"My decision to roughly triple the amount of strength training in my own program came as a result of figuring out the causes of injuries and speaking with a lot of physical therapists."

That's running coach Jason Fitzgerald, who learned the lesson many runners eventually learn: you can't just run.

The Injury Cycle

The Pattern

Many runners experience a predictable cycle:

1. Build mileage and fitness
2. Experience overuse injury (knee, hip, shin, Achilles)
3. Rest and recover
4. Return to running
5. Repeat

Each injury disrupts training, erases fitness, and delays goals.

The Root Cause

If you're a runner and all you do is run, you tend to overuse muscles that you don't really strengthen as well as you should. As that happens, people get very predictable patterns of injury that typically start at the ankle and work their way up around the knees and into the hips.

Running develops running muscles. But it doesn't develop the supporting muscles that keep you injury-free.

The Weak Links

Common weakness patterns in runners:

• Hip abductors (gluteus medius)
• Hip flexors
• Core stabilizers
• Lower abdominal muscles
• Calf strength endurance

These weaknesses lead to:

• IT band syndrome
• Runner's knee
• Shin splints
• Achilles problems
• Hip issues

The Intervention

One Runner's Story

One runner experienced cascading injuries to his knee, hamstring, and hip, which led him to research prevention methods.

His research kept bringing him back to strength training. Today, he says that by incorporating weight training into his regular routine, he's not only avoided injury but improved his performance as well.

The pattern repeats across countless runners: injury leads to strength training, which leads to injury prevention and performance gains.

Coach Fitzgerald's Approach

His weaknesses fell to areas that typically plague runners—the hip and glute muscles.

After tripling strength training volume:

• Injury frequency decreased
• Performance improved
• Training consistency increased

"Runners want to run, I get it. But if you don't find the time for strength training, sooner or later you'll have to make time for injuries."

The Research Evidence

Performance Benefits

The evidence robustly shows that lower limb resistance exercise is effective for improving running economy and performance[^1][^4], with a combination of strength and plyometric training being recommended.

Specific findings[^1][^2]:

• Running economy improvement: 2-8% over 6-20 weeks
• Time trial performance: Enhanced across 3K-10K distances
• Sprint speed: Improved final kick capability

Meta-analysis shows a large, beneficial effect of strength training on running economy in trained runners (standardized mean difference = -1.42)[^1]. A strength training program including low to high intensity resistance exercises performed 2-3 times per week for 8-12 weeks is an appropriate strategy[^1].

Injury Prevention Evidence

Runners strongest in their core, including the muscles around the pelvis, lower abdominal muscles, gluteus medius, and hip flexors, tend to get injured less and run faster.

Among runners surveyed:

• 62.5% engage in strength training
• Most common reason: lower injury risk (63.1%)

What Type of Strength Training Works

Research specifics:

Heavy loads: Strength training with heavy loads (≥90% 1-rep max) or explosive movements has shown a small, positive effect on running economy.

Plyometrics: Jump training improves elastic energy return and running efficiency.

Combination: The best results come from combining strength and plyometric work.

What Strength Training Doesn't Improve

Strength training has not been found to improve VO2max or lactate threshold.

The benefits are mechanical and neural, not aerobic. You still need to run.

Implementation

The Essential Exercises

Hip Strengthening:

• Glute bridges (bilateral and single-leg)
• Clamshells
• Lateral band walks
• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts

Core Stability:

• Planks (front and side)
• Dead bugs
• Bird dogs
• Pallof press

Lower Body Strength:

• Squats (goblet, back, front)
• Deadlifts (conventional, Romanian)
• Lunges (forward, reverse, walking)
• Step-ups
• Calf raises (straight and bent knee)

Plyometrics (when ready):

• Box jumps
• Bounds
• Single-leg hops
• Drop jumps

Weekly Structure

Base/Build Phase (2-3 sessions per week):

Race-Specific Phase (1-2 sessions per week):

Sample Workout

Lower Body Strength Session (45 minutes):

Common Objections (And Responses)

"I don't have time"

Two 30-minute sessions per week is enough for significant benefits. That's 1 hour total—less time than most injuries cost.

"I'll get too bulky"

Endurance training prevents significant hypertrophy. Runners who lift stay lean; the adaptations are neural and tendon-related.

"My legs will be too tired to run"

Schedule strength sessions on easy run days or after runs. Avoid heavy legs before quality running sessions.

"Running is enough"

Tell that to your IT band. Running develops running muscles but creates imbalances that strength training corrects.

Results to Expect

Short-Term (4-8 weeks)

• Exercises feel easier
• Better movement quality
• Running feels slightly more controlled

Medium-Term (8-16 weeks)

• Decreased injury niggles
• Improved running economy
• Better late-race strength

Long-Term (6+ months)

• Significant injury reduction
• Measurable performance improvement
• Training consistency increases

The Hesitation

Many runners resist strength training:

• "I became a runner to avoid the gym"
• "It's not real training"
• "Running is enough"

But the evidence is overwhelming. Runners who lift get injured less and run faster.

The question isn't whether you can afford the time for strength training. It's whether you can afford the time injuries will cost you without it.

Strength training is the insurance policy every runner needs. Use our Injury Risk Calculator to assess your current risk, check out our Strength Training Log, and track your training on your dashboard.