Mid Distance Strength Training

Squats, hamstring curls, dead lifts, power cleans...any of the "explosive" lifts should be good. Also things like calf raises and shin exercises can be helpful. And if you have access to a 4-way hip machine, that can be good for strengthening hips and the IT band. Just don't lift too close to races or anything like that, and start tapering your lifting about a month before you plan to peak.

Thanks very much for the advice. Also I'm more in training mode right now. I don't race indoors and only have 2 xc races left, after that there is nothing untill my track season which doesn't begin till late April so I have a couple of months to play around with these exercises.

Take if from a HS state champion and a division 1 runner. you don't need to do anything heavy or even use weights. a lot of world class mid distance runners don't even use weights at all and for good reason. all of your weight training should be based off your own body weight. you don't want to put on extra muscle, you just want your body to function optimally in accordance to its own size and weight. push-ups, lunges, and basic ab-work should be the kind of exercises you focus on.

lots of plyometrics and basic exercises. dont worry about it too much.

and yes to all the trash talkers out there I know there are much more efficient exercises than push ups, lunges, crunches etc.

i was merely stating an example of the kind of work that should be done and am too lazy to list a regime of efficient exercises

I'll also be doing circuit training and plyometrics through the week along with the gym training I'm looking to do. I'm not looking to do excessive amounts of either though, just to gain a bit of extra strength, not wanting any great gain of muscle mass.

A few more basics since you're a beginner:

- The exercises above are good, but make very sure you get some instruction on correct form. The first few sessions should purely focus on learning correct technique, with a light bar.

- If you can't get to a gym or find instruction, do body weight stuff. Google "RunningArt2004 leg crank".

- When you've got used to it, aim for 3-6 sets, 3-6 reps, 3 min between exercises on the heavy exercises. You can always do something different to kill time in between (e.g. a set of chins in between the squats)

- Lifts will have a big effect on your running (i.e. make you tired and mess up your sessions if you do too much). You must allow an easy day after a weight session, and on't lift to exhaustion; whatever you do, you'll get stronger in your first year.

- It's also important to get muscular endurance from somewhere, as well as max strength. This can come from circuit-type exercises (sets of 20-30 exercises), from extensive drills (high knee running, hill springing), or hills

- Consider that many great runners never touched a barbell but instead did hill reps. If you run up a short hill with good form 3-4 times, then add one rep each week, you can develop phenomenal power and endurance. These guys did hills....

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b4EvVzAgAJU/R-o90wuqX-I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/JCJf_6r-vQ4/s400/Vasala_Keino_1500_Munich72.jpg