Lifting Heavy AND Running?

ShowPoodleGirl

I have been going to the gym and lifting 4 days a week since Sept 2024. I do 2 days upper body, and 2 days lower body per week. I wasn't doing any 'true' cardio, just walking/training my dogs.
Recently, I decided to add in running. I'm currently on Week 2 Run 3 of C25K. I am running 3 days a week. I am doing the runs on either upper body days or days I'm not lifting with a 1-2 days rest between runs. I am considering working up to a half marathon in length.
Is there anything I should take into consideration when adding running when I'm doing heavy lifting? I want to be sure I don't end up over training, but want to be able to push myself as much as I can in both aspects. I will have different shoes for running and lifting since I know I don't want a lot of cushion for lifting. Any advice or things I should keep in mind?
Also, as a total aside as a non scale victory, I went on a 20 mile bike ride yesterday. Second ride this year as we just came out of winter, and I couldn't believe the difference my lifting has made to my cycling. I normally sit in middle gear (2nd main gear), and have to downshift for any hills. Yesterday I bumped up to the highest gear (3rd main gear) and didn't downshift for 3/4 of the entire ride simply because my muscle strength in my legs could easily power me up the hills on my ride (granted it's a relatively flat ride), and I was barely winded throughout any of the ride.

nossmf

It sounds like you've already planned for most of what I would suggest…

• Run on non-leg days
• Different shoes
• Rest days between runs, rest days between same-body-part lifts

Next step is making sure your nutrition is on point. Make sure you get enough protein (at least 0.7g/lb of BW, or 1.5g/kg) for the muscles, and don't skimp on the calories after the runs either. Doesn't mean eat everything within reach, just hit maintenance calories…trying to improve lifting AND running is already hard enough on the body, now is NOT the time to try to also lose weight, or at least not quickly lose.

Many new runners experience a painful condition called "shin splints" which feels like the muscles on either side of your shin bone are on fire where they touch the bone. Mild cases make it uncomfortable to walk; severe cases make it impossible, and can feel far worse than cramps. Prevent/minimize this condition through the following:

• getting enough potassium in your diet (bananas and nuts are great sources)
• drink plenty of water (even if you don't sweat, every exhale is releasing more water)
• using actual running shoes
• avoid running on concrete sidewalks if possible…streets are ok, dirt is better, grass is best
• stretch thoroughly your calves after running (NOT before)
• add two simple exercises daily: walk ten feet forward on your heels while trying to keep your toes off the ground, then walk ten feet backwards with small steps and touching the ground first with your toes, then rolling the rest of the foot down…do this forwards/back combination five times per day

It will take a while to build up to a half marathon distance. A 5k run and heavy lifting work great together, but once you get up to the longer distances (10+mi // 15+km) you'll want to transition your leg days from heavy singles or sets of five to sets of ten instead. But until then, there are some leg lifts which can really help with the drive of your legs while running, especially during any uphill portions of a race or in the final stretch when you're sprinting for the finish line:

• lunges
• step-ups
• Bulgarian split squat

Keep us posted how your progress works out for you, and if you have any additional questions!

ShowPoodleGirl

Thank you for the detailed answer.
I do try to get that much protein in daily already for my lifting so that's covered.
I have run before, about 10 years ago, with my longest run back then being 16km without walking, and thankfully didn't have any problems with shin splints so hoping I can prevent them again. I will try those exercises you mentioned and try to stay on the grass more when I can.
I picked up some new running shoes to try tomorrow on the treadmill to see how they feel. I have very difficult (incredibly wide feet) to fit so I'm hoping they work for me (I did go to a specific running store, but I've had issues with fit even when being fit by a running store so I won't hold my breath)
Bulgarians are a part of my leg day (unfortunately haha)
I am currently still needing to lose some weight (I don't have a specific goal weight as I'm going by how I look and feel, but estimating around 30 more pounds), but I am concious that I don't want to lose too fast. I weigh once a month so August 1 I will evaluate my weight loss this month and see how much I need to adjust my calories to be sure I'm not losing too fast and can fuel my workouts as best as I can

Retroguy2000

To add to that great advice:

You've added a lot of endurance training for your legs. You shouldn't be strength training for lower body, i.e. 1-5 reps. You should also reduce lower body lifting volume. So e.g. if you're currently doing 5-10 reps for lower, add at least 5 reps to those sets, and do fewer sets. Also, don't go to failure for lower body, go to about 2 RIR. Still do it twice weekly, but with reduced volume.

It sounds like you've got a lot of stuff covered already in the OP.

rsccore

"I want to be sure I don't end up over training, but want to be able to push myself as much as I can in both aspects."

I went through this phase, maximum training, and it is fairly easy to navigate if you have decent feedback (listen to your body).

There are actually two levels, Over Reaching and Over Training.

In a maximum training scenario, you train one day, then sleep, recover, but not fully, begin training the next day, a little sore at the very beginning, but then that goes away and by the end of the session you feel great. That is active recovery.

And you can continue this cycle and overlap training and recovery like that.

If however, during the next session or by the end of the session, you don't feel that "active recovery" and still feel sore or just not right, you are over reaching. This is a sign to back off and take a rest day or two.

If instead you push through over reaching, you will reach over training soon and that can take weeks to recover from.

For me this was pretty common for a few months while getting into shape and wanting to "push" it. And a couple times during the first 3 to 4 months, I did have to back off for a couple days, but made it through ok. After 6 months, I was in much better shape and daily exercise now doesn't involve active recovery anymore (unless I have been slacking for awhile). But if I started "training" again, meaning pushing myself to an even higher level of endurance or fitness, then it would be a thing again.

I agree with the point regarding backing off the lower body resistance training. If I had to do again, with all of the high inclined walking I did, I would have focused more on upper body resistance training. Now I do high inclined walking and rowing, and enough HIIT running for the cardiovascular drive, which covers almost everything I need, but I still augment that with some weights. But I am not trying to be jacked.

ShowPoodleGirl

Thanks you guys for the advice. It sounds like I'm about on the right track. I'm generally feeling good by the next lifting day for that muscle group (upper or lower). Since the last time I asked a lifting question you guys suggested a 10-15 rep range for lower body so that's what I have been doing but I'll try to be aware to not push to failure.
I think one of my biggest things is just to be sure I'm eating the right amount of calories to fuel my body while hopefully easing a little weight off. I have upped my calories by 100 a day and on the weekend where I felt that I had maybe overpushed myself with lifing, running, and a bike ride I ate roughly around maintenance and rested fully on sunday other than walking the dogs and popping to the store for shoes.