4 Reasons Why Marathon Runners Should Embrace Strength & Conditioning

When it comes to marathon running, the efficiency of your aerobic energy system is crucial. This system encompasses vital components such as VO2max and running economy which play pivotal roles in your marathon performance.

For this discussion, we’ll hone in on one particular aspect: running economy.

Running economy is essentially the fuel efficiency of a runner, measured by the amount of oxygen you consume while maintaining a steady pace. This metric is a significant determinant of success in marathon running, where efficiency can make or break your performance.

Think of it as the MPG (miles per gallon) for runners — a higher running economy means you use less oxygen to cover the same distance, allowing you to run longer and faster with less effort.

Targeted S&C training can increase leg spring stiffness. Stiffness in the muscle-tendon units allows for greater elastic energy storage and release with each running stride. This means you can maintain your pace using less energy, which directly translates into improved running economy!

This is all backed by scientific research: resistance training that complement a running program can improve running economy by up to 4.5% without negatively impacting VO2max or body composition. More comprehensive training regimes that combine heavy weight training with plyometrics have further enhanced muscle strength, running economy, and velocity at VO2max.

By implementing a strategic S&C program, marathon runners can significantly boost their leg spring stiffness to improve their running economy. This is a fundamental enhancement that can be a complete game-changer in achieving your marathon goals. That’s why S&C is an essential strategy for any serious competitor.

Injury prevention is crucial for marathon runners, both during increasing running volume in training and on race day itself. Strength and conditioning (S&C) offers a strategic defense by strengthening your body and preparing it to handle the rigors of long-distance running.

If you want to effectively “bulletproof” your body to handle the stress of marathon running, you need to integrate S&C into your routine. S&C targets and reinforces muscular weaknesses while also rehabilitating past injuries. This proactive approach enhances muscle and joint resilience, which is critical for absorbing the repetitive impacts of marathon running.

S&C programs increase muscular endurance, which is crucial for muscles to perform consistently without tiring. High-intensity strength exercises elevate neuromuscular activation, stimulating significant muscle growth and strength to fortify your body against injuries.

Marathon runners should specifically target hip abductors, flexors, and knee muscles in their strength training regimens. That’s because these areas are prone to strain from the continuous motion of running. Strengthening them improves running mechanics and reduces injury risks.

Essentially, evidence shows that S&C not only protects but enhances your running capability. A comprehensive review highlights resistance training’s role in musculoskeletal injury prevention and rehabilitation (read the full review here). Moreover, specific studies on ultramarathoners show how targeted strength programs drastically cut injury rates.

Through targeted S&C, marathon runners can significantly boost their defense against injuries, ensuring they not only start their races in peak condition but also cross the finish line safely and successfully.

The final miles of a marathon demand more than willpower — they require solid muscular strength to maintain powerful strides that defy fatigue and keep you charging to the finish. Stronger muscles mean more robust strides, which helps you keep a vigorous pace when every step counts.

Synder et al. (2009) highlight the benefits of a 6-week hip strength program that focused on closed-chain hip abduction and rotation exercises.

What did they find? Closed-chain hip abduction and rotation exercises significantly improved the strength and stability of hip and ankle musculature. This changes the game for endurance runners — by reducing hip internal rotation range of motion and knee abduction moment during running, the strengthened muscles improve lower extremity joint loading and running technique.

These biomechanical improvements can significantly enhance your late-race performance, helping you maintain form and speed when it counts the most.

Targeted exercises help marathon runners prime their muscles for endurance and combat late-race fatigue. Strengthening your hips and legs is crucial for boosting speed, stamina, and overall race performance.

Here are some exercises that directly target the critical muscle groups for marathon runners:

Remember, while general exercises like the ones listed above can be beneficial, the true advantage of a well-designed strength and conditioning (S&C) program comes from individualized assessment. Effective strength training programs identify exactly what each runner needs, then build targeted plans around enhancing those specific running capacities, rather than simply prescribing general exercises.

For marathon runners, the benefits of strength and conditioning (S&C) extend well beyond simple muscle building. This training refines your body’s physiological processes to endure the stresses of long-distance running, enhancing everything from muscle efficiency to energy utilization. Here’s how some of these processes work:

Neurological and Muscular Adaptations

Early in your strength training journey, the most immediate benefits are neurological. Your body becomes more efficient at using its muscles through:

These adaptations allow you to run more efficiently by reducing the energy cost of each stride, thereby preserving stamina over long distances.

Long-Term Muscular Changes

Over time, consistent strength training leads to:

Together, these changes improve your ability to produce force and enhances your muscles’ resistance to fatigue. The key to maintaining form and speed in a marathon is increasing your overall muscle strength and endurance.

Strength training activates several key pathways that are instrumental in muscle development:

Hormones also play a crucial role in how your muscles respond to strength training. Testosterone, for example, enhances the mTOR pathway, promoting muscle hypertrophy and increasing the muscles’ ability to generate force.