I used to think strength training was something runners only needed after they got injured.
Running was running, right?
If you wanted to become a better runner, you ran more. If you wanted to run further, you ran further. If you wanted to run faster, you ran faster.
And strength training?
That was for people who wanted big muscles.
I had somehow convinced myself that long-distance runners were supposed to be lean, light and aerodynamic, while big muscles belonged to sprinters and gym-goers.
Then I started running some real distances.
And I’ve had to admit that I was wrong.
Running more isn’t the whole answer
For years, my approach to running was pretty simple: if I wanted to improve, I needed to run.
And, obviously, there is a lot of truth to that. You can’t become a better runner without actually running. Your body needs to practise the movement, adapt to the demands of running and gradually become more capable of handling the distance.
But as the distances I’ve been running have increased, I’ve realised that running alone doesn’t necessarily address everything my body needs.
Running is incredibly repetitive.
Every kilometre involves hundreds, if not thousands, of essentially the same movements. Your muscles, tendons, joints and connective tissues are repeatedly dealing with the impact and forces involved in moving your body forward.
Strength training gives you something running doesn’t:
A chance to deliberately make your body stronger.
And you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to get the benefit.
For recreational runners, even a small amount of consistent strength work can make a meaningful difference.
Strength training doesn’t automatically mean getting “bulky”
This was one of my biggest misconceptions.
I associated strength training with building muscle mass. And if I was trying to become a better long-distance runner, surely adding muscle would just mean carrying extra weight around the course?
But strength training isn’t synonymous with bodybuilding.
The goal for a runner isn’t necessarily to build the biggest muscles possible. It’s to improve your ability to produce and control force.
Research into middle- and long-distance runners has found that strength training can improve running economy — essentially, how much energy you use to run at a given speed. Several systematic reviews have found improvements in running economy following appropriate strength training, with some evidence also showing improvements in running performance.
In other words, getting stronger doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a bigger runner.
It can mean becoming a more efficient runner.
And that is something most of us can get excited about.
So what does strength training actually do for a runner?
Think about what happens every time your foot hits the ground.
Your body has to absorb force, control your position, stabilise your joints and then produce enough force to propel you into the next stride.
Your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and core are all involved.
Your hips need to control your pelvis.
Your ankles need to deal with repeated loading.
Your single-leg stability needs to be good enough to keep you moving efficiently when one foot is on the ground and the other is swinging through.
Running certainly trains these areas.
But it doesn’t necessarily train them in the same way that targeted resistance exercises do.
Strength training allows you to progressively challenge specific muscles and movements rather than simply asking your body to repeat the running movement over and over again.
And this is where I think recreational runners can really benefit.
You don’t necessarily need a complicated strength programme.
You just need to give your body a little more than running alone can provide.
My never-ending ITB story
For me, this became particularly obvious when I started experiencing ITB pain.
Anyone who has dealt with recurring running niggles will know how frustrating this can be.
You think you’ve finally sorted it.
You start running again.
Everything feels good.
Then somewhere down the line, the familiar pain comes back and you find yourself wondering what on earth you’ve done wrong this time.
For me, the conversation in my head has often been:
“Here we go again. The never-ending story of the weak glute.”
Now, I’m very aware that running injuries are more complicated than simply saying, “Your glutes are weak.”
The research doesn’t support a single-muscle explanation for running injuries, and ITB syndrome can involve a combination of factors including biomechanics, training load and individual anatomy.
But there is something I’ve noticed about my own body.
Whenever I actually commit to doing strength workouts consistently, the muscles that seem to complain the most afterwards are my glutes.
Deep burn.
Proper muscle soreness.
The kind where you sit down the next day and think, “Oh yes… I definitely trained those.”
And it has made me realise that perhaps my glutes weren’t getting the stimulus they needed from running alone.
That doesn’t mean strength training has magically “fixed” my ITB.
But it has changed the way I think about my running.
Instead of waiting for something to hurt before I pay attention to strength, I now see strength training as part of my running training.
Not rehabilitation. Preparation.
And I think that is an important distinction.
Strength training isn’t just for injured runners
This was probably my biggest mindset shift.
For a long time, I thought of strength training as something you did because something had gone wrong.
Your knee hurts?
Do some strength work.
Your hip hurts?
Do some strength work.
Your ITB is playing up?
Time to dust off the resistance bands.
But why wait until something hurts?
If strength training can help improve running economy and performance, why should it only enter the picture once we’re injured?
It’s a little like only deciding to practise your driving when your car has broken down.
Strength training can be part of the preparation that helps you handle the demands you’re placing on your body.
What about running longer distances?
This is where I have personally noticed the biggest difference.
When you’re running 5km, you can sometimes get away with a lot.
Increase the distance.
Add another run.
Push through that final kilometre.
Recover.
Repeat.
But when your long run starts becoming 10km, 15km, 20km and beyond, things start to change.
You aren’t just asking your cardiovascular system to keep going.
You’re asking your muscles and connective tissues to repeatedly absorb and produce force for a much longer period of time.
And fatigue changes everything.
The stronger and more resilient you are, the better equipped you may be to maintain your running mechanics and produce force when your legs are tired.
Strength training isn’t going to make a 20km run easy.
Sadly, I have yet to discover that magical workout.
