Your 16-Week Marathon Strength Training Plan

Marathon training is no joke. From racking up the mileage on several weekday rides to spending several hours on your feet every weekend during a long training run, it can seem like all of your free time is suddenly devoted to running.

Therefore, it can seem challenging and/or virtually impossible to add even more training time to your schedule each week. But that’s exactly what you should be doing through the weight room if you want to get the most out of every mile you log.

Marathon training can feel overwhelming, and strength training on top of your weekly runs can add to the overwhelm, says Matt Jones, personal trainer, running coach, and founder of Run Strong Academy.

Working in resistance sessions, however, is very important, he says. It can help minimize your chances of getting seriously injured (by strengthening your joints and bone density and improving muscle imbalances, which could cause compensations in your gait) and help you recover from minor aches and pains. More importantly, he says, it will help you enjoy running more because you’ll be a more efficient and less advanced runner.

The science on whether lifting weights translates into fewer injuries is mixed. Long-distance runners who strength-trained the small accessory muscles around their feet had a 2.42 times lower rate of running-related injuries compared to those who didn’t in a study published in American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2020.

Another study, however, published in the journal Sports health in 2020, followed runners preparing for the New York City Marathon and found that dropping out of the race due to an overuse injury occurred in 7.1 percent of those who ran lift weights versus 7.3 percent of runners who did not; so the benefits in eliminating injuries were negligible.

That said, there is definitely data to suggest that strength training can make you a stronger runner. A meta-analysis published earlier this year found that strength training can improve running economy, or how well you use oxygen at a given speed, a measure of your efficiency. The researchers pointed to lifting heavy weights for lower repetitions and plyometrics as prominent types of strength training for improving performance.

In addition, middle- and long-distance runners who did a strength training routine (either strong resistance, explosive resistance, or plyometrics) two or three times a week for at least four weeks improved their running economy, time trial performance and anaerobic speed compared to people who only ran in a systematic review published in the journal Sports medicine in 2017.

Strength training boosts your economy because the more power you have, the more distance you run in less time and with less energy, says Meg Takacs, NASM-CPT, running coach and founder of the Movement & Miles app.

Likewise, Jones says, your extra power from that time in the weight room (or home gym) can help improve how long you can run comfortably. You’ll also have a stronger foundation to go out on, which can help with power and endurance, he says. This in turn helps your ability to apply force to the base, meaning every step you take will be more effective and efficient.

We tapped these two coaches for advice on how to approach endurance training during the marathon training season to best complement your running. Read on for all the details, including ideas on moves to work into your routine and how to adjust your loads and reps each week for the biggest benefits.

Just as you don’t run the same number of miles or do the same types of workouts each week throughout your marathon training cycle, you shouldn’t stick to the same strength movements and weights throughout those 16 weeks. As mileage increases through the marathon training block, your strength approach should adjust to complement it, says Jones.

Here’s how to fit in these 16 weeks, divided into four blocks. Keep in mind that these workouts don’t have to cut a lot of time into your day. Doing a handful of moves for just 20 to 30 minutes is all it takes, says Takacs.

Weeks 15: Build a base of strength

For this plan, you’ll spend the first five weeks or so building your strength base. Aim for two strength workouts a week, each consisting of at least four to six exercises, Jones suggests; Takacs likes to do nine exercises (broken down into three circuits of three movements each). Try to hit the most major muscle groups in each session.

You can start with bodyweight movements, but work up to lifting heavier weights and lower reps (like five sets of five reps). Ideally, you should do your strength training on non-running days, Jones says, but it’s fine to do it on the same day as a run if it’s necessary for your schedule; just try to space the two workouts a few hours apart.

Don’t do a strength session within 24 hours of a long run, says Jones, as it will leave your legs too clean. Side note: If you’re starting strength training for the first time, he adds, you’re more likely to build up fatigue, so don’t lift for 48 hours at a stretch.

During this block, you will also work on your mobility. Runners often stop moving, but if you want to progress to heavier weights and avoid restrictions in your range of motion, opening up your range of motion is key to optimizing performance, Takacs says. She advises focusing specifically on hip mobility, as limited range of motion here can lead to gait compensations (which could cause IT band syndrome and knee pain) and imbalances down to the feet.

What to do:

Weeks 610: Increases muscular endurance and power

The next five weeks include higher repetitions (think three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions) and a little less load to improve your muscular endurance, plus plyometrics to improve your strength and stability, as well as specific exercises for the runner (such as step. ups) and mobility at least once a week.

This is the period when your body begins to respond to intentional, race-specific stimuli, says Takacs. Strength in these movements, and in this training period, translates directly into the efficiency of your running mechanics.

As for the moves you choose, you can focus on lower body one workout and upper body/core the next, or make each session all-out. The latter is Jones’ preference, because that way, even if you can’t do a second or third session in a week, you’ll still be hitting all the muscle groups.

Schedule strength workouts on days that make the most sense for your schedule, Jones says, making sure to space them several hours apart from your runs (especially on long runs and especially if your legs feel heavy or tired). For plyometrics, feel free to do them at the beginning of your strength workouts, he says, or also before an easy run or speed work.

What to do:

Weeks 1113: Increases strength and power

The third phase is a combination: do lower reps/heavier weights (5 sets of 5 reps each) for compound movements (see: squat, deadlift) that will help you build strength and focus on higher reps /lower weights (3-4). sets of 8-12 reps) for unilateral, quick movements (such as jumps) to increase stability and power. Also, keep the focus on mobility at least once a week.

Again, feel free to schedule strength training on the days that make the most sense for your schedule, ideally several hours apart from your runs (especially the long run and especially if your legs feel heavy or tired). And do the split that works best for you: full body in each strength session, or splitting it between lower body and upper/core.

What to do:

Weeks 14-16: Reduce your strength

Finally, just as you’re reducing your mileage in the final weeks leading up to race day, you should also back off of strength movements. This time it’s to lower the intensity and refocus on recovery and maintenance, says Takacs, who likes to refocus on mobility during the taper. Look at this period of strength training as less intense but still targeted for your specific body, he says.

What to do:

Aim for at least one exercise from each category during your body workouts. (If you need to break it up into training splits, make sure you hit all the major muscle groups each week.)

Compound movements:

Unilateral movements

Upper body pulling movements:

Pushing movements of the upper part of the body:

• Push Up
• bench press
• Lateral elevation
• aerial press

Basic movements:

Focus on hip and ankle mobility in your workouts, aiming to hold for 2 to 3 seconds and 5 to 10 repetitions of each movement. For plyometrics, do 8-10 repetitions or about 30 seconds of each movement.

mobility

plyometrics

Laurel Leicht is a writer and editor in Brooklyn. She has covered health, fitness and travel for outlets including Well+Good, Glamor and O, The Oprah Magazine.