Why is strength training so important for runners?

Strength is resiliency, stability and power. It’s all the things that you need to get through your stride. And if we think  about the biochemical forces in our body, with running, they are huge. We can build some strength through running, the cardiovascular gains tend to happen faster than our muscular fitness gains. 

Strength training can help capitalize those cardiovascular gains faster, like help that lagging end of the system build up so that you can get more out of all the gains you are making with your running program and progressing your mileage there and push it along with the strength training. 

“More running doesn’t always mean better running.” 

Improve your speed by hitting the weights. Strength training is an essential supplement to a runner’s roadwork because it strengthens muscles and joints, which can improve race times and decrease injury risk. If you want to perform at your full potential, you need to take a comprehensive approach to running.

Tune in to learn why strength training is important to runners and what Allison and I think about it.

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Allison Marie Holmes, PHD. She is a woman strength and running coach. A creator of the Women’s Run Academy. After struggling with her own return to running postpartum, Allison made her mission to empower and educate herself and others to train with purpose, respect and understanding of their bodies through the continuum of pregnancy, post partum and beyond.

She doesn’t just focus on postpartum she really is centered and focused on helping runners be able to run very well and she does that through strength training. She is also a certified personal trainer  and running coach and also a pregnancy postpartum corrective exercise specialist. 

In addition, to her fitness, expertise and experience. Allison, holds a doctorate in Chemical Engineering, from Georgia Tech. She has taught everything from sixth grade science to collegiate level engineering courses. And her efficient scientific approach and passion for education helped her to break complex ideas down into the simplest form of what actually works and in a way that you are actually going to do it. 

Allison has been featured in a variety of media outlets including FitFluential, Not Your Typical Mom Podcast, The Life Boss Podcast, Runner Mom’s Podcast and Shape Magazine. 

Allison started running with her mom when she was 9 or 10 years old with her mom’s group of friends. She would go with them as her “mom” time. Was able to do running races with her and continued until highschool. 

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