But it can help give you a stronger foundation from which to run.
You don’t need to become a gym rat
This is probably the biggest takeaway I want recreational runners to have.
You don’t need to start lifting weights four or five days a week.
You don’t need a bodybuilding programme.
You don’t even necessarily need a gym.
A couple of short, well-designed strength sessions per week can be enough to complement your running.
Research into resistance training in healthy adults shows that strength improvements can be achieved with a variety of training prescriptions, rather than requiring one particular type of programme.
For a recreational runner, I’d rather see you consistently doing two 20–30 minute sessions every week than doing one brutal 90-minute gym session every three weeks.
Consistency wins.
Just like it does with running.
But won’t strength training make my legs tired?
It can — especially when you’re new to it.
And this is something runners need to think about.
Your first few strength sessions might leave you feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck.
That deep glute soreness I mentioned?
Yep.
It can be real.
Research has also shown that strength training can cause short-term increases in muscle soreness and fatigue, so adding strength work needs to be managed alongside your running rather than simply thrown on top of an already demanding training schedule.
You don’t need to destroy yourself every session.
In fact, you shouldn’t.
The aim is to build strength without compromising the training that matters most to you.
If you’re preparing for a race, your running sessions still need to be prioritised.
Strength training should support your running — not compete with it.
The muscles I’d pay attention to
If you’re a recreational runner, I’d make sure your strength training includes movements that challenge:
Glutes – particularly hip extension and single-leg control.
Hamstrings – important for producing and controlling force.
Quadriceps – particularly useful for absorbing force and handling hills and descents.
Calves – because they have a pretty important job every time your foot hits the ground.
Core – not because you need visible abs, but because your trunk needs to control your position while your limbs are moving.
Single-leg stability – because running is essentially a continuous sequence of single-leg movements.
You don’t need 15 exercises for each muscle.
A squat or split squat.
A hip hinge.
A single-leg movement.
A calf exercise.
Something for your core.
That’s already a pretty good start.
Two simple strength workouts for runners
If you’re currently running three times a week, these two sessions are a great place to start.
You can do them at home with bodyweight, or add dumbbells/barbells if you have access to them.
Workout 1 – Runner’s Strong Legs
Complete 2–3 rounds.
12 x Squats
Keep your chest lifted and control the lowering phase. As you get stronger, hold a dumbbell or add a barbell.
10 x Reverse Lunges per leg
Focus on controlling the movement rather than rushing through the reps.
12 x Glute Bridges
Pause and squeeze at the top. Don’t simply throw your hips upwards — make the glutes do the work.
12 x Single-Leg Calf Raises per leg
Use a wall for balance if necessary. Slow and controlled.
30–45 second Plank
Keep your ribs and pelvis controlled rather than allowing your lower back to sag.
Rest for approximately 60–90 seconds between rounds.
Workout 2 – Runner’s Strong Hips & Core
Complete 2–3 rounds.
10 x Romanian Deadlifts
Use dumbbells, a kettlebell or a barbell if you have one. Keep the movement controlled and focus on pushing your hips backwards.
10 x Step-Ups per leg
Use a stable step or bench. Drive through the working leg rather than bouncing off the floor.
12 x Single-Leg Glute Bridges per leg
Keep your hips level throughout the movement.
10 x Lateral Lunges per side
These challenge the muscles around your hips and legs in a direction that running doesn’t involve very much.
10 x Bird Dogs per side
Move slowly and focus on keeping your torso stable.
Again, rest for 60–90 seconds between rounds.
How often should you do them?
Start with two sessions per week.
That’s it.
If you’re running three times a week, you could structure your week something like:
Monday: Strength
Tuesday: Run
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Run
Friday: Strength
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Long run
Obviously, your actual training schedule may look completely different, but the principle is the same:
Don’t try to cram everything into every day.
Give your body time to adapt.
And if you’re new to strength training, start conservatively. You don’t need to finish your first workout unable to walk down the stairs.
So, do runners really need strength training?
I’m going to answer this from both the research and my own experience.
Yes.
Do I think you need to spend five days a week in the gym?
Absolutely not.
Do I think every recreational runner needs to lift heavy weights?
No.
Do I think strength training is only necessary if you’re injured?
Definitely not.
I’ve changed my mind on this one.
I used to think that if I wanted to become a stronger runner, I simply needed to run more.
Now I think the better question is:
How can I make my body stronger so that it can handle the running I want to do?
Because running more isn’t always the answer.
Sometimes, the answer is to step away from the running shoes for half an hour, pick up some weights — or just use your bodyweight — and work on the muscles that running doesn’t challenge quite enough.
A little bit of strength work can go a surprisingly long way.
And if nothing else, those glutes might finally stop complaining that you’ve forgotten about them.
A quick note before you start: These workouts are general fitness suggestions for fit, healthy individuals who are already cleared for physical activity. They are not designed to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate or manage injuries or medical conditions. If you’re injured, experiencing persistent pain, returning to exercise after an injury or illness, pregnant/postpartum, or have a relevant medical condition, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before starting a new exercise programme.
If you have persistent or recurring ITB pain, don’t assume that simply strengthening your glutes is the answer. Running injuries can have multiple contributing factors, and an appropriate assessment can help identify what is actually going on.
