Runners and lifters, advice please!

My schedule will change depending on if I am training for a race.

Non race- Boot camp/strength training 2-3 days per week
running- mixture of short/long/tempo runs 3 days per week

Racing schedule- Boot camp Monday
Running Tues-Thurs.
Friday -off
Saturday/Sunday- Long run one day other day off.

Strength training believe it or not will help with your running. It will make you stronger and faster. It will also help prevent injury since you are using different muscles. I would never completely give up strength training to just concentrate on running, even though your strength training schedule may have to be toned down if you want to train for a race, especially a long distance one.

Hope that helps-

I used to joke to myself when I did a lot more heavy lifting that days off are for the weak... Now I look at it as an opportunity for my body to get stronger.

What I've done in the past is to make sure that I'm not overtaxing any particular muscle group. Therefore, days off from running can mean more lifting, etc.

I've really enjoyed triathlon training for the multi-sport aspect. I get bored training easily if I don't change it up, so doing 3 days a week of swimming, 2 running, 2 biking, is great for me, I get all the cardio/ muscle/ weight loss benefits, and I can usually tackle whatever workout I want and always push myself. However, after a couple weeks, I still took a day off.

Biggest key, stretch. stretch, stretch. You will be able to go out each time and do almost what you want if you stretch, and at least go lighter on days after hard runs/ lifts/ etc.

If you really want to become a triathlete, no need to lift that much. Just swim, bike, and/or run everyday! (half joking, half seriously) Large muscles are not an endurance athletes friend.

I generally run every single day, with about 3 days per week being two runs per day (in addition to swimming and biking). You need to be really in tune with your body, something that just comes with experience, to run every single day. You can almost "feel" an injury coming on if you're pushing too hard, and thats when its time for a rest day.

I've found that if I'm running distances and intensities that enable me to run every day without a day off, I won't get any faster or improve at all - I'm not pushing myself enough. In fact, I'm not doing myself the good that I could be doing, even if I'm not training up for a race (running is my therapy too). But technically for aerobic work, no rest is needed. Rest is needed for high impact work (running) whether aerobic or anaerobic, because the stresses on the muscles, bones, and joints do damage that needs to heal - not macroscopic damage, but enough that rest is needed.

If I run enough, or high enough quality runs (real speed work, tempo runs, sprints, hill work, proper distances etc), I *NEED* that day off, and my body will get it, by shutting down if it has to (I will get sick or injured). This is due to the combination of impact work and anaerobic work.

I try to run in a sweet spot - hard enough, often enough that I need a rest day, but not so hard and often that I have trouble recovering even with rest. I do not claim to be good at succeeding - I'm currently nursing a stress fracture due to my own personal version of overtraining - but I believe there is merit in my efforts at trying to find that balance.

For strength work, building muscle, keep in mind that "rest" is a non-damaging day, a non-lifting day (not a non-running day). Sprint or hill work can mimic lifting in stressing leg muscles, so use caution there. But the actual strength growth is accomplished in rest from lifting.

However, rest, even from running, doesn't mean that you can't have an hour of an independent physical activity to clear your head. I swim on my "rest" days - it's zero impact, low resistance, and lap/stroke counting is incredibly meditative. I'll also bike on rails-to-trails (flat, easy, pretty), or do yoga (to rest from running, but some forms will count as strength). Things that I've done on rest days that were mistakes - splitting wood, using an old fashioned push mower to do our lawn and the little old lady next door's, using a floor sander, rock climbing, and playing a "friendly" game of Ultimate frisbee. Those were adequately punishing that I had to take another rest day, but I learned: "rest" to me has to be aerobic and no-impact.

Welcome to running, and good luck!

I had the trouble of trying to lift and run at the same time (I would weight lift and run on the same days) and found it was too difficult for me on top of trying to strength train at the same time (my version of over training). Right now, while I still run, I have had to start trying to figure out when to add everything else back in, along with my ballet because I have a ballet audition next month and a week after that I have my first 5k of 2013 (I ran 5 last year).

I will admit, I have had ankle sprains (had one last week from overworking it) and am easing back in this week, but eventually would love to run a half marathon next year (have the novice 1 from hal higdeon and the first week I was sore I could barely walk so stopped training, thinking I will try to do it during the summer). Right now though, just aiming one to finish the races in under 30 minutes and two be able to run a 10k sometime this year.

Hello!

I do running 4 times a week, other cardio 3 times a week and strength training 3 times a week with 2 days off a week. This is a typical week:

Monday - 60 minutes strength, 45 minutes stationary bike and 4 miles running.
Tuesday - OFF
Wednesday - 3 miles running
Thursday - OFF
Friday - 30 minutes strength, 30 minutes stationary bike
Saturday - long run
Sunday - 30 minutes strength, 45 minutes stationary bike, 4 miles running

The miles running vary depending on how close to a race I am. Right now my next planned "big" race is a Half in December with lots of 10ks and less in between so mileage right now is low, but the 4 days of running a week stays the same. Sometimes I also throw in a mile on the stairmaster if I have the time.

I do think the off days are important. If you are really restless a nice comfortable walk might be all right, but don't push it. Your body does need the rest.

My workouts have become my most favorite part of the day now.... I have all this conflicting stuff going on in my head.... I need the time because as a single mom it is the only time I get to myself, but I don't want to overdo it either. Please help!

I run every morning on the week days at least a 5k, do one extra 5k in those at night when I am up for it.
Run 10k's give or take 1/2 mile depending on my mood on Sat and Sun.
Lift 3 days a week.
Bike every day when roads aren't icey.
Play hockey once a week.
Baseball 1 or 2 times a week.
Might switch in some one hour hill repeats in exchange for the 5ks when I want to push it hard.

Running is the most challenging for me because of my build and I deal with a joint disease. I'm a single dad and I always look forward to my running for the mind cleanse.

I can't really think of any advice that someone hasn't said already. I have been running for 15 years and I guess in the last 3 or 4 years I was running 5-6 times a week and it finally caught up with me. I find myself fatigued easily and now I suffer from piriformis syndrome (basically a pain in my *kitten*) from not stretching EVER. Just listen to your body and STRETCH a lot.
I have started to work in the elliptical during the week instead of my daily 3-4 mile runs... and I find that I can still run 6-9 miles on the weekends without a problem. Welcome to this fantastic addiction!

You have to do what is right for you. If you aren't feeling tired after running a 5k, then increase your distance. I haven't bought into any limitations or only increase your running by X%. Run until you are tired.

I run 5 to 6 times a week if my travel schedule allows for it. Each run is somewhere between 6-8 miles. Some days i will run twice...like this past Monday I ran 7.25mi in the morning and 3.5mi that night. 2 weeks ago I ended up running 13.1 miles when I really went out to just run 6.2mi/10K.

I also lift 1 to 3 times a week too...although I don't do legs. I figure they get enough pounding on my runs!

Good Luck!!