Why Every Runner Should Strength Train

When most people decide they want to become a better runner, their first thought is usually simple:

"I should probably run more."

And while more miles can certainly help, there's another piece that many runners overlook.

Strength training.

Not because it makes you look stronger. Not because every fitness influencer says you should do it. But because some of the strongest evidence in sports science tells us that lifting weights can help you run more efficiently, maintain your form as fatigue sets in, and build a body that's better prepared for the demands of running.

Running Is More Than Cardio

Most people think of running as a cardiovascular activity.

It absolutely is—but it's also a strength activity.

Every time your foot hits the ground, your body absorbs forces that can reach two to three times your body weight. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones have to absorb that force, stabilize your body, and then generate enough force to propel you into the next stride.

Now imagine repeating that process 10,000 times during a run.

The stronger those tissues become, the easier they are able to handle those repetitive demands.

Think about carrying groceries.

If you're capable of deadlifting 300 pounds, carrying a 30-pound grocery bag doesn't require much effort because you're operating well below your maximum capacity.

Running works much the same way.

The stronger you become, the smaller percentage of your available strength each stride requires. That means less fatigue, more efficient movement, and the ability to maintain good running mechanics even when you're tired.

Why the Best Runners in the World Lift Weights

One of the biggest misconceptions is that strength training is something runners do only if they have extra time.

In reality, it's become part of the training process at nearly every level of the sport.

Olympic marathoners, professional trail runners, and elite ultramarathoners all spend time in the gym.

Athletes like Kilian Jornet, Jim Walmsley, Courtney Dauwalter, David Roche, Dakota Jones, and many others have openly discussed incorporating strength training into their weekly routine. While their exact programs differ, the goal is remarkably similar: build a body that can produce force efficiently, stay mechanically sound as fatigue accumulates, and tolerate the enormous training loads required to compete at the highest level.

They're not lifting because they want to look like powerlifters.

They're lifting because they want to become better runners.

Perhaps even more importantly, their training reflects what decades of research have been telling us.

Running Economy: The Hidden Performance Multiplier

If you've never heard the term running economy, don't worry—it's actually a pretty simple concept.

Running economy refers to how much energy your body uses to maintain a given pace.

Imagine two runners moving side by side at exactly the same speed.

If Runner A is using less oxygen and less energy than Runner B to maintain that pace, Runner A has better running economy.

Over the course of a marathon—or especially an ultramarathon—that difference becomes enormous.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examining 31 studies involving more than 650 runners found that strength training consistently improved running economy. The largest improvements occurred when runners performed heavy resistance training (typically 80% or more of one-repetition maximum) or combined heavy lifting with plyometric exercises. Interestingly, traditional light-weight, high-repetition programs did not produce the same improvements.

In other words, strength training isn't about making running harder.

It's about making running easier.

What About Injury Prevention?

This is probably the question I hear most often.

"Will strength training keep me from getting injured?"

The honest answer is...

Not necessarily.

Running injuries are complex.

They're influenced by training load, recovery, sleep, nutrition, previous injuries, stress, biomechanics, and how quickly mileage increases. No exercise program can completely eliminate injury risk.

What strength training appears to do is improve your body's capacity.

Stronger muscles produce force more effectively.

Tendons become better at storing and releasing elastic energy.

Bones receive mechanical loading that encourages adaptation.

Connective tissues become more resilient.

Taken together, these adaptations help your body better tolerate the repetitive demands of running.

That doesn't mean you'll never get hurt.

It means your body is better prepared for the work you're asking it to do.

Think of it like upgrading the suspension on a vehicle that spends every day driving rough roads. The bumps don't disappear—but the system handling those bumps becomes much more capable.

You Don't Need to Spend Hours in the Gym

The good news is that you don't need a six-day bodybuilding split to see results.

For most runners, two well-planned strength sessions each week are enough to improve strength, enhance running economy, and build greater durability alongside a consistent running program.

Focus on exercises that train large amounts of muscle and mimic the demands of running:

Squats

Romanian deadlifts or deadlifts

Split squats

Walking lunges

Step-ups

Calf raises

Hip strengthening exercises

Pulling and pressing movements for upper-body balance

Core stability work

As your experience grows, adding explosive exercises like jumps or bounds can provide additional improvements in power and running economy.

The goal isn't to leave the gym exhausted.

The goal is to leave the gym stronger than you were last week.

The Bottom Line

Running will always be the foundation of becoming a better runner.

But strength training is one of the best investments you can make to support that goal.

The research consistently shows that well-designed strength training can improve running economy, help maintain movement quality as fatigue builds, and increase your body's ability to tolerate the repetitive demands of running. It's one of the reasons strength training has become a standard part of training for athletes competing at the highest levels of the sport.

You don't have to be chasing an Olympic qualifying time or a 100-mile finish to benefit.

Whether your goal is to run your first 5K, finish a marathon, explore mountain trails, or simply stay healthy enough to keep doing the sport you love, becoming stronger is one of the smartest things you can do.

Running makes you a runner.

Strength training helps you become a more resilient one.

References

Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117–1149.

Llanos-Lagos, C., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moran, J., et al. (2024). Effect of Strength Training Programs in Middle- and Long-Distance Runners' Economy at Different Running Speeds: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 54, 895–932.

Wu, H., Brooke-Wavell, K., Fong, D. T. P., et al. (2024). Do Exercise-Based Prevention Programs Reduce Injury in Endurance Runners? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 54, 1249–1267.