Does this happen, outside of high schoolers who are developing rapidly and guys like Alan Webb?
Does this happen, outside of high schoolers who are developing rapidly and guys like Alan Webb?
It's happened for some women whom I know personally.
They focused on strength, added 5-8lbs to their skinny-minnie frames, and became much faster.
I tend to run well with a little extra meat and muscle on me. At the start of my training I do drop some weight, sure, but I usually find training and racing success 5 lbs. heavier than what I'm told my race weight "should" be. Anything less than that and I feel weak and tired all the time.
I always do my best running when I am "locally" heavy, that is heavier than I have been for the past several weeks. I assume this is because I am well hydrated and glycogen loaded. So yes, in the very short term, getting slightly heavier makes me faster.
If you are underweight gaining weight will improve your running. Or, if your body fat percentage is to low your hormones will be out of wack and gaining some body fat will improve your hormones and improve your running.