Most runners know they should be doing strength training, but actually fitting it in alongside running is where things get tricky.
Lift too hard and your legs feel wrecked for days. Run too much and strength work gets skipped entirely. Do both on the wrong days and suddenly every session feels flat. The result is often an all-or-nothing approach, where strength training gets dropped whenever running becomes the priority.
The reality is that running and strength training work best together, but only when they’re balanced intelligently. Done right, strength training makes you a more efficient, resilient runner, without ruining your runs.
Here’s how to make the two work with each other, not against each other.
Why runners should strength train in the first place
Running is great for your cardiovascular fitness, but it’s relatively repetitive. You’re asking the same muscles, tendons, and joints to absorb force thousands of times per run.
Strength training fills the gaps by:
- Building stronger muscles to absorb impact
- Improving running economy (you use less energy at the same pace)
- Increasing power and stability
- Reducing the risk of common overuse injuries
Importantly, strength training doesn’t make you “bulky” or slow when done properly. Instead, it helps your body handle running more efficiently, especially as mileage or intensity increases.
Why balancing both can feel hard
If you’ve ever struggled to run well the day after a heavy leg session, that’s not weakness, it’s physiology.
Resistance training places a different type of stress on the body than running. Heavy or unfamiliar lifting creates muscle damage and nervous system fatigue that can take longer to recover from than a hard run. That’s why your legs might feel sluggish even 24–48 hours later.
This doesn’t mean strength training is bad for runners. It means timing and intensity matter.
The golden rule: hard days hard, easy days easy
One of the biggest mistakes runners make is spreading stress evenly across the week: a hard run here, a tough gym session there, all mixed together.
A better approach is to stack your harder work on the same days, then protect your easy days so your body can actually recover.
That means:
- Pairing harder runs with strength sessions (carefully)
- Keeping easy run days truly easy
- Avoiding hard workouts on consecutive days
This creates clear stress–recovery cycles, which is where adaptation happens.
Should you run or lift first?
If you’re doing both on the same day, order matters.
In general:
- Run first, lift later if the run is important (tempo, intervals, long run)
- Keep the lift controlled rather than maximal
- Separate sessions by several hours if possible
Running first ensures you’re not carrying heavy leg fatigue into a quality run. Strength training afterward still provides the stimulus you want, but without compromising running form or pace.
If your run is easy or recovery-focused, the order matters less, but you should still avoid pairing heavy leg lifting with high-intensity running too close together.
How many strength sessions do runners need?
For most runners, two strength sessions per week is the sweet spot.
That’s enough to build strength and resilience without overwhelming your recovery. Three can work for experienced runners with good recovery habits, but more isn’t automatically better.
Each session doesn’t need to be long. Even 20–30 minutes of focused strength work can be highly effective if it’s consistent.
What kind of strength training works best for runners?
You don’t need bodybuilding splits or complicated routines. Running-focused strength training prioritises:
- Lower body strength (quads, hamstrings, calves)
- Hip and glute stability
- Core strength
- Single-leg control
Exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, step-ups, calf raises, and core work cover most of what runners need. The goal isn’t to lift as heavy as possible, it’s to build strength that transfers to running.
A sensible way to structure the week
A balanced week often looks something like this:
- Hard run day (tempo or intervals)
→ Optional short or moderate strength session later in the day - Easy run day
→ No strength, or very light mobility work - Easy run + strength day
→ Easy run first, strength later - Long run day
→ No heavy lifting the same day - Rest or active recovery day
This keeps quality where it matters and protects recovery elsewhere.
What if you’re short on time?
If time is tight, strength training should support running, not compete with it.
Short, consistent sessions beat long, irregular ones. Even one or two well-placed strength sessions per week will make a difference over time.
This is where structured plans help. With Runna, strength training is built around your running, not bolted on as an afterthought. And if you’re newer to running, Runna’s free training plans up to 5K introduce strength gradually, so you’re not overloaded while building consistency.
Signs your balance is off
You may need to adjust if:
- Every run feels heavy or flat
- You’re constantly sore or fatigued
- Easy runs don’t feel easy
- Motivation drops despite “doing everything right”
In most cases, the fix isn’t more training; it’s better spacing, lighter strength sessions, or fewer hard days.
The bottom line
Running and strength training don’t compete, they complement each other. The key is smart scheduling, appropriate intensity, and respecting recovery.
Two strength sessions per week, aligned with your running, can make you stronger, more efficient, and more durable as a runner, without sabotaging your workouts.
And if you want help balancing both without guesswork, Runna’s training plans (including free plans up to 5K) integrate running and strength in a way that’s designed to support progress, not fatigue.
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