I run cross country in college and I typically run around 55 miles per week. Im very thin, almost to the point where I look unhealthy. I am healthy but Ive really wanted to start working out more and start doing more weight training. Would I even see results if I keep up my milage. Would it be better to drop my milage if I want to gain muscle mass. I obviously dont want to let my team down by sacrificing my performance, but I also want to improve my physique.
But your answer is yes. You will gain muscle as long as you’re exercising in a way that causes breakdown in your muscle fibers, and eating in a protein sufficient caloric surplus. Doesn’t matter the mileage. I’m putting on mass running about 60 mpw right now.
I have an upper body strength training injury so I am not lifting weights now but over the years, if I run more than 7 1/2 miles per week and weight train, I lose weight, burn fat, my percentage of body fat can get under 8% doing both. I don't consume weight lifting powders. I don't know what's in the powders. Talk to your coach. Maybe for you not getting big is okay. Nothing wrong with looking like a professional boxer.
I don't believe anyone can cleanly run 60 miles per week, weight train and not only add muscle but gain weight. I suggest you take your protein powders to your university sport science department for testing.
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I run cross country in college and I typically run around 55 miles per week. Im very thin, almost to the point where I look unhealthy. I am healthy but Ive really wanted to start working out more and start doing more weight training. Would I even see results if I keep up my milage. Would it be better to drop my milage if I want to gain muscle mass. I obviously dont want to let my team down by sacrificing my performance, but I also want to improve my physique.
You CAN gain muscle, but the real question is SHOULD you gain muscle. I believe the answer is no. If you are worried about your physique, stop. Man muscles usually come in by 23-27 years of age. You may have a couple years left and you'll fill out more by default. While you are running and trying to improve times, you really shouldn't do more than complementary weight training. Weight is generally a disadvantage to the runner trying to achieve their personal maximum performance. When your peak running days are over you can Ryan Hall yourself all you want.
You can definitely gain muscle mass. Your mileage wouldn't be an entirely limiting factor, but your genetics might. Your running WILL suffer, but maybe not much - do whatever matters more to you. I went to a D3 school and have no regrets letting my running results suffer a bit to have a better physique (i was probably 5-7 lbs heavier than what would have been perfect for running). You are only in college once - make the most of it! If it's purely grades and running, good for you. If it's also maximizing banging hot girls while still being able to have good grades and compete on the team successfully, also good for you.
If you DO plan to put on some muscle, I'd focus your mass gains on during the offseason and only lift to maintain or not lose your gains entirely during competitive season. You could make great "noobie" gains in an 10-12 week period and not worry about building gains the rest of the year. If only running cross country, I'd start now. Assess how you feel in mid-late feb.
I run cross country in college and I typically run around 55 miles per week. Im very thin, almost to the point where I look unhealthy. I am healthy but Ive really wanted to start working out more and start doing more weight training. Would I even see results if I keep up my milage. Would it be better to drop my milage if I want to gain muscle mass. I obviously dont want to let my team down by sacrificing my performance, but I also want to improve my physique.
If you're sickly thin then you're not letting your team down. If you look strong and healthy then you're definitely letting your team down, and you might as well quit the team.
Either wait until your college career is over, or let your team down by gaining muscle or quitting the team.
In the meantime, try to appreciate your sickly looking but high performing body. You'll miss it badly one day soon.
You can gain muscle mass on 55mpw. Increase your calories and eat a lot of protein. I suggest starting with 2-3 full body workouts a week, an ABA type of split. Unless you're a rock star on the team, whatever performance degradation you encounter will be irrelevant and will be worth a more manly appearance. Who cares about college sports anyways. You'll be overall healthier as well.
FWIW I currently run 30 mpw - I cut my mileage in half and my old man hobbyjogger 5k time went from 17:40 to 18:30, but I can now complete the 1/2/3/4 plate scheme (135 overhead press, 225 bench, 315 squat, 405 deadlift). I feel better and I look WAY better.
You can gain muscle mass on 55mpw. Increase your calories and eat a lot of protein. I suggest starting with 2-3 full body workouts a week, an ABA type of split. Unless you're a rock star on the team, whatever performance degradation you encounter will be irrelevant and will be worth a more manly appearance. Who cares about college sports anyways. You'll be overall healthier as well.
FWIW I currently run 30 mpw - I cut my mileage in half and my old man hobbyjogger 5k time went from 17:40 to 18:30, but I can now complete the 1/2/3/4 plate scheme (135 overhead press, 225 bench, 315 squat, 405 deadlift). I feel better and I look WAY better.
What’s your body weight and height? Those lifts are very good, especially with your 5K time and “old man” status.
You can gain muscle mass on 55mpw. Increase your calories and eat a lot of protein. I suggest starting with 2-3 full body workouts a week, an ABA type of split. Unless you're a rock star on the team, whatever performance degradation you encounter will be irrelevant and will be worth a more manly appearance. Who cares about college sports anyways. You'll be overall healthier as well.
