Lifting is def the wave. If you're scared that you're going to gain too much muscle mass and lose your running fitness, I assure you that you won't as long as you do it safely and correctly. The running that you do will prevent your muscles from gaining too much mass.

Benefits

Increases running economy, which is the efficiency at which you consume oxygen to utilize your muscles.

Reduces injury risk(if done with right form)

Stronger legs give you more power. More power = longer stride for same effort = faster running

Also, it increases bone density. Dense bones = strong bones = no need to drink milk(nah jk that’s a whole other discussion do what you want there).

When you should Strength Train

In terms of when you should strength train in a day, you should do it AFTER you run. Your form is essential to your running, and lifting before can obstruct your ability to run. However, it’s not the end of the world if you can’t do it after you run, just make sure you allow for about 6 hours of recovery, and don t do a speed workout.

Ideally, you would run in the morning and lift in the evening, but lifting in the morning and running in the evening is fine. The latter option is NOT fine if you are performing a speed workout, prioritize all your energy towards that and then lift. If you don’t do this, your energy levels will dwindle before your workout, and you’ll just explode (run bad splits and be sad) and we don’t want that.

In terms of your training plan as a whole, you would strength train after a hard speed session to avoid tiring your legs out during another time in your training plan, but let’s be honest there are not a lot of people who have time for this. I personally did a leg day once a week immediately after a long run/workout. A general rule of thumb is to wait at least 48 hours after leg day to do speed work of any kind. Following an upper body day, 16-24 hours is suitable.

What to Target?

Three very important muscles for running in our legs are the Gluteus Medius(glutes), Quadriceps, and Soleus. By focusing on these, we can design a lifting regiment that caters to the needs of a distance runner. For sprinting (800 meters and less), I would recommend these with slight variations and additions.

p.s. hip work is mad underrated, and I'll usually sprinkle hip exercises in

What to work for?

Power (low reps heavy weight)

Explosivity (plyometrics)

Strength (progressive overloading)

Warmup For All Leg Days

Backwards Treadmill Walk

Heel Raise Walk (30 seconds)

Seated hip flexor hurdles (2 x 10)

Pick One

Side/Side + Front/Back Leg Swings (30 seconds each leg)

Clamshells (30 seconds)

Leg Day Option 1

Barbell Back Squat (3 x 4 - 6) 80% of ORM(One rep max)

Bulgarian Split Squat w/ rear foot elevated (2 x 8 each leg) 70% of ORM

Single Leg Deadlift (3 x 6-12 each leg) 60% of ORM

Glute Hamstring Raise (3 x 10) 20% of ORM

Seated Calf Raise (3 x 8) 80% of ORM

Leg Day Option 2

Leg Press (3 x 8) 80-90% of ORM

Single Leg Step-ups (3 x 8 each leg) 60% of ORM

Hip Thrust (3 x 6-8) 80% of ORM

Standing Knee Lift (2 x 8) 75% of ORM

Eccentric Calf Raise (3 x 12) 60% of ORM

Finish leg day with this

Pick One

Jump Rope (60 seconds)

Pogo Jumps (2 x 20)

Box Jumps (3 x 8)

Warmup For All Upper Body Days

Arm Swings (30 seconds)

Thread the Needle (30 seconds)

Resistance band pull apart (30 seconds)

Pushups (20 seconds)

Upper Body Day Option 1

Bench Press (3 x 8) 75% of ORM

Barbell Rows (3 x 6-8) 75% of ORM

Standing Shoulder Press (3 x 6-8) 70% of ORM

Lat Pulldown(3 x 6-8) 75% of ORM

Bent-Over Shoulder Raises (2 x 12) 60% of ORM

Upper Body Day Option 2

Incline Bench Press (3 x 8) 75% of ORM

One Arm Rows (3 x 6-8) 75% of ORM

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press (3 x 6-8) 70% of ORM

Pull-ups(3 x 6-8), assisted if necessary

Rear Lateral Raises (2 x 12) 60% of ORM

Warmup For All Full Body Days (pick 2 upper body, 2 lower body from above warmups)

Full Body Day Option 1

Barbell Back Squat (3 x 4 - 6) 80% of ORM(One rep max)

Bench Press (3 x 8) 75% of ORM

Single Leg Deadlift (3 x 6-12 each leg) 60% of ORM

Standing Shoulder Press (3 x 6-8) 70% of ORM

Weighted Calf Raise (3 x 6) 80% of ORM

Full Body Day Option 2

Leg Press (3 x 8) 80-90% of ORM

One Arm Rows (3 x 6-8) 75% of ORM

Hip Thrust (3 x 6-8) 80% of ORM

Pull-ups(3 x 6-8), assisted if necessary

Single Leg Step-ups (3 x 8 each leg) 60% of ORM

Lat Pulldown(2-3 x 6-8) 75% of ORM