HOW I USE STRENGTH TRAINING TO IMPROVE MY RUNNING

Published: 23/02/2026 | By: Kate Hutchinson

If you want to improve your pace, build endurance, and stay injury-free, adding strength training to your routine can be a game changer. If you’re not sure where to start, this one’s for you. In this piece, Sports Direct ambassador Kate Hutchinson explains how resistance training transformed her running – and tells you how you can make it work for you, too.

I properly started structured running training a couple of years ago. Before that, my approach was fairly ad hoc. I relied heavily on the aerobic fitness I had built through years of swimming, but not much else. Once I began running consistently each week, combining easy runs, long runs, tempo sessions and intervals, I improved quickly. However, after that initial spike, progress slowed, and I started experiencing pain. After seeing a physio, the issue became clear. I lacked running-specific strength.

I had spent years in the gym and assumed I was strong. Running, however, is a high impact and repetitive sport that demands more than general fitness. It requires stability, explosive power, core control and efficient movement patterns, often referred to as running economy, which describes how efficiently your body uses energy while running. If I wanted to improve my pace, build endurance and stay injury free, I needed to incorporate strength training for runners rather than relying purely on cardio. That shift in mindset changed everything.

KEY BENEFITS I’VE EXPERIENCED WITH STRENGTH TRAINING

Since adding strength workouts for runners into my routine, I have noticed improvements across several areas of my running. My posture and mechanics feel more controlled, particularly during longer efforts. Strengthening my core and posterior chain, including the

glutes, hamstrings and back, helps me maintain alignment when fatigue sets in. I feel more stable and waste less energy through unnecessary movement, which contributes directly to improved running economy.

My speed and acceleration have also improved. Incorporating plyometrics and explosive exercises such as box jumps helps activate more fast twitch muscle fibres, the fibres responsible for power and force production. This translates into stronger push off with each stride and better pace during harder sessions. Perhaps most importantly, I experience fewer injuries and recover more effectively.

Strength training improves joint stability for runners by strengthening connective tissues, hips, glutes and calves. Unilateral exercises, where you train one leg at a time, help correct imbalances between sides of the body. Consistent training is only possible when the body is healthy, and resistance training has made that consistency possible for me.

MY GO-TO STRENGTH EXERCISES FOR RUNNERS

These are some of the exercises that work best for me and target areas important for running performance such as hip control, ankle strength and reactivity.

TIPS I’D SHARE WITH ANY RUNNER STARTING STRENGTH TRAINING

If you are new to strength training for runners, the most important place to start is with good movement quality. Taking time to master bodyweight exercises before adding load helps build a strong foundation and reduces injury risk later on. From there, focusing on

compound movements, which use multiple joints and muscle groups together, alongside unilateral exercises that train one side of the body at a time, can provide the biggest return for running performance.

Two strength sessions per week is enough for most runners to see meaningful progress, particularly when combined with consistent running. I find it helpful to use RPE, or rate of perceived exertion, to manage intensity. Working at around an eight out of ten effort, where you still feel you could complete another couple of repetitions, allows you to train hard without excessive fatigue.

Progression should be gradual. Increasing weights every two to three weeks, as long as technique remains solid, helps build strength safely over time. Noticeable benefits often start to appear within six to eight weeks, although consistency is far more important than chasing quick results. If possible, a movement assessment or professional guidance can also be valuable, as it helps identify individual weaknesses and ensures exercises are targeted to your specific needs.

FINAL THOUGHTS

What I have learned is that the best running and strength training plan is simply one you can stick to. It does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be sustainable and flexible enough to adapt around recovery, fatigue and life outside training. Strength gains build gradually, just like running fitness, and patience really does matter. For me, adding resistance training was not only about performance. It changed how running feels. I feel stronger, more stable and more in control, especially during longer efforts. Over time, it has become one of the most valuable parts of my routine, and one of the smartest long-term investments I have made in my running.