FWIW I currently run 30 mpw - I cut my mileage in half and my old man hobbyjogger 5k time went from 17:40 to 18:30, but I can now complete the 1/2/3/4 plate scheme (135 overhead press, 225 bench, 315 squat, 405 deadlift). I feel better and I look WAY better.
What’s your body weight and height? Those lifts are very good, especially with your 5K time and “old man” status.
5'11 168lbs late 40s. And the sad thing is I know of at least 2 guys at my gym alone who can outlift me and outrun me. One dude benches 315+ and just turkey trotted a sub-17 5k. There are some real solid dudes out there and IMO there is zero reason to skip weightlifting unless you're an elite tier marathoner and there's actual money on the line, where 10lbs of extra manly upper-body mass might make or break a race. Most people would be shocked how much stronger they'd get in a year, and how much better they'd look, if they just lifted 2x a week in place of their two easiest runs.
What’s your body weight and height? Those lifts are very good, especially with your 5K time and “old man” status.
5'11 168lbs late 40s. And the sad thing is I know of at least 2 guys at my gym alone who can outlift me and outrun me. One dude benches 315+ and just turkey trotted a sub-17 5k. There are some real solid dudes out there and IMO there is zero reason to skip weightlifting unless you're an elite tier marathoner and there's actual money on the line, where 10lbs of extra manly upper-body mass might make or break a race. Most people would be shocked how much stronger they'd get in a year, and how much better they'd look, if they just lifted 2x a week in place of their two easiest runs.
Also, most runners might be shocked at how much faster they can sprint by putting on just a few pounds of muscle. Assuming they're keeping up with speed work and doing some explosive lifts. The tradeoff could very well be worth it if they want to run some faster 800s and 1500s and they're currently borderline emaciated.
5'11 168lbs late 40s. And the sad thing is I know of at least 2 guys at my gym alone who can outlift me and outrun me. One dude benches 315+ and just turkey trotted a sub-17 5k. There are some real solid dudes out there and IMO there is zero reason to skip weightlifting unless you're an elite tier marathoner and there's actual money on the line, where 10lbs of extra manly upper-body mass might make or break a race. Most people would be shocked how much stronger they'd get in a year, and how much better they'd look, if they just lifted 2x a week in place of their two easiest runs.
Also, most runners might be shocked at how much faster they can sprint by putting on just a few pounds of muscle. Assuming they're keeping up with speed work and doing some explosive lifts. The tradeoff could very well be worth it if they want to run some faster 800s and 1500s and they're currently borderline emaciated.
I wasn't even thinking about shorter races but it's definitely true. One other thing is injury prevention, I was fortunate to be (mostly) injury free but I know a lot of runners who reported fewer injuries after they beefed up their squats and deadlifts.
Someone with high level runner genetics...5'10 140lbs or less...is going to have a hard time putting on muscle and even harder if running nearly an hour a day.
There is going to be a balance point you'll have to find if you really want to lift and run and you're not worried about competing.
It is not at all hard to be better at running than those who lift and be better at lifting than those who run.
I don't believe anyone can cleanly run 60 miles per week, weight train and not only add muscle but gain weight. I suggest you take your protein powders to your university sport science department for testing.
“Not only add muscle but gain weight”
The two of those are the same. If you add muscle you’re gaining weight. If you increase strength you’ve gained muscle and/or tendon mass/density. Even then, the drugs that are used to increase muscle mass that I “could” potentially get away with work by reducing recovery time instead of workout yield, and drive up metabolism a ton which would work against my goals.
Its honestly not even super hard for me to gain at this work load either. 3-4 lift days with a power/plyometric emphasis, normal +\- 60 mpw middle distance structure, high and clean protein, I actually rarely ever supplement protein (I do supplement iron, magnesium, and fish oil). Extreme fatigue is an issue, if I’m not working out or in school or eating I’m in bed, but other than that I’m healthy and clean.
Back in 2008 when I decided to stop competing in running events and focus more on lifting I was still running 30-50 miles a week for a while but it got less and less. I was lifting HARD 4-6x a week. I went from 140 @ 8% to 165 then cut down to 155 @ 5% (both 7 site caliper measured).
I run cross country in college and I typically run around 55 miles per week. Im very thin, almost to the point where I look unhealthy. I am healthy but Ive really wanted to start working out more and start doing more weight training. Would I even see results if I keep up my milage. Would it be better to drop my milage if I want to gain muscle mass. I obviously dont want to let my team down by sacrificing my performance, but I also want to improve my physique.
I run in that general miles per week range, and I’m VERY muscular looking even though I’m a girl. I think it’s because I lift and sometimes do sprints and mid distance runs (which I think helps with long distance sometimes). But I also lift very hard and gradually increase the weight. I think it’s helpful to dabble more into weightlifting and speedy runs (with same or more mileage if you want) during the offseason or summer so you don’t have to worry about races. I think it’s also a good time to do a tiny bulk during that time too; after long runs you might not have an appetite, but keep workin. I think you might even get faster after lifting heavier and running too.