Running - Strength For Longevity

My Story: From Avoidance to Advocacy

When I first started running in high school, weight training was an afterthought.
Once in a while, our coach would take us to the weight room before practice. We’d go through a few random exercises — but running was always the real focus. Strength work was just a little “extra” thrown in when time allowed. And let's be honest - 20 years ago no running program put the emphasis on strength training workouts like they do today.

And honestly? I hated it.

I was small for my age, had no idea what I was doing, and felt awkward in a room full of clanging weights and confident athletes. No one explained why it mattered or how it connected to running. To me, it felt like a distraction from what I really wanted to do — run.

College wasn’t much different. I ran cross country for four years, and I can count the number of times I touched a barbell on one hand. Our team didn’t have a structured strength program, and the prevailing belief was that running more miles was the fastest way to get better.

So why am I now the person constantly telling runners, “Strength training is non-negotiable”?

The short answer: because it works.

Over time, I realized that if I want to run for the rest of my life — not just the next race season — I need to take care of my body in a way mileage alone can’t. Strength training is what balances my muscles, protects my joints, and helps me avoid injuries that could end my running career early.

If I strengthen where I’m weak, I can prevent the stride changes and compensation patterns that lead to breakdowns. And when I look at the athletes who are still running strong decades later, strength work is always a key part of their routine.

In this blog, we’re going to dive into exactly what you’re missing if you’re not strength training, how it impacts your longevity as a runner, and why I see it as a hard, non-negotiable part of any smart training plan.

The Longevity Factor: What It Really Means

When I talk about “longevity” in running, I’m not just talking about racing for a few extra years. I’m talking about building a body that will still be moving well decades from now — into your 50s, 60s, and beyond.

Longevity is about:

Running without chronic pain
Staying injury-free more often than not
Maintaining enough strength and balance to enjoy other activities — hiking, playing with your kids (or grandkids), or traveling without worrying if your body will keep up
Feeling confident that your body can handle life, not just training

The truth is, you can log hundreds of miles a year and still shorten your running lifespan if you’re neglecting strength.

Why? Because while running is an amazing cardiovascular activity, it’s also repetitive. Every stride uses the same muscles in the same pattern. Over time, that repetition without balance creates weaknesses, imbalances, and overuse injuries.

Strength training acts as your insurance policy. It fills in the gaps, fortifies your joints, and builds the muscle mass you need to age well. And unlike mileage, which you can only safely increase so much, strength is something you can keep improving on for decades.

What Happens Without Strength Training

I don’t say this to scare you — I say it because I’ve lived it, and I’ve seen it in so many other runners:

When you skip strength work, you’re more likely to develop:

Muscle imbalances that pull your stride out of alignment
Overuse injuries like IT band syndrome, shin splints, or plantar fasciitis
Poor posture that makes running less efficient
Weakened bones over time (especially in women, as estrogen declines with age)
Decreased power in your stride, meaning you have to work harder for the same pace

Without a strong foundation, the miles pile up on a body that isn’t fully prepared to handle them. And eventually, something gives.

I’ve seen runners sidelined for months with preventable injuries simply because their training plans didn’t address these weaknesses. And I’ve been there myself — frustrated, cross-training in a pool while I wished I could be out on the roads.

The good news? You can break that cycle. And it starts with adding intentional, consistent strength training to your plan.

How Strength Training Extends Your Running Life

Here’s the thing: the benefits of strength training go way beyond “looking toned” or “getting stronger.” If you’re a runner, every single rep you do in the weight room can translate into better performance and more years on the road.

Here’s how:

1. Better Running Economy

Running economy is a fancy term for how efficiently you use oxygen while running. The stronger your muscles are, the less effort it takes to maintain a given pace. That means you can run faster at the same heart rate or go longer before fatigue sets in.

Think of it like upgrading from an old clunky car to a newer model with better fuel efficiency. Same amount of gas — but you go farther, faster.

2. Injury Prevention

This is the big one. Strength training shores up weak spots and helps your body absorb the pounding of running more effectively.

Glute strength supports hip stability, preventing knee pain and IT band issues.
Hamstring strength balances the quads, reducing the risk of strains.
Core stability keeps your pelvis from rocking side-to-side, which saves your lower back and hips.

When your muscles are strong enough to do their job, your joints take less impact — and that keeps you running longer.

3. Improved Recovery

Stronger muscles bounce back faster. Period. When you have more lean mass, you can absorb more load, repair tissue more efficiently, and handle higher training volumes without falling apart.

4. Better Bone Density

Running is weight-bearing, but it’s mostly a repetitive, low-impact form of loading. Lifting weights — especially heavier, multi-joint lifts like squats and deadlifts — provides the kind of stress that stimulates bone growth. This is crucial for long-term health, especially for women over 35 who are at greater risk of bone density loss.

5. Maintaining Power as You Age

One of the first things we lose with age is power — the ability to generate force quickly. That’s what helps you surge up a hill or kick in the last 200 meters of a race. Strength training, especially with explosive moves like kettlebell swings or medicine ball throws, keeps that power alive.

How to Make Strength Training a Non-Negotiable

Even if you know it’s important, strength work often gets skipped because running feels more familiar, more fun, or more “productive.” But here’s the reality: running without strength work is like building a house without a solid foundation.

Here’s how to make it stick:

1. Treat It Like a Run Workout

Put it on your calendar, just like you would for a long run. Don’t label it “optional.” Your strength workout should not be a second workout or a negotiable. Make it a non-negotiable just like you would any running workout.

2. Keep It Short and Effective

Part of the reason so many runners struggle with strength training is they find it boring. Keeping our attention span for 45 minutes to an hour is going to be difficult and make it more likely for you to quit. Even 20–30 minutes can make a difference if you’re consistent. You don’t need marathon gym sessions.

3. Track Your Progress

Just like you log your miles, log your lifts. Seeing your numbers go up is motivating — and it’s proof you’re building the strength to keep running for life. Even better? When you start to see the difference in your runs as your strength training progresses.

4. Shift Your Mindset

Don’t see strength training as something separate from running. See it as an essential part of running. Every lift, every rep is an investment in more years of doing what you love.

Conclusion

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this, it’s this:

Strength training isn’t just for “serious” athletes or people chasing PRs. It’s for anyone who wants to keep running, hiking, exploring, and living an active life for decades to come.

When you build strength, you’re building a body that can handle the miles now and later. You’re protecting your joints, keeping your bones strong, and ensuring that the runner you are today is still running tomorrow — and 20 years from now.

So start small, but start now. Two sessions a week. A few key lifts. Consistency over perfection.

Because the work you put in today? Your future self will thank you for it.