Get Faster and Improve Your Running Economy With Strength Training

Most of us need to run more to run better. But is that always true? And what if pursuing fitness outside of running actually made us better runners?

Running programs are built to progress week by week, challenging athletes to push the thresholds of distance and pace. Many long-distance runners, though, spend four to six days per week hitting the pavement, fixated on miles and time. This narrowed approach has many athletes hitting a wall. Focusing solely on logging miles can lead to a plateau in performance, not to mention the injuries that can arise from muscle weaknesses and imbalances.

The adage “practice makes perfect” holds some truth, but distance runners may want to think outside that box. Studies show that a robust training regimen consisting of explosive strength training can improve an athlete’s performance and running economy (your body's ability to efficiently utilize oxygen as energy).

Instead of lacing up the sneakers, spending time in a weight room may be the ticket to improvement. Strength training two to three times a week for just 30 minutes can help you become a stronger and more efficient runner.

Running economy is a sub-maximal measurement of your body’s ability to utilize the oxygen you take in with every breath. Think of your running economy like your engine’s miles-per-gallon rate. Improving your running economy is, in essence, improving your miles per gallon so that you don’t run out of gas as quickly. When it comes down to two cars with similar horsepower and engine size, the car with the better fuel economy will outlast the other at the end of a race.

Runners with good running economy use less oxygen than runners with poor running economy while running at the same speed, according to a 2015 Sports Medicine-Open article. Needing less oxygen to run at a given pace means your body doesn’t need to work quite as hard and you’re running more efficiently, and efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to long-distance running.

Running economy is a measurement of your body’s VO2, the volume (V) of oxygen (O2) your body is able to utilize. It’s different from your VO2 max, though, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise. Running economy, on the other hand, is a sub-maximal measurement.

Both running economy and VO2 max are strong predictors of running performance. Some studies have shown that running economy is actually a better predictor of performance than VO2 max.

While VO2 max is largely thought to be determined by genetics (although there are specific interval workouts that can help you raise your VO2 max), your running economy is much easier to improve.

Most free running apps and online training programs offer a mix of short and long runs, tempo workouts and intervals, but they leave out strength training.

Pro tip: If you’re seeking a virtual training program that includes strength training and mobility work, check out Fleet Feet’s Virtual Training Programs.

Although a variety of running workouts assists in bettering your running economy, studies have shown that incorporating a strength regimen two to three days per week for six to eight weeks can enhance the running economy of a distance runner.

Implementing a heavy weight training program (high weight, low repetitions) coupled with plyometrics (exercises that involve a jumping or explosive movement) improves the relationship between neuromuscular and anaerobic conditions, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

In short, runners can expect to see improvement in muscle force production, muscle elasticity, and biomechanics (your body’s movement patterns as you move from one stride to the next)—leading to better running performance, decreased fatigue and the potential of improving speed.

8-week training plan

12-week training plan

A sample plyometric circuit for runners could look like this (repeat for three rounds):

• Jumping Lunges: 20 seconds
• High Knee: 20 seconds
• Uni Runners Hop: 20 seconds
• Jumping Jack: 1 minute

When performing strength and plyometric workouts, keep in mind that the quality of the work is more important than the quantity. If you find yourself unable to perform the movements cleanly and with precision, which often happens as you fatigue, you should cut your reps short, increase the rest or decrease the weight.

Hungry for more? Check out our Strength Training for Runners Guide.