Why More Marathoners Are Finally Lifting
For decades, long-distance runners treated strength training like a bad crosswind: something to avoid, not embrace. But as research mounts and world-class distance athletes turn to the weight room to gain an edge, the old myths are finally crumbling. In this guest article, Luke Carlson—a 30-time marathoner, founder of Discover Strength and veteran strength coach—shares the six principles every endurance athlete (and coach) should know to integrate strength training that enhances durability, economy, and performance. Whether you're training for your first race or fine-tuning a Boston-qualifying build, this is the science-backed roadmap to lifting smart for the long run.
The Long-Ignored Cornerstone of Great Long-Distance Running: Strength Training
By Luke Carlson
As I write this, I’m basking in the delayed onset muscle soreness radiating through my lower body after completing the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN this past weekend. It was my 30th marathon and marks the 20th anniversary of my first. Marathon running is both a personal passion and a professional focus.
I grew up as a competitive amateur boxer and high school football player, but I gravitated toward marathons after college. I craved an athletic pursuit that required serious preparation, commitment, and even sacrifice. Sure, I could play pick-up basketball or join a softball league—but I wanted a reason to train. I yearned for a date on the calendar that I could build toward, something worthy of going to bed early for, staying disciplined in my nutrition, and training with purpose. The marathon was exactly what I was looking for.
Professionally, I’ve spent nearly 25 years as a strength training practitioner working with long-distance runners of all abilities—helping them integrate intelligent strength training into traditional running programs that include long runs, tempo runs, and speed work. Twenty years ago, I had to convince runners (and their coaches) that strength training could enhance running performance. At the time, it was rare—strength work was either dismissed entirely or approached with misconceptions.
Myths abounded: strength training would make runners bulky, slow them down, or increase injury risk. Even when runners were open to strength training, the go-to strategy was often lifting light weights for high reps, with a misguided focus on muscular endurance.
But myths die hard. Two decades of research and real-world results have dramatically shifted the conversation. Today, strength training is widely accepted as a foundational element of distance running, and the best athletes in the world are lifting—and lifting well. We also now have a much clearer picture of how to do it effectively.
Here are six key things every long-distance runner should know to get the most out of their strength training—and ultimately, their race-day performance:
1. Enhance economy and durability.
Strength training improves running economy (the amount of oxygen used at a given pace), but it also boosts something called “durability”—your ability to maintain that economy over the last 25% of a race. In other words, you can run faster, longer, and more efficiently, particularly in the later miles of a marathon.
2. Any amount of weight can work.
You can use heavy (4–6 reps), moderate (8–12 reps), or light (15–20 reps) loads—each can improve strength and muscular endurance effectively. What matters most is taking the set to the point of momentary muscle failure: the point where you can’t perform another rep with proper form. If failure makes you uncomfortable, go as close as you can. It should feel challenging.
3. Train the full lower body—and don’t neglect the lower leg.
Too many runners skip calf and shin work. I recommend the Hammer Strength Seated Plate Loaded Seated Calf Raise machine for targeting the soleus and the Hammer Strength Tibia Dorsi-Flexion achine for the tibialis anterior—an often-overlooked muscle critical for injury prevention, especially for issues like shin splints and stress fractures.
4. Less is more.
One to two total-body strength sessions per week is enough. A well-designed, time-efficient program should train the legs, upper body, and midsection. This approach complements marathon training, even at high mileage (40–140 miles/week).
5. Pair strength work with a key running session.
Stack your strength session on the same day as a tough run—and lift after the run. For example, complete a morning speed workout, refuel, then strength train during lunch or after work. That way, the following day can serve as a true recovery day from both efforts.
6. Taper wisely.
Stop lower-body strength training 10–14 days before a key race. This gives your legs time to fully recover while preserving the gains from your strength work.
Marathon running will always demand patience, grit, and miles. But if there's one thing I’ve learned over 20 years of coaching and competing, it's this: strength training is the long-ignored edge that separates survival from performance. It doesn’t take hours in the gym or heavy Olympic lifts. It takes consistency, intention, and just enough load to challenge your physiology. Don’t think of lifting as a supplement to your running—think of it as an integral part of becoming the strongest version of the runner you already are.