Incorporating Strength Training as a Runner
For the past year, I have been incorporating strength training into my workout routine.
Even though I suck at it. I HATE strength training. I am more disciplined at it now, but it will never be something I look forward to.
Benefits of Strength
A big benefit of marathon training is how my upper body muscles have been defined. I want that even when I am not training, so strength is the way to keep that up.
Strengthening the different muscle groups helps runners stay upright and in good form. Balance is important, and if you are only doing one thing (running) then you are only targeting specific muscles.
To keep the body in balance you need to work some of the others. Although I have improved a lot in my running, that doesn’t mean I am physically fit all over.
I know when I do a spin class or play tennis, I am pretty sore the next day. This is because I have used muscles that don’t get much love!
It also helps us endure some of the longer runs. I know for me, it is important to have good upper body strength because my rotator cuff tends to become very sore after a long run from the repetitive swinging of my arms.
Strengthening your body also has the added benefit of managing the risk of injury.
Running in my 50’s and Beyond
Especially as an “older” runner, my joints and bones are not what they used to be.
I want to make sure I can run a long time, and injury prevention is something I really have to pay attention to as I age.
My hero is Katherine Beiers, the woman who (at age 85) finished the Boston Marathon last year with the weather conditions that can be called nothing else but horrendous (or horrible or mind blowing…so I guess they CAN be called something else, but nothing good).
I want to be 85 and still completing marathons.
Strength Resources
I usually do my strength days when I don’t run. This allows me to get some calorie burn in and build muscle.
There are many sources for good workouts, even ones that are specifically tailored to those of us who run. Youtube is a great place to find TONS of workouts if you are like me and need variety to keep interested.
I like FitnessBlender, and I am subscribed to their channel on YouTube. I find them well done and interesting.
Nothing is worse than checking the time and finding you aren’t even halfway through a workout. If I can get through a workout without wanting to quit, that is a good one for me.
When I run I like to listen to podcasts, and one of those is Strength Running by Jason Fitzgerald.
He also has a website/blog with articles to introduce you to strength training with workout advice. Many runners who have listened to him report they started to run faster and further when they started building some muscle.
I also go to the gym and I find a lot of workouts with images on Pinterest. I use free weights (dumbbells) when I strength train, in combination with some of the machines. The machines help keep my form correct, and I like them for triceps and chest work.
Core work (front, back and sides of the torso area) is also important. Having a strong core benefits everybody. I had 5 children, all of them C-section, so my abs will never be bikini worthy…but I work them anyway.
Since I started, there has definitely been improvement in how they look. I also think I have better posture and am better able to run with my back straight and with good form.
I’ve put together some exercises for you to start with if you would like to incorporate some strengthening work. The links are below, or you can check out the Exercise page from the menu at the top:
You can also join me on my Pinterest page (hit the link in the sidebar), where I continually pin different workouts to the exercise board.
