Running only vs. adding Weight Training

If you are a competitive runner, you will both run and lift.

If you are simply seeking one of the two for fitness for life, obviously you will lift and dump the running.

I've been adding a full body 45 min. weight workout 2X per week. It has boosted my overall feeling of fitness and actually energized me at work - of course, I am pushing 60, and I'm sure you're not. I need this at my age. My muscles are visibly shrinking. Anyway, I wish I had done it during the past 30+ yrs. of running. Work it in while you're competitive. My 2 cents.

dble wrote:

I've been adding a full body 45 min. weight workout 2X per week. It has boosted my overall feeling of fitness and actually energized me at work - of course, I am pushing 60, and I'm sure you're not. I need this at my age. My muscles are visibly shrinking. Anyway, I wish I had done it during the past 30+ yrs. of running. Work it in while you're competitive. My 2 cents.

I'm in a similar situation but a lot younger--24, and I've begun incorporating 3x/wk lifting of about 45 min to an hour or so. It is enjoyable, and it gives me a nice break in my day; that said, I will say that I have been absolutely annihilating food lately--and I mean a lot of junk food just out of the feeling that I need to be pouring calories into my body.

You cannot train more than your ability to recover.

Recovery is effected by many things we take for granted:

1. Sleep: The more you train the more you need to sleep. Don't wake up with an alarm. Wake up naturally. You should sleep about 7-9 hours, but it shouldn't be forced. Quality of sleep is also important. Sleep in complete darkness. Random sounds and lights, like from a TV kept on, interrupts our REM sleep.

2. Reduce stress: Take a few hours each day to undwind, do yoga, relax quietly, take a hot bath.

3. Eat to Live, don't Live to Eat: Your body needs nutrients to recover, it needs vitamins and minerals to function optimally, it needs protein to be used as building blocks to rebuild damaged muscle.

The ability to recover is very individualized. Try to maintain balance. If you're running 100 miles a week there is no way you can lift hard 5 days a week. If you're running hard intervals on Tuesday/Thursday how do you expect to strength train hard on Monday/Wednesday? Stress is stress and there's only so much overload and CNS stress the body can handle without breaking down.

If your goal is distance running this focus on running more, while also lifting 1-2 x week for 30 minutes.

If your goal is general fitness then lift 3-4 days a week and run 3-4 days a week. If you plan on running hard intervals then don't lift the day before or after. If you lift and run hard intervals, do them on the same day and do the most important workout first. If you enjoy lifting more then lift first and vice versa.

Alan

Suggestion: Replace the junk food w/ a protein shake - especially at night. The weight training necessitates more protein - more than logging miles. You'll feel better the next day - of course, you're 24, you'll feel good all the time.

Somehow I can't see Ritz or Rupp spending too much time benching.

J. Edgar Hoover wrote:

If you are a competitive runner, you will both run and lift.