The difference between long distance runners and track?

MyiahRose

when you look at long distance runners you see that most are very skinny and have skinny legs. But when you look at track stars, they have huge muscular toned legs.
What is the difference in their training? I am training for a half marathon but i also don't want chicken legs.
What other training can i do to get muscular legs?

Carrieendar

The best endurance runners will have low body fat but still muscular legs; obviously they are not at the level of the sprinter because fast twitch muscle fibers have more volume growth ability (the soleus muscle of the back of your leg, for example, will never "grow" to the extent that the gastrocnemius can, which the leg muscle that has more fast twitch fibers. The sprinter uses the latter while the endurance runner depends more on the former).

I am an endurance runner and I think my legs are pretty nice I maintain that by lifting, tracking my calories in and out so that I am not creating huge deficits when I am burning 1200+ calories on runs. I use the off season for gains and simply maintain in the training season. I don't target too many races (even if I run more just for fun), so the seasons allow me to focus on different areas that need work.

edited to add:

There does come a point when lifting and distance running start to pull in opposite directions. If you have a time goal for a long distance, there will be a tipping point where you can negatively impact your ability to get to the finish line faster by lifting too much.

rybo

While their training is different, that's typically not the reason for differences in body types. One body type lends itself to sprinting and the other to distance.
That said, if you want bigger legs then strength train them and eat enough.

WolverhamptonFitness

Yes, Add a couple gym sessions a week to legs if you want to bulk your legs, but you need to be eating on a + - if your doing 1200 calorie burning runs, that will be difficult!

martyqueen52

Squats and leg presses... and EAT. In order for muscle to grow you need excess calories. Grated you might get SOME fat.... but, it's very easy to cut weight.

3dogsrunning

There is a big difference between elite track and marathon runners than your average track or marathon runner.

At elite levels you will see a certain body type prevail but that is because it is advantageous to the sport. That doesn't just apply to running. Many sports have a specific body type you generally see at elite levels. Training plays a role too, extra muscle is not as useful in long distance running as it is in track.

Distance running won't necessarily give you thin legs. I have more of a track runner build and I've done half marathons with no special work to keep my bottom half, I definitely never got chicken legs. There are plenty of marathon runners, even fast ones, who don't look like the elites do.

jacksonpt

rybo wrote: »

While their training is different, that's typically not the reason for differences in body types. One body type lends itself to sprinting and the other to distance.
That said, if you want bigger legs then strength train them and eat enough.

agreed.

3dogsrunning wrote: »

There is a big difference between elite track and marathon runners than your average track or marathon runner.

also agreed.

MeanderingMammal

MyiahRose wrote: »

What other training can i do to get muscular legs?

Personally I run, swim and cycle which seems to be fine in terms of build. I do a bit of bodyweight resistance training, but that's less important to me than the others, each of which are complementary. Given that I'm from Northern Europe, rather than North East Africa I don't have the genetics that Wilson Kipsang and Dennis Kimeto have.

MyiahRose

WolverhamptonFitness wrote: »

Yes, Add a couple gym sessions a week to legs if you want to bulk your legs, but you need to be eating on a + - if your doing 1200 calorie burning runs, that will be difficult!

I burn 1200+ on my runs, i eat about 2600 calories on my run days.

MyiahRose

martyqueen52 wrote: »

Squats and leg presses... and EAT. In order for muscle to grow you need excess calories. Grated you might get SOME fat.... but, it's very easy to cut weight.

Should i start doing that now? I am not at my goal weight now.

Carrieendar

MyiahRose wrote: »

WolverhamptonFitness wrote: »

Yes, Add a couple gym sessions a week to legs if you want to bulk your legs, but you need to be eating on a + - if your doing 1200 calorie burning runs, that will be difficult!

I burn 1200+ on my runs, i eat about 2600 calories on my run days.

That's a really high deficit I would think. I know I cannot maintain, much less make large gains in muscle, if I eat under 1750 net.

_Waffle_

MyiahRose wrote: »

when you look at long distance runners you see that most are very skinny and have skinny legs. But when you look at track stars, they have huge muscular toned legs.
What is the difference in their training? I am training for a half marathon but i also don't want chicken legs.
What other training can i do to get muscular legs?

Diet. The difference is more diet that anything. I do a 13+ mile run nearly every week. Me and my poor chicken legs. :laugh:



Just make sure you're logging calories burned and eating those calories. You're not going to lose anything in the way of leg size. The pros are smaller on purpose. There's no advantage to carrying extra muscle. In fact you're looking at about a 2 second per mile speed improvement for each pound you lose. That's a huge competitive advantage and that's why long distance runners are thinner.

Sprinting requires more fast twitch muscle fibers. You blow through energy really fast there but they don't run for long so it's to their advantage to stack on as much as possible.

Wheelhouse15

Sprinters are regulars in the squat rack as it's ground power and not stride speed that will determine the winners in the shorter distances.