Run Faster Without Running More—Here’s the Strength Plan That Works
Estimated read time: 3.85 minutes (about the same time it takes your legs to regret going out the night before a long run 🤔).
Hey Performance Nerds! Jonah here. 🤓
Want to run faster with less effort? Heavy lifting might be your secret weapon. 🧪
Studies show it boosts running economy by up to 8%—without adding bulk.
Here’s what we got:
Why lifting makes you faster, not slower 🏃🏻♂️
How to program it without wrecking your legs 📆
My go-to strength day for building long-run durability 💪
🧠 Performance Tips:
Not sure when to start fueling? Here’s the rule:
If your run lasts longer than 70–90 minutes, your glycogen stores start running low—and so do you. That’s when you need 30-90g of carbs per hour to keep energy steady and avoid the bonk.
I follow this for all my long runs and use 1–2 SiS Beta Fuel Gels per hour.
SiS is now the official sponsor of Marathon Science. Their performance products—like fueling bars, hydration mixes, and recovery supplements—are trusted by pros and grounded in real sport science.
💥 Why It Works: The Science of Strength for Runners
Forget gym selfies (maybe). This isn’t about looking strong—it’s about running strong.
Stronger muscles = more efficient running.
In one 12-week study, runners who lifted 2x/week improved running economy by 2.1% and extended time-to-exhaustion by 35%.
Runners who didn’t lift? They got slower and more fatigued. 😬
Here’s why heavy strength (≥70% of 1RM) works:
🧪 Quick Science Wins: Why It Works
Because your Achilles deserves to be loved…the way Augie (my dog) loves chasing squirrels 🐿️
🛠 How to Add Strength Without Wrecking Your Legs
You don’t need to deadlift a Prius (unless you're trying to go viral on TikTok). You just need short, high-load sessions 2–3x/week.
✅ Your Runner-Strength Checklist
Frequency: 2–3x/week
Core Lifts: Squat, deadlift, single-leg work, calf raises
Load: 70–85% of 1RM
Reps: 2–4 sets of 3–5 reps
Rest: 2–3 minutes (yes, actually rest)
Tempo: Fast up, controlled down
💡 Avoid:
Lifting before long runs or speed sessions
Training to failure or chasing the burn
Adding new lifts during peak race prep
🏋️♂️ My Go-To Runner Strength Day
Here’s a sample session you can plug in right now—no fluff, just focused power work:
Exercise | Focus | Sets x Reps | Load / Effort | Key Cues |
Reactive plyometrics | 2–3 x 10 | Max rebound | Bounce off midfoot, quick ground contact | |
Horizontal plyo | 2–3 x 10 total | Max distance | Quick off ground, arm drive, soft landings | |
Max strength | 3 x 4–6 | 80–85% 1RM | Chest tall, hinge clean, drive through floor | |
Unilateral strength | 2–3 x 5–6/leg | 80–85% 1RM | Lower to 90°, extend fully, one side at a time | |
Calf strength | 2–3 x 5–8/leg | 8–9/10 effort | Push through foot, slow lower |
📌 TL;DR: Lifting = Longevity + Speed
Lifting doesn’t make you bulky—it makes you efficient
It improves economy, tendon bounce, and late-race durability
Strength is a skill—train it with intent, not volume
Start with 2x/week, low reps, high load, and avoid overlap with hard run days
Are You a True Running Nerd? Prove it.. 🧐
Welcome to the prove you’re a nerd section. Each week, I ask a question about a common running science myth.
Answer correctly, and you’ll be entered into a weekly raffle to win a package of Jonah’s favorite supplements.
What’s the largest long-term adaptation that boosts a runner’s VO₂ max? 🫁➡️🏃♂️
Last Week’s Results: Fat-burning detectives🕵️♀️🔥
The primary factor that determines whether your body burns more fat or carbs during a run is the intensity of your run—aka how hard you're working (think pace or heart rate). 🧠💡
Here’s how the votes stacked up:
A. The time of day you run ☀️🌙 — 6 votes
B. How much sleep you got the night before 🛌 — 6 votes
✅ C. The intensity of your run (pace or heart rate) — 199 votes
D. Your body composition (muscle vs. fat percentage) — 15 votes
🔬 The Science Bit:
At lower intensities (like easy runs), your body can use fat as fuel. But crank up the intensity—think threshold runs or intervals—and your muscles demand quicker energy from carbs. It’s a metabolic shift that’s all about speed and efficiency.
🚨 Gym Secret to Improve Your Efficiency More Than Super Shoes?
Did you miss my post about why How to increase your achilles stiffness in the gym? You can find it below!
I won’t lie. These videos take me a while to make. If you find it helpful, share it on your story or with a friend. It helps me a ton!
Nerdy Finds of the Week 📚🧑🔬
This section includes my favorite research, podcasts or books about running/lifting science.
Blog: Why DOMS Happens (and It’s Not Torn Muscles or Lactic Acid)
🔬 Core Finding
Delayed soreness after training is caused by inflammation in connective tissues—not lactic acid or shredded muscle fibers.
📊 Key Research Points
DOMS peaks 24–72 hours post-workout, especially after eccentric moves like lowering weights.
Lactic acid clears in under 60 minutes—it's not the source of next-day soreness.
Calcium leaks trigger enzymes that break down and remodel muscle proteins—no major tearing involved.
Pain receptors live in connective tissues, not inside muscle fibres.
One hard session builds lasting resistance to future soreness—the “repeated bout effect.”
🛠️ Practical Applications
⏱️ Start new training blocks with shorter ranges or fewer eccentric reps ➜ Reduce DOMS risk.
⚡ Repeat eccentric work weekly ➜ Maintain adaptation and minimize soreness.
🍽️ Eat enough protein daily ➜ Support repair and muscle remodeling.
💤 Get 7–9 hours of sleep ➜ Boost recovery hormones and blunt inflammation.
🚫 Muscle damage and soreness ≠ growth ➜ Gains come from progressive load, not pain.
⏱️ Avoid high-eccentric gym work 1–3 days before key runs ➜ Reduce fatigue and preserve run quality.
Don’t forget: You + Science = AWESOMENESS 😎
Yours in science,
Jonah
P.S. - We have a crew of 15,570+ nerds here who are running FAST using science.
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