead, I focus on body weight exercises along with a variety of resistance bands to work everything from biceps to ankles. (I wrote a short piece last March about building a home gym and will get into a lot more specifics in future newsletters.) 

My routines were developed from a variety of sources including online articles, books, and stuff I’ve learned over the years spending time in gyms. There are tons of great workouts available online -- my wife is in a committed training relationship with Kayla Istines via Sweat -- but I prefer the flexibility of coming up with my own routines. 

The goal is creating a circuit with 4-6 exercises and 4-6 core moves per set with all the major muscle groups represented. I generally go for three sets -- average workout time is about 45 minutes -- but I’ll opt for two sets or even one if I’m pressed for time. I follow the philosophy that something is always better than nothing. 

Workout 1 

• Exercises: Glute bridges, single leg bridge, clam shell hip openers, donkey kicks, fire hydrant.

  Abs: Crunches, bicycle kicks, V-ups, Russian twists. 

Workout 2 

• Exercises: Air squats, wall sits, lunges forward and back, single leg deadlift, pistol squats.

• Abs: Crunches, windshield wipers, boat rows, side ab raises.

Workout 3: Resistance Bands 

• Exercises: Glute bridges, single leg raise, side leg raise, lateral lunge. 

• Abs: Pick and choose from the ab exercises listed above.

Calves and ankles

• Exercises: Wobble board or resistance bands.  

The wobble board is my favorite piece of workout equipment and I’ll write more about it in a future newsletter. I like to rotate between the board and bands, aiming to work my calves and ankles three times a week. 

How about you guys: Any workouts you swear by or thoughts on strength training in general?