Runners who lift: what does your workout schedule look like?

sjp_511
sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a runner. I run 5+ half marathons a year. I guess you could say I am addicted to racing. Over the last couple weeks I have started to lift weights and I love it. I have created a workout schedule but it only has me lifting (full body) 2 days per week.

M: run 4-5 miles in the evening, yoga in the morning on the rare occasion I get up early
T: 15 minute warm-up on treadmill, lift for 45 minutes
W: same as Monday
Th: same as Tuesday
F: easy run and/or yoga
Sa: Long run
Su: rest

Sometimes my long run will get pushed to Sunday depending on schedule and weather. I am contemplating adding Sunday as a lifting day, but I also think that there is some merit to taking a rest day after a long run. Curious to see what everyone else's schedule looks like.
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Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • jgerbe2
    jgerbe2 Posts: 57 Member
    Bump! I am just starting to work running into my life and preparing for my first 5k. It would be great to see how others schedule their workouts.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    I have an on-again, off-again thing with running, but when I'm training for a race I limit lifting to twice a week.
  • sleroux14
    sleroux14 Posts: 25
    Bump - I'm running and still strugling with my agenda to include lifting....will see the answers....
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • Maaike84
    Maaike84 Posts: 211 Member
    bump! interested in adding lifting to my running/yoga routine - well, when my knee heals, b/c now it's just a yoga routine...
  • EmmaJean7
    EmmaJean7 Posts: 163 Member
    bump
  • jenbroussard71
    jenbroussard71 Posts: 281 Member
    Bump
  • i_am_asparagus
    i_am_asparagus Posts: 336 Member
    Bumpity bump.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I currently lift doing a full body program 3 days a week, and run once or twice a week, either one 10k or two 5k runs. I switch between runs in the park and trail runs. It usually is something like this:

    M: Bench, Squats, Row
    T: Rest
    W: Bench, OHP
    Th: Rest
    F: OHP, Row, Squats
    Sat/Sun: One rest day, one run day.

    I also do accessory lifts on my lift days after my big lifts: pullups, dips, calves, curls. Wednesday WAS dead lift day too, but a back disc issue has killed that.

    I have a Spartan Beast (12+ miles) coming this September, and I plan to go easier on the squats during that time, add mileage, and add an extra run day in the months coming into that. I'm also planning a 1/2 marathon around that same time.
  • hananah89
    hananah89 Posts: 692 Member
    Stronglifts 3x week (ideally MWF mornings)
    2-3 mile runs T/Th evenings then longer one on Saturday as I pick up running for a 10k in April

    That is, of course, the plan. Work travel and stuff can get in the way though.

    I'll take the rest day if needed, otherwise I'll throw in something like the arc trainer or an Insanity video too.
  • DymonNdaRgh40
    DymonNdaRgh40 Posts: 661 Member
    Here's my schedule:

    Monday - 3.5 miles, leg weights, stairmaster
    Tuesday - Weights - Monster leg day
    Wednesday - 4.5 miles, leg weights, stairmaster
    Thursday - Weights - Upper body
    Friday - 6.5 miles, leg weights
    Saturday - Weights or Long Run
    Sunday - Weights, Long run, or Rest day

    I have another half marathon coming up this month plus a challenge where we run a 10k the day before the half. I'm looking forward to it!
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    My schedule changes from time to time, but right now I'm lifting for thirty minutes and spending sixty on the tread. I teach Step Aerobics twice a week.
  • tempehforever
    tempehforever Posts: 183 Member
    This is a great thread! I aim for roughly the schedule below (which varies due to weather, my schedule, etc.). I might not dedicate as much time to strength as others do, though.

    Monday: 3 miles on treadmill, strength
    Tuesday: Yoga or rest
    Wednesday: 400m intervals on treadmill, strength
    Thursday: Outdoor run
    Friday: Rest
    Saturday: Strength
    Sunday: Long outdoor run
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    This is a great thread! I aim for roughly the schedule below (which varies due to weather, my schedule, etc.). I might not dedicate as much time to strength as others do, though.

    Monday: 3 miles on treadmill, strength
    Tuesday: Yoga or rest
    Wednesday: 400m intervals on treadmill, strength
    Thursday: Outdoor run
    Friday: Rest
    Saturday: Strength
    Sunday: Long outdoor run


    I see that you do strength the day before and the day after your long run. Doesn't that really drain you? I wanted to avoid that for myself.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    Here's my schedule:

    Monday - 3.5 miles, leg weights, stairmaster
    Tuesday - Weights - Monster leg day
    Wednesday - 4.5 miles, leg weights, stairmaster
    Thursday - Weights - Upper body
    Friday - 6.5 miles, leg weights
    Saturday - Weights or Long Run
    Sunday - Weights, Long run, or Rest day

    I have another half marathon coming up this month plus a challenge where we run a 10k the day before the half. I'm looking forward to it!

    What do you mean by "leg weights"? Are you doing squats and what not after running on the treadmill or or you running with weights strapped to your legs/ankles? I have heard that it can be bad for your joints to run with ankle weights.
  • tempehforever
    tempehforever Posts: 183 Member
    This is a great thread! I aim for roughly the schedule below (which varies due to weather, my schedule, etc.). I might not dedicate as much time to strength as others do, though.

    Monday: 3 miles on treadmill, strength
    Tuesday: Yoga or rest
    Wednesday: 400m intervals on treadmill, strength
    Thursday: Outdoor run
    Friday: Rest
    Saturday: Strength
    Sunday: Long outdoor run


    I see that you do strength the day before and the day after your long run. Doesn't that really drain you? I wanted to avoid that for myself.

    Honestly, those two are pretty interchangeable. I should have indicated that--I do my long run on Saturday or Sunday depending which day has better weather. And then I try to strength train the other day. If I'm sore I take a rest day after my long run.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    not set in stone, but roughly I expect
    M-W-F Strength
    T-Th-Su Run
    Saturday is a wild card, I may take off completely, or add in an extra strength day or run day.
  • heel_striker
    heel_striker Posts: 32 Member
    I am trianing for a half right now and this is my ideal schedule, basically i try to stay away from too much leg work the day before my long run, otherwise it is garbage.

    Mon-Weights/strength (in pm)
    Tues- Run (usually 4km)
    Wed-2k warm up then Hill training, strength training
    Thurs- either Run or rest (depends on how I feel)
    Friday- either run or rest (If i ran thurs, friday is a rest day)
    Sat- crosstrain and strength (no legs)
    Sunday- Long run

    And I foam roll 2-3 times a week.
  • kaylatee0
    kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
    This is what has been working for me. Granted, I've only been back in training for a race (Half Marathon) for 2 weeks. So, this is what has worked for me for two weeks.

    I just started getting into lifting, so I don’t want to stop or slow down at this time. I do two workouts per day on weekdays.

    Sunday – Long Run (11K)
    Monday – AM: Recovery Run(5-6KM) PM: Body Pump
    Tuesday – AM: 20 min cardio + Legs PM: 40 Minutes on Stairmaster
    Wednesday – AM: 20 min cardio + Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders PM: Run (6-8KM)
    Thursday – AM: Run (6-8KM) PM: Body Pump + Body Combat
    Friday – AM: 20 min cardio +Back/Chest/Abs PM: Cardio (Optional)
    Saturday – Body Attack

    The run distances will continue to change as I progress through my training, my current training plan is 4 days per week.

    Interested to hear any recommendations or thoughts surrounding my plan if you have any 
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    How about a lifter who runs?

    M: Squats, OHP, Deadlifts
    T: Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts)
    W: Rest
    Th: Squats, Bench, Row
    F: Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts)
    Sat/Sun: One rest day, one run day.

    A good mix of heavy lifting/strength and endurance training. I will say that my run has suffered when I went back to cutting especially since it's at the end of the week. When I was bulking, I could do it all.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    M/W/F run
    T/TH Lifting, full body

    When I'm not focusing on running, it's the other way around, 2 days running, three days lifting, right now (although I have a broken treadmill and need a new one) I'm working to improve my pace and add distance, so more running.
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    My schedule looks like this:

    Mon: Legs & Back
    Tue: Easy run or rest
    Wed: Shoulders & Triceps, Speedwork at track
    Thu: Chest & Biceps
    Fri: Tempo run or hill repeats
    Sat: Bike or rest
    Sun: Long run
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    This week will look like this (was supposed to hit the gym today but I got sick last night. This is provided that I feel well tomorrow). I run Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri.

    T: 30 min. run (probably an easy one) Chest/Abs (60 min)
    W: Arc Trainer 30 min. Back/Legs (60 min)
    Th: 30 min run (probably speed work) Shoulders/Abs (60 min)
    Fr: 30 min run (tempo) tri's legs (60 min)

    Sat/Sun rest.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    To really be good at running (which is my goal) I need to run at least 5 days a week. When I begin to strength train, I will run at noon and lift at night.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    Right now I'm trying to run 3-4 days a week, long runs on weekends again, 3-5 miles on M-T-F.

    Lifting is
    Monday: Chest/Shoulders (and run 5k)
    Tuesday: Cardio/Abs (run 5k+)
    Wednesday: Back/Traps
    Thursday: Cardio/Abs (run 5k+)
    Friday: Legs (and run 5k)
    Saturday: Biceps/Triceps (and long run, whatever I have time for, or a race).

    Currently have a bunch of OCRs, one full marathon with 40 pound ruck sack, and one half that I'm register for.
  • nickolas_alvarez
    nickolas_alvarez Posts: 1
    hopefully there's a lot of runners in this forum who can help me out. I weight lift 4X a week and do my morning run 3X a week. recently, I cut out my morning runs and swapped it for cross fit 3X a week as a form of HIIT(high intensity interval training). basically I was looking to change things up so I wouldn't get bored, as I was sure to do. would I get the same effect with cross fit as I would running or do I need to implement some cardio in there as well?
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
    Bump - @ this time i only Hard Sprint on Sundays. Lift Mon-Fri. (thursday HIT/crossfit).
    Summer I will have early morning runs w/ lifting
  • Jordan_Gregers
    Jordan_Gregers Posts: 35 Member
    The schedule I'm establishing right now looks like this:

    Monday: Elliptical 30m, Chest & Triceps 45m, Pilates Class in the evening
    Tuesday: Run 3-4miles
    Wednesday: Run 3-4miles, Pilates Class in the Evening
    Thursday: Run 2-3miles, Legs and Shoulders 45m
    Friday: Long Walk (4-5miles)
    Saturday: 2-3miles, Back & Biceps 45m
    Sunday: Long Run (5-7miles)
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    Currently training for a marathon where:
    Sat: Long runs
    Mon: Short recovery run
    Wed: Med-Long distance
    Thurs: Short recovery run

    Edit: Forgot to add that some Sundays are my drunken runs with the local hash house.

    and here is what my weight schedule looks like:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ElliottTN/view/modified-strength-routine-while-in-marathon-training-mode-603888

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