Link to an interesting article presenting some in favor, some against. I personally am becoming more and more of an advocate of strength training as time goes by, in my case more for injury prevention than anything else.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/health/nutrition/28BEST.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=102654e0ed5bfd74&ex=1204952400&emc=eta1

sheryl c.

I think weight lifting can help in fact your overall performance. However, I am too lazy to do it, and of course, when I try it, maybe once every 5 years, the technique is definitely sloppy. As Cathy O’Brien says: "As far as resistance training, I have always been a minimalist” Me too!

I did some weigh lifting when I was 18-years old but after 9-10 months I just quitted. I didn't have the discipline (and still don't) to follow a routine of weight training (in addition, it takes too much extra time! )
I tried to start doing some abdominal work a couple of months ago but... it was really, really, really, really painful --- so, the only thing I do in addition to running and biking (in the stationary bike by the way) is sometimes rowing (it's very easy and confortable! )

I envy you all guys for having so much discipline!

Does carrying around the 10 extra pounds I gained when I quit running last year count as weight training? If so, then I'm on a daily routine and if I don't run more/eat less, I'll be upping my training by 5 more pounds soon.

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Every day I run is another battle won.

I am a big believer in lifting weights. I think is helps to avoid injuries. I also think yoga is great for strengthening to avoid injuries. I never seem to lift as much as I want to in a week, but most weeks I usually have at least one day of some type of weight workout and 1 yoga class, minimum. I think the weights/yoga/core work help you to be a stronger runner. I believe it helps you physically, but even if I didn't believe that, I think it helps me mentally when I have good weight workouts, even if I am not stronger, I feel stronger, so it helps with the mental part of the game (feel strong / race strong) For me, it is a must.

One other very important part of the game for me is to do my weights on my hard days of running, normally, after my run. I think if you run hard one day and then lift on opposite days that you are always in recovery and your muscles never get to repair properly. I struggled for a long time with trying to fit it all in and recover until I started doing all of the hard stuff on the same day. This way, my recovery days are really recovery days.

I agree with Ginny regarding the problems with trying to fit it all in, meaning how to figure out when to do weights, etc. Like Ginny, I would lift on my easy running days and I would also do yoga or Pilates. I found that I was worn out all the time. So, now I'm trying to convince myself that I should lift on my speed days and long run days (after running) and then I can really have recovery days and a rest day.

I'm trying to move away from weight machines and do more free weights or use my body weight as resitance. I've been reading a lot about the value of using free weights or other objects (weighted balls, bands, etc) and trying to do real life movements. At my age, I also need to work on activities which will enhance balance.

OK---I'm waiting for Sheryl's opinion on this.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

I was going to keep my thoughts to myself on this, but I guess I won't. I have probably written about this before (and I know that I've talked to some people about it), but I have a different approach to weight training than some of what has been expressed.

I try to attend Yoga classes (or work on my own) regularly throughout the year and I do consider that to be a strength training workout (along with flexibility and balance).

But, as far as weight training goes, I have been sticking to an 8 to 12 week (8 last year, 12 planned this year but ended up being just about 10) cycle during the winter. We do two days per week, one upper and one lower, and using progressively heavier weights most weeks and/or increasing reps or sets. During this cycle my running and biking mileage decrease by necessity as just these two hard days take a lot out of me.

We do a combination of free weights and machines, although more free weights. Don put the exercises together to target body parts used in running, biking and swimming. I usually add some calf work to what he plans (I was doing three different calf specific exercises this past winter) because that is an area that I've read women in particular need to strengthen.

I have had more noticeable results in swimming and biking than in running although I think it helps all three.

I consider the weight phase to be one of four phases in my training year. It does me good both mentally and physically to change things up, and while the 'runner' part of my personality hates 'losing' mileage, I have found that I manage every year to build my distance up to meet my goals of that year (whatever they are). I don't like to bike far and/or fast in the cold, and just as with running, I build mileage back up again every year.

sheryl c.

I love my weight training. That and an easy bike ride are my 2 favorite non running exercises. I do two sessions a week throughtout the year except for the two weeks leading up to a marathon. Both sessions are total body workouts. One session is more of a curcuit training session where the sets (25-30 sets) are on machines and targeting certain muscle groups. I try to mix up the different machines weekly to break the routine but am sure to hit all the necessary muscles. The other session is usually a total body workout with free weights (16-20 sets), again hitting the proper muscles and using different movements to break up the routiune. ie: I may do lying brench press one week and flys the next then incline press the next. Neither workout it designed to "wipe me out". One thing I have to be careful with is the free weights will really put the body mass on me if I'm not careful.