Strength Training and Cross Training for Runners

Read this only if you want to get faster, fitter and stronger in order to make it to the finish line of your ultra race!

What if I told you that replacing a run or two per week to strength train and cross train will actually make you a faster, fitter, and stronger runner?   

Not only will it make you faster and stronger, but it will help you prevent burnout and injury.  

As a runner of almost 30 years, and a strength coach for 18 years, I often see runners and endurance athletes like ourselves skimping on the importance of strength training in favor or more mileage, and in most cases….junk mileage.

Best selling author, Ben Greenfield, refers to this as “black-hole training” in his epic endurance book Beyond Training.

Avoiding the black hole to run stronger, faster, longer...

How to avoid “black-hole training” you ask? Well, without going down the rabbit hole and getting too sciency, a runner needs to properly cross train including strength workouts.  

“As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles a few.  The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.  

Keeping things really simple and easy to implement for per our boy Ralph above, we need to focus on a some simple principles:

• Keep it simple to stay consistent
• Strength train 2 times per week. During the off season 3-4 times per week..
• Use High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in our strength training, as well as run training
• Increase either volume or intensity to build strength and endurance
• Focus on multi joint exercises

In terms of training as an endurance athlete...a HIIT workout is most effective for building your VO2 max as well as your endurance engine.  In studies involving subjects that performed 8 weeks of either a HIIT program or an aerobic-endurance exercise program, the increase in VO2 max was significantly higher in the HIIT group (15 percent) than in the aerobic-endurance group (9 percent).

So a HIIT interval style strength workout not only covers your needs for strength training, but is also the best form of cross training you can do.

Let’s Have Some Fun!

Below outlines some of my favorite strength training moves as a runner and coach, with a sample HIIT format that you can do at the gym or at home.  Per above, keep it simple to stay consistent. 

These workouts are intended to compliment your run training & challenge you, but not leave you feeling absolutely wasted or depleted.

I’ve uploaded videos of the moves below and some additional moves here: https://bit.ly/3shRrBY . You can pick 5-8 of any moves and design your own workout.  Also included are body weight only moves if you don’t have equipment.

Sample routine with weights (dumbbells or kettlebells) - 2 times per week

Timing:  3-5 min warmup. 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest for each move.  3-5 rounds.  1 minute rest between rounds.  To make it more challenging, eliminate rest between moves. 3-5 min cool down.

• Squat Thrusters
• Rows
• Push-ups
• Single leg deadlifts
• V-ups

Sample routine without weights - 2 times per week

Timing:  3-5 min warmup. 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest for each move.  3-5 rounds.  1 minute rest between rounds.  To make it more challenging, eliminate rest between moves. 3-5 min cool down.

• Squat jumps
• Single leg hops
• Push-ups
• Superman's or Pull-ups
• Around the worlds

Those are two great, yet simple, routines that will get you stronger, faster, and fitter when combined with your running training.  Remembering one of our core principles above...as you get better you can either increase either volume or intensity to build strength and endurance.

You can add more weight, sets, or increase reps.  You can play with the timing schemes of 30 seconds on / 10 seconds rest, 40 seconds on / 20 seconds rest, and 60 seconds on / 15 seconds rest.

In the words of Ross Edgley, best selling author of The World’s Fittest Book - “There are many ways to get fitter, stronger, and leaner.  You shouldn’t discriminate against any or strictly favor one.  As soon as you do, you close your mind and limit your potential.” 

As runners we should keep this in mind to take a well rounded holistic approach to our fitness, in addition to just racking up the miles.

And as athletes, I encourage everyone to learn as much as you can about some of the training principles outlined here, as this blog post just scratches the surface. Below is a list of some of my favorite resources if you want to learn more.

Happy Training Team! Stay Strong! -Vin Framularo

Sources & Fun Resources:

• “Beyond Training” by Ben Greenfield: https://amzn.to/3siyleL
• “The World’s Fittest Book” by Ross Edgley: https://amzn.to/3acrqO1
• “Running Rewired” by Jay Dicharry: https://amzn.to/3mMZyVP
• “Run Less Run Faster” by Pierce, Murr & Moss: https://amzn.to/3uULY5L
• “Build Your Running Body” by Pete Magill: https://amzn.to/32e9e29
• “8 Week Strength Program for Runners” by Lisa Tamati & Neil Wagstaff: https://strength.lisatamati.com

A bit about Vin

Vin Framularo is a marketing consultant by day,  and an ultrarunner and coach by night.  Vin's been a competitive runner of almost 30 years and a strength coach for 18 years.  When not leading fun marketing initiatives or running, Vin is an avid skier, snowboarder, and coach at EPIC Interval Training in Connecticut.  This is Vin's 3rd year on Team Run 2 Empower.  His enthusiasm & energy he brings to the team is contagious.