Lifting and long endurance training at the same time?

maureen_30
maureen_30 Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is anyone an expert on strength training and combining it with long distance running? I love the look of the women who lift but I also want to have a sustained cardio program that I can run in 10K charity races throughout the year.

Anyone do both?

Replies

  • EllaIsNotEnchanted
    EllaIsNotEnchanted Posts: 226 Member
    just fuel yourself appropriately. I started lifting and I love it. The hard thing is getting a long distance day and having enough energy to do some lifting. It all comes down to fuel.
  • dschassie
    dschassie Posts: 192 Member
    I am currently training for an October Sprint Triathlon and a November Marathon. Did 4 races this spring, two 10Ks and two Half Marathons. To be honest, my main focus is weight lifting as