08/27/2026
Strength training should make you a better runner, not interfere with your runs.
Here are 3 mistakes that can leave your legs unnecessarily fatigued and negatively affect your run training:
1) Lifting at the wrong time
I like to keep easy days easy and hard days hard, so I usually put my heavier strength training later in the day after a quality run. That consolidates the stress and gives me true recovery days in between.
What I try to avoid: heavy lifting before a run or the day before a quality workout or long run. And I personally don’t put a heavy lifting session after my long run. That’s already enough stress for one day!
2) Turning your strength workout into cardio
Running already gives you plenty of cardiovascular training. Strength training has a different job: building strength, increasing the capacity of muscles and tendons to handle load, and improving neuromuscular function and force production.
You don’t need to rush from one exercise to the next or keep your heart rate elevated. For heavy lifts, rest 2–3 minutes between sets when needed so you can produce high-quality efforts.
3) Doing more than you need
You don’t need 12 exercises or two hours in the gym to get stronger.
For most runners, 5-8 well-chosen exercises can make for a very effective strength session. Focus on the movements that matter, progressively load them, and then get out of the gym. The goal is to do the least amount of strength work needed to produce the adaptation you wantwithout adding unnecessary fatigue that compromises your running.
Strength training is there to support your running, not compete with it.
If you need help, let me know!
