Is Strength Training Essential for Running a Marathon?
A few years ago, running volume still took clear priority over strength training. But training methods have evolved. Today, modern marathon plans make more room for strength work and gym-based training. Has getting stronger become essential to achieving your marathon goal? At Marathons.com, we give you plenty of reasons to add strength training to your routine.
Strength training and the marathon: friends or foes?
When you think about the marathon, you inevitably think of the 42.195 km you have to cover before reaching the finish line. The iconic distance appeals to more and more runners and brings together several million participants every year. With times getting faster and faster (the current men's marathon world record stands at 2:00:35), athletes have to improve across the board to maintain the pace. Strength training is part of that equation.
When done properly and in the right doses, strength training offers more benefits than drawbacks. Some runners used to worry that adding gym work would increase their muscle mass, and therefore their weight. Some coaches also preferred putting in more running mileage rather than spending time in the gym. That thinking has changed significantly. Well-targeted strength work in the right amount is strongly recommended.
Strength training is an effective way to help prevent injuries. Put simply, an injury occurs when the load, meaning the stress placed on a muscle or muscle group, exceeds its ability to handle that load. An elastic band stretched beyond its breaking point will snap. Strength training therefore helps your muscles increase their load-bearing capacity. It can also make them more durable or more powerful. That matters when you are running several dozen kilometres each week. In short, strength training is a genuine way to improve performance.
Which muscles should you strengthen for marathon training?
A marathon is mainly run with the legs, that's true. But the lower-body muscles are not the only ones working to maximise marathon performance. Core strength is essential, as are the arms. They should therefore be included in your strength sessions.
In the lower body, the calves and hamstrings are the muscles that cause marathon runners the most trouble. It is worth targeting them specifically in training. Strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot can significantly improve foot strike quality. A strong foot is an efficient foot on the ground. Finally, the hip flexors and quadriceps should also be included in your strength programme.
How should you fit strength training into your marathon preparation?
As explained above, you can choose to work on muscular resilience, endurance, strength or power. It makes sense to organise your training into blocks focused on each quality. These blocks need to be fitted into your overall plan intelligently. For example, during the final two weeks, you are unlikely to be doing long sets with heavy loads. At that point, during your taper, the priority is freshness. Conversely, some coaches schedule strength sessions the day before key workouts. The aim is to create a state of pre-fatigue and replicate the muscular sensations experienced during a race.
The same general rule applies here as it does to training as a whole: consistency. It is better to commit to one strength session a week and stick with it than to do three in ten days and then stop altogether. Bring along a fellow runner and train together. From a safety perspective, having someone with you is always useful, and it is more motivating too.
You can also consult a strength and conditioning coach or physiotherapist to set up strength sessions tailored to your marathon preparation.
Preparing for a marathon without strength training
There is no reason to say it is impossible. In fact, if you asked runners at the start line, most would probably say they do not follow a strength programme as part of their marathon preparation.
You can try it yourself, but we strongly advise against it.
To make up for skipping gym sessions, you can add hill work, which will help develop certain muscle groups. You can also cross-train with another sport. Cycling, swimming, cross-country skiing in winter or even CrossFit... These disciplines work your body in different ways. Low-impact sports are less traumatic for the body, while offering real benefits for developing endurance, strength and resilience.
Is strength training essential to marathon preparation? You can manage without it, but for all the reasons outlined above, we recommend gradually adding it to your marathon training plan.