Strength Training for Runners: What Most Training Plans Get Wrong
by Hilary Mallinger, Sport Physiotherapist
As a Sport Physiotherapist and long-distance runner working out of Cadence Physiotherapy on Kingston Road in Scarborough, I see the same mistake over and over again: runners who add strength training to their plan, only to do it in a way that either leaves them injured, exhausted, or no faster than before.
The problem isn't that runners are undisciplined with their strength programming. It's that most strength training programs weren't designed with distance runners in mind. Here's a few common issues I see repeatedly, and a few suggestions on how to address them.
1. Training for hypertrophy instead of function
The biggest error I encounter in my running clientele is runners following bodybuilding-style programs, where building muscle mass is the focus of the programming: high reps, moderate weights, plenty of isolation work. Exercises like leg extensions and seated calf raises build muscle volume, but they do very little for the running-specific qualities that actually matter — tendon stiffness, rate of force production, and single-leg stability. My suggestion is that runners focus on heavy, low-rep strength work (think 4-6 reps at high load) to build the neuromuscular drive and power that translates directly to ground contact efficiency.
2. Ignoring the hip abductors and posterior chain
In Scarborough and across the east end of Toronto, I treat a steady stream of IT band syndromes, patellofemoral pain, hamstring and Achilles’ tendinopathies, and stress fractures — many of which trace back to poor recruitment or motor control of glutes and hamstrings. Quad-dominant training plans skip the hip abductors entirely, leaving runners without the lateral stability they need to control pelvic drop during their stride. Unilateral (or single leg exercises) are key to hip abductor recruitment, and also beneficial to working at the single leg control required in a running stride. Single-leg deadlifts, step ups, and split squats aren’t rocket science, but they are among the most injury-protective exercises I prescribe.
3. Mis-timing strength work in the training cycle
Heavy strength sessions scheduled the day before a long run or speed session are a recipe for accumulated fatigue. Long distance runners often come to me mid-training cycle wondering why their legs feel consistently "dead." The answer is almost always sequencing. Strength work should follow a speed session/long run or be placed on easy days earlier in the week — never stacked against your highest-quality run days. If you need some guidance on how to adjust your training schedule to accommodate strength workouts, I am happy to help!
4. Abandoning strength work at peak mileage
When weekly mileage climbs ahead of a goal race, strength training is usually the first thing dropped. This is the exact moment when musculotendinous resilience matters most. Maintaining even a reduced strength training load — one shorter session per week of key movements — preserves the tissue tolerance you've built and reduces late-stage injury risk. I totally understand that timing gets tricky when you are running 85-100+ km in a week - let’s chat about how to keep this important session part of your routine!
If you're a runner dealing with a recurring injury or simply want a strength plan built around your specific goals and weekly mileage, I'd love to help. We work with runners of all levels at Cadence Physiotherapy, right here on Kingston Road in the Upper Beaches. Getting the strength piece right doesn't just keep you healthy — it makes you faster and stronger, and keeps your running goals within reach!
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