Maximize Your Running Performance with Strength Training: Avoid These Common Mistakes

For many runners, stepping into a weight room can feel unfamiliar and intimidating, especially when their comfort zone is firmly rooted in long runs and tempo workouts. This hesitation often leads runners to skip strength training altogether—missing out on key benefits that could unlock new personal bests.

Whether you’re training for a marathon or aiming to dominate a 5K, incorporating the right strength-training routine can enhance your running performance, boost speed, and reduce the risk of injury. To help you optimize your workouts, experts weigh in on common mistakes runners make in strength training—and how to fix them.

1. Skipping Strength Training Altogether

According to Kate Baird, C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, the biggest mistake runners make is avoiding strength training entirely. “Strength training improves maximal strength, rate of force development, power, and muscle tendon stiffness,” she explains—all crucial elements for improving running performance.

A 2021 study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that only 54% of long-distance triathletes incorporated strength training alongside their endurance training, often due to time constraints or lack of knowledge. To gain confidence in the weight room, Baird recommends consulting a personal trainer or strength coach.

2. Ignoring Single-Leg Exercises

Many runners focus on double-leg movements like squats and deadlifts, neglecting single-leg exercises that are essential for building stability. Since running is inherently a single-leg activity, exercises such as lunges, single-leg glute bridges, and single-leg squats should be a core part of a runner’s routine.

A 2023 meta-analysis in Frontiers of Physiology found that unilateral exercises, like Bulgarian split squats and single-leg jump squats, significantly improve performance in sports that rely on single-leg movement—making them particularly beneficial for runners.

3. Not Lifting Heavy Enough

Many runners make the mistake of training with light weights and high reps or relying solely on bodyweight exercises. While this is fine for beginners, increasing resistance is necessary for continued progress. Jason Fitzgerald, USATF-certified running coach, emphasizes that lifting heavier weights—particularly with explosive movements—enhances power and stamina, crucial for speed and hill running.

A 2022 systematic review in Sports Medicine suggests that heavy resistance training with near-maximal loads is more effective than plyometrics in improving running economy and time-trial performance. For best results, follow a structured program lasting at least 10 weeks.

4. Treating Strength Training Like a Run Workout

Runners often expect their gym workouts to feel as intense as their runs, but strength training requires a different approach. “We don’t need metabolic conditioning in the weight room—we need muscular conditioning,” says Fitzgerald. Instead of prioritizing high-rep, high-intensity circuits, he recommends focusing on compound movements (such as deadlifts and squats) with 90-second to two-minute rest periods between sets. This approach promotes strength gains rather than turning strength workouts into endurance sessions.

5. Lacking a Progression Plan

Just as runners follow structured training plans, strength training should also progress systematically. Without a plan, you risk stagnation. “If we drop into random gym classes with no clear progression, we should expect arbitrary results,” says Fitzgerald.

Baird emphasizes the importance of gradual progression, advising runners to start with weights that allow for eight to twelve repetitions with moderate fatigue. Over time, increasing weight and intensity in a structured manner—typically over nine to twelve weeks—ensures steady improvement while minimizing injury risk.

6. Training Under Fatigue

Balancing strength training and running can be challenging, and doing both on the same day requires strategic planning. Many experts suggest lifting later in the day after a morning run to allow for recovery. However, lifting immediately after a run can lead to suboptimal performance. “If you’re exhausted and struggling with your usual weights, it’s a sign you need more rest,” says Baird. Listening to your body and incorporating proper recovery is key.

7. Wearing the Wrong Shoes

Running shoes provide excellent cushioning for miles on the road but aren’t ideal for lifting. Fitzgerald recommends wearing hard-soled, zero-drop shoes like Converse, Reebok Nanos, or Nike Metcons, which provide better stability and force production during weightlifting. If specialty shoes aren’t an option, opt for the firmest running shoe with minimal heel-to-toe drop.

The Bottom Line

Strength training is a vital component of any runner’s training regimen. By avoiding these common mistakes—skipping strength work, neglecting single-leg exercises, lifting too light, lacking a plan, and wearing improper footwear—you can optimize your performance, stay injury-free, and reach new levels in your running journey. Implementing these expert-backed strategies will help you make the most of your time in the weight room and on the road.