We have had a lot of runners in the studio lately and even more exciting, clients that are running for the first time in their lives! I remember training for and running my first marathon in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2010 and it was a lot of work!

Training for a 5K, Triathlon, Mud Run, Mini-Marathon or any other event can be a little overwhelming when you start searching online for all the tips and recommendations. I love lifting weights, so you might be wondering WHY I am talking about running. One of the most important things you can do is strength train as a component to your training for these races! And no, you won’t bulk up. I repeat, you will NOT be BULKY. There are a two things I want to make sure you know as you train for your race or event:

1. Stronger means faster

Strength training is going to provide important benefits to your training:

• It will help prevent injuries and muscle imbalances and joints.
• It will create leaner muscles to gain power without putting on unwanted weight, and you actually are helping your metabolism to increase. This means you will gain speed and endurance, not lose them!

I have been working with MaryAnn Bough over the last six months. A few weeks ago, she competed in another Duathlon (2 mile run, 20K bike, and 5K run). She shared her results:

The bike was 2.43 miles longer than my previous Duathlon and my time only increased by 5 minutes. Several areas improved once again! I finished happy, healthy, and not last. :0) I also finished first in the Athena division (Over age 40 and over 165lbs). The strength training is having a huge impact on my overall performance! My legs felt very strong on the bike and I was pushing some high resistance to get more speed.

Want some more data on this topic, from runners (not strength coaches) – check out this article from Runners World about some research done with runners right here in Indiana and the improvements they saw when adding a strength training component to their routine: http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/run-stronger-run-longer-how-strength-training-benefits-runners Another client that uses our personal training system and Strength Matrix classes, Karen Wisley shared her recent results:

I can definitely tell a difference in my running since I incorporated lifting and strength training into my workout routine. The last 5k I did, I averaged a 9.33 minute mile and finished in 29:41.9. I didn’t do much ‘5k training’ for this race (actually none), I was really only focused on strength training and classes at NGPT that incorporated body weight exercises. I found I was not as exhausted at the end of this 5k as I was with previous 5ks. Not only did I finish faster than I had any other 5k, I felt strong at the end and not totally exhausted as before. - Karen Wisley

2. Running alone will not improve your weight loss

There is a big difference between training for an event for performance or for weight loss. Consider that when you start your training. If you are looking to lose weight, we want to burn the most energy (calories) possible. Running for endurance will not function in that way, other types of training will be essential. Many of our NGPT clients are on a weight-loss track. If you are training for a race or event, consider adding in 2-3 runs a week to build your endurance and use 2-3 classes to continue to cross train. If you replace your current classes with only running, you will see a decrease in strength and lean muscle tissue. That means you will burn less calories as that muscle tissue lessens.

So what next?

Does this mean you have to start lifting heavy weights all the time – no! Some great exercises are squats, lunges, planks and push-ups. Body weight exercises are the easiest way to incorporate strength training to your current routine. If you want more, a strength focused class or personal training session would be a good fit. Remember, strength training isn’t just about increasing strength. Good strength training works to improve flexibility, mobility, stability and balance. Improving these factors increases efficiency and aids in increasing speed. Share your story with us! We love to see your runs and adventures posted on our Facebook page!

Brooke is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington with a B.S. in Kinesiology. Her training experience ranges from high school athletes to 90 year olds that are hoping to “use it, not lose it”. She is passionate about strength training and helping others see the value and benefits of lifting heavy! She lives in Bloomington with her adorable dog Hoosier. You can contact her at [email protected]