Over the last few weeks we have touched on the different areas of marathon training - from the perfect sandwich, to the petrol tank in your car (10/10 if you have been reading up and understand these references) and today we are going to cover another really important part of the marathon training puzzle… Strength and Conditioning.

A lot of runners make the mistake of thinking they only need to run when they are training for a marathon, and yes whilst clocking up the miles will take up a large percentage of your week, I want you to think of Strength and Conditioning as being just as key as everything else.

And here’s why -

INJURY PREVENTION

Running puts a lot of stress on your body, especially during the longer runs. Over time, this repetitive pounding of the pavement can lead to aches, pains, or even injuries like shin splints or ‘runner's knee’. But strength training can help combat this by:

Build Stronger Muscles

Exercises like squats or lunges strengthen the big muscles in your legs, which can help take the pressure off your joints when you run.

Stabilise Your Joints

Strengthening the smaller muscles around your knees, hips, and ankles makes them more stable and less prone to niggles.

Make You More Resilient

Ultimately, a stronger body can handle all the miles you’re running without breaking down.

MAKES RUNNING EASIER

Strength training is a great way to help improve your overall running economy, and therefore in the long run can help to make running all those miles feel a whole lot easier.

Improve Posture and Form
Strengthening your core and lower-body muscles helps you run with better posture, so you’re not wasting energy on unnecessary movements.
Improve Your Power
Stronger leg muscles mean you can push off the ground more effectively, helping you run faster and farther with less effort.
Less fatigue
When your muscles are stronger, they don’t get tired as quickly. That means you can keep good form, even in those tough final miles, which is super important for the marathon.

IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH

Strength training isn’t just excellent for running, it is also a great way to improve your overall physical and mental wellbeing.

Improved Bone Density

Strength training can make your bones stronger and can reduce the risk of conditions like osteoporosis in later life.

Improved Energy Levels

Stronger muscles use oxygen more efficiently, giving you a natural energy boost for both your workouts and daily life.

Reduced Stress

Lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that improve your mood and can reduce anxiety.

Makes Everyday Life Easier

From lifting heavy bags of shopping and running around and picking up after young children, to even walking up the stairs. Strength training can help make all of these basic, everyday tasks feel a whole lot more manageable.

I totally understand that training for a marathon takes a lot of time, and that most of us are juggling it alongside work, family life and lots of other commitments. The most important thing to remember is that something is always better than nothing. So if that means you can only fit in one strength workout a week, that is better than nothing at all.

Here at Coopah we know how important this is, which is why all of our plans include a weekly strength and conditioning workout, that can be done either at home, or at the gym if you have access to one.

And finally, just remember that is it never too late to start strength training. And who knows, you might even find you really enjoy it (but obviously not as much as running 😉).

Good luck,

Coach Jordan 🧡

Coopah How To: Become a Stronger Runner