You might hate the gym but you probably hate not running even more

Let's be honest. A lot of runners hate the gym.

• You'd rather be outside.

• You'd rather be running.

• You'd rather be exploring trails, chasing a PB, getting your long run done or heading out for that Sunday morning run with your mates you've been looking forward to all week.

• The last thing you want is to spend an hour inside lifting weights.

And I get it. But here's the thing.

You probably hate not being able to run even more.

That frustrating period when a niggle turns into an injury.

• When your physio tells you to stop running.

• When everyone else is posting their long runs while you're cross-training on the bike.

• When you start wondering whether you'll make your next race.

And when you're finally allowed to run again, you have to build back gradually rather than simply picking up where you left off.

That's where strength training deserves a place in your training week.

You don't need to become a gym rat

I'm not suggesting that you need to swap your running shoes for a bodybuilding programme.

You need enough strength training to help you build the physical capacity to cope with the demands you're putting on your body

That's a very different proposition.

Running is repetitive

• Think about how many times your foot hits the ground during a run.

• Then multiply that by the number of miles you run each week.

• Then by the number of weeks and months you train.

• Running is fantastic for developing cardiovascular fitness and running-specific endurance.

• But it's also a highly repetitive form of loading.

Strength training gives you another way of developing your muscles and connective tissues and progressively exposing your body to load.

It can also improve qualities that matter to runners, including strength, power and running economy.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis found that strength training can improve running performance and several of the physiological determinants that contribute to performance in middle- and long-distance runners.

So strength training isn't simply about "injury prevention".

It can actually help you become a better runner.

But will it prevent injury?

This is where I'm going to disappoint you slightly.

I can't promise that strength training will make you injury-proof. Nobody can.

Running injuries are complicated and usually have more than one contributing factor.

• Training load, previous injuries, recovery, sleep, nutrition, biomechanics, strength, tissue capacity and life outside running can all play a part.

So when you see headlines promising that one particular workout will "halve your injury risk", I'd treat them with a healthy dose of scepticism.

What I can say is that building strength and physical capacity is a sensible part of preparing your body for the demands of running.

And for me, that's a much more useful goal.

Don't train because you're scared of getting injured.

• Train because you want a body capable of handling the things you ask it to do.

• Especially as we get older

This matters even more if you're a runner in your 40s, 50s or beyond.

Because you're not just training for your next race.

You're also trying to maintain muscle, strength, power, bone health and physical capacity as you age.

You can be an extremely fit runner and still benefit enormously from strength training.

In fact, I'd argue that the longer you want to keep running, the more important it becomes to think beyond simply accumulating miles.

Your goal shouldn't just be to run more.

It should be to keep running for longer.

So what does a runner actually need?

Probably less than you think. A couple of focused strength sessions a week can give you a lot of benefit. I'd prioritise:

• Squat or split-squat strength: For your quads, glutes and overall lower-body strength.

• Hip and hamstring strength: Think deadlift variations, Romanian deadlifts and hip-dominant exercises.

• Calf strength: Because your calves deal with a significant amount of load every time you run.

• Single-leg strengthBecause running is essentially a repeated series of single-leg contacts.

• Core and trunk strength: To help you control and transfer force as you run.

• Some upper-body strength: Because being a well-rounded, strong human isn't a bad thing either!

You don't need 15 exercises. You need the right exercises, appropriate loading and progressive overload.

And it doesn't have to take an hour

This is probably the bit I want runners to take away.

If you hate the gym, don't build yourself a programme that requires you to spend two hours there three times a week.

• You won't stick to it.

Instead, find the minimum effective dose that you can consistently fit around your running.

• Thirty minutes.

• Twice a week.

• Done consistently.

That's a far better strategy than the perfect programme you abandon after three weeks.

And you can do a lot with dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands or even bodyweight if that's what you've got available.

The gym is a tool. It isn't the goal.

• Running is the thing you enjoy.

• Strength training is there to help you keep doing it.

Think of it as insurance for your running

• Not a guarantee.

• Not a magic bullet.

• And not another opportunity to punish yourself.

Just another way of preparing your body for the demands you're asking it to meet.

Because ultimately, I'd rather you spend 30 minutes twice a week getting stronger than spend six weeks frustrated because you can't run.

• You don't have to love strength training.

• You don't have to love the gym.

• You just need to decide that being able to run matters enough to you to make strength part of the deal.

• Because you probably hate missing your runs a lot more than you hate squats.