It’s not a secret that to be a successful distance runner at any level you have to put in time on your feet. There is no magic intervention that will allow you to short cut consistent running. It’s also not a secret that running opens runners up to an increased risk of lower extremity injuries. According to an article published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, the incidence of running injuries can range from 7.7 to 17.8 per 1000h of running, and while the article fails to pinpoint the origin of causality for either short- or long-distance running, it agrees that about 80% of running-related injuries are related to overload. The article surmises that the relatively slow adaptation to training load is the risk factor for tendon and ligament injuries. (Poppel 2021) Conversely, weight-training injury risk was 0.31 and 0.05 per 1,000 hours for men and women, respectively (Grier 2022). In short, weight training, when done right, can have a significant impact on performance without opening athletes up to the injury risks associated with higher volume of training loads associated with running alone. Finding a qualified strength and conditioning coach can get you faster, faster.
First, lets define “strength and conditioning” (S&C), and the Strength and Conditioning Coach. Strength and conditioning is used to describe any training methodology designed to enhance the physical preparedness of athletes for their sports training and performance. Any training that isn’t set by a running coach is considered S&C. A Strength and Conditioning Coach is a professional who applies scientific knowledge to train athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance. The standard in this field for certification is to become a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA-CSCS) although there are several others that are recognized. Per the NSCA, a CSCS certified professional can conduct sport-specific testing sessions, design and implement safe and effective strength and conditioning programs, and provide guidance regarding nutrition and injury prevention. There are several ways a S&C Coach can enhance your traditional running training, but there are three main training methodologies where they should focus; weight training, speed and power development, and aerobic cross-training.
Weight Training
Running places a high demand on the body in order to generate the required force against the ground to propel the body forward. Their has been a growing consensus among endurance athletes that weight training minimizes injury risk, but a recent article found that exercise-based interventions do not appear to reduce injury risk among runners (Wu 202). So you shouldn’t weight train? Not exactly. The authors concluded that they needed to dive deeper into the data, and that more robust designs that included supervised exercise interventions should be prioritized in future studies. One of the main authors cited that training for improved performance should be prioritized above injury prevention in the design and supervision of weight training programs. One of the most beneficial adaptations to be gained from weight training routines is an enhanced ability to generate force against the ground. This will result in longer strides which will increase running speeds. It’s also well-known, and mentioned earlier, that runners are at high risk of lower extremity injuries most commonly from overuse. One important adaptation of weight training is improving intra-muscular coordination, or the ability to recruit the correct muscle fibers for the right job. In short, you have to be able to turn on fast-twitch muscles if you want to recruit them. While running is an inherently slow-twitch activity during long bouts of activity the muscle will recruit a mix of different fibers as the fatigue. If you don’t have all those fibers available to recruit efficiently you risk over-extending the limited supply you have available. In short, weight training can increase the amount of force you can produce and sustain along with giving you more muscle fibers to recruit efficiently over long efforts. All with a minimum risk for injury… especially if you are a female runner.
Speed
Running economy refers to the energy demand of running at a given sub maximal speed. While there are many ways to improve running economy, one of the most under-utilized methodology for distance runners is by improving their maximum sprint velocity. According to a study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, researchers found significant correlations between both 5k and 10k season best times with both 100m and 400m sprint times, but found no relationship between the aforementioned race results and V02max (Yamanaka, et al 2019). Working on improving a distance runners maximal velocity sprinting is a proven method to positively impact performance.
Power Development
Developing the power inherent to repeated transfers of force to propel the body forward in running is another key aspect that is trainable outside the running environment. The action in which the muscles are first stretched and then shortened to accelerate the body or limb is know as the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). Here, tendons and connective tissue essentially behave like rubber bands wherein they are stretched and released to return energy at high velocities. As one can imagine, this places tremendous demands on the those tendons and connective tissue. What we are finding is that runners who possess a greater level of elasticity in their tendons have more contribution from their SSC to provide energy for movement, and scientific evidence supports plyometric training to improve the ability of tendons to store and return energy to enhance running economy (Blagrove 2015).
Aerobic Cross-Training
Because S&C Coaches have to learn the complete science behind all of the aerobic systems, and the appropriate training protocols around work:rest ratios to garner the adaptations for each, these coaches are uniquely qualified to program workouts around other aerobic disciplines for cross-training purposes such as cycling or rowing. This can be of benefit to runners who are either recovering from injury, or during an off-season training cycle intended to keep running volumes low. The S&C Coach understands scientifically what is innate in the design and application of run training, and can supplement that training to either maintain or improve upon the aerobic power and/or aerobic capacity of the athlete.
Conclusion
Hopefully this can dispel some myths around strength training for all those runners and/or endurance athletes out there crushing miles. It’s important to understand what interventions are proven effective, and for what outcome you are trying to achieve. This is the best way for you, the athlete, to figure out what makes the most sense to supplement your training. As a runner who is also incredibly time limited, it’s important to understand these specific methods, the intended adaptation, and how to incorporate them into an already full schedule of training and life demands. When you are ready to take the next step, we S&C Coaches are ready to get you to the next level.
References
Poppel, Dennis van, Maarten van der Worp, Anouk Slabbekoorn, Sylvia S.P. van den Heuvel, Marienke van Middelkoop, Bart W. Koes, Arianne P. Verhagen, Gwendolyne G.M. Scholten-Peeters. (2021). Risk factors for overuse injuries in short- and long-distance running: A systematic review. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 10(1), 14-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.06.006
Grier, T., Brooks, R. D., Solomon, Z., & Jones, B. H. (2022). Injury Risk Factors Associated With Weight Training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(2), e24–e30. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003791
Wu, H., Brooke-Wavell, K., Fong, D. T. P., Paquette, M. R., & Blagrove, R. C. (2024). Do Exercise-Based Prevention Programs Reduce Injury in Endurance Runners? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 10.1007/s40279-024-01993-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-01993-7
Yamanaka, Ryo; Hayato Ohnuma; Ryosuke Ando; Fumiya Tanji; Toshiyuki Ohya; Masahiro Hagiwara; and Ysuhiro Suzuki. (2019). Sprinting Ability as an Important Indicator of Performance in Elite Long-Distance Runners. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15, 141-145. HTTPS://doi.org/10.1123/spp.2019-0118
Blagrove, Richard. (2015). Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Running. The Crowood Press Ltd.
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