Strength Training for a Better Runner

When I was 14 years old I had an injury where I could not run so one of my friends who ran the sprints at school asked me whether I wanted to go to the gym with him to lift weights. I thought he was crazy, I am a middle distance runner why would I want to bulk up by lifting weights. He then explained to me that I would not bulk up since we would not be lifting heavy and that if I incorporated a program of weight lifting into my training regimen I probably would not get injured as often and would likely run faster due to the increased strength I would have gained. This was all music to my ears, especially the run faster part. I cautiously went with him to the gym and from then onwards was never afraid to lift a weight. In fact, afterwards found out that all runners of every distance lift weights for primarily two reasons, to avoid injury and to run faster by being stronger.


Every runner of every distance persuasion can benefit from a strength training program which uses weights, or other mechanisms to increase overall strength. From the weekend 5k to the end of season marathon runner, all will be better runners by being stronger.

Let us dispel some myths before moving on.

Myth - Lifting weights will bulk me up.

Lifting light weights with more repetitions will increase your endurance. If you not eating a diet rich in protein then the chances of gaining weight through more muscles is very minimal.

Myth – Lifting weights will decrease my flexibility.

Running long distances will decrease your flexibility if you do not incorporate stretching into your fitness program. All runners need to stretch to maintain their flexibility, especially as they age. So lifting weights will not decrease your flexibility, not stretching will decrease your flexibility.

Lifting weights can also be described as resistance training. In this training method you are attempting to condition your muscles to bear an increased amount of resistance against it. Over time the increased muscle strength gained will allow the runner to better handle the weakening muscles caused by fatigue during a race.

Lifting weights will also allow a runner to work muscles that are routinely not fully exercised during the running motion. In many instances these muscles can become imbalanced from the other opposing muscles. In a racing situation the opposing strong muscles will have to work harder than the weaker muscle. By increasing the strength of all the muscles the resistance placed on them will be more evenly distributed and will allow the runner to effectively run stronger for longer.

If you have any concerns about starting in a weight lifting program, start light. Lift light weights and gradually over time increase the amount of weight and gauge how you look and feel. If it works for you, continue and if it does not, then stop. However, give it a try and I expect you will see the same benefits I saw many years ago.

Written by Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for Women.  With club locations in Dublin and Westerville Ohio, Speedy Sneakers offer a non-competitive training environment for runners and walkers of all abilities and fitness levels.

Dr. Dana Winchester - April 17, 2010

Dr. Dana Winchester of the Winchester Institute will be our guest speaker on Saturday April 17. Dr. Winchester is well known in the Columbus area for public speaking and health promotion. She has been featured on Fox news and published in newspapers and magazines. We are looking forward to hearing her

Speedy Sneakers Racing and Facebook

Speedy Sneakers now has a fan page on Facebook.  Join us on Facebook by going to our website at www.speedysneakers.com/racing and keep up to date on all that is happening with Speedy Sneakers.

Speedy Sneakers Racing is affiliated with Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for Women with locations in Dublin and Westerville Ohio.

Westerville Speedy Sneakers

Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for Women is pleased to announce that starting March 20, 2010 Westerville Ohio will be the location for the second running and walking club in Central Ohio.

Speedy Sneakers currently has a club in Dublin, Ohio which has been in existence since March 2008.

Walkers and runners interested in joining can do so through the Speedy Sneakers main website at http://www.speedysneakers.com/

Dublin Life Magazine

Checkout Speedy Sneakers in the latest issue of Dublin Life Magazine. In an article on Dublin Running Clubs, Speedy Sneakers is included as one of many running clubs in Dublin, Ohio.  Enjoy and let us know what you think.  http://www.columbuscityscene.org/keep_on_runnin039.html

Start Training Now

If you are looking for a successful spring this year perhaps even running a personal best time then nothing will be more important than to start training now. You still have time to begin building up your training to avoid getting injured and to actually become fit for the onslaught of 5k that will predominate this spring time.


So what do you do? Start slowly; run for 10 minutes if that is all you can do. Run every other day, add a day each week, and add more 2 minutes to your running time. Whatever you do, do it slowly and methodically and you will find success.

I know that many times the urge to run hard, run far and run fast lingers in our mind as we feel that this is what we should be doing. Maybe it is, but not right now. Right now is all about building up your mileage and the time you spend running. Even the most elite of runners follow this method to ensure their success.

To help you along the way, here is a great tip. Write down on a piece of paper your spring time goal, find a race that you want to run and write down the date, place and time. Put the piece of paper in a place so that you can see it every day. I think two places work best, the bathroom mirror and the refrigerator. Every time you see your goal you will think about it and hopefully if you are motivated enough you will do something about it, like go for a run.

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to start running.

By: Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for Women. With location in Dublin and Westerville, Ohio we are dedicated to promoting women’s health and fitness through running and walking programs. Visit us at www.speedysneakers.com

Speaker Announcement

Speedy Sneakers is pleased to announce that Dr. Patricia Stafford, Medical Director of Solis Women's Health in Dublin, Ohio has agreed to come and give us a talk on Saturday May 8, 2010.  So mark your calendars.  Dr. Stafford is a Boston Marathon finisher, current Board member of Komen Columbus and on top of this is a great speaker.

For more information, visit http://www.speedysneakers.com/

Gahanna Speedy Sneakers

Now Columbus east side residents have a Women's only Walking and Running club option as the west side had with the Dublin club.

Starting on March 20, 2010 at Blendon Woods Metro Park, Gahanna Speedy Sneakers will kick-off.

To get registers just go to http://www.speedysneakers.com/

Survey: New Years Fitness Goals

Take a minute to share your thoughts on setting New Years Fitness Goals. Results will be shared on this blog and at SpeedySneakers.com

New Years Fitness Goals

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Womens Health should Not be Rationed

A few weeks ago the U.S Preventitive Task Force, a government-backed physician group said women in their 40s are more likely to get false-positive tests that can lead to unnecessary biopsies and anxiety and therefore recommended that rather than receiving mamograms at 40, that women should start getting them at 50.

Hands up, anyone who would rather get a false positive at 40 than wait until 50 for a positive test result that could have been cured had the screening being taken at 40.

This type of article is not routinely something that Speedy Sneakers would get into, but when it comes to women's health and the quality of medical care that impacts women, we all have an obligation to pay attention to what is going on.

Unfortunately, I cannot believe that this type of report would lead to better health care for women but rather see it as partly what we are all fearing will come out of the current health care reform efforts, rationing of health care. We should not accept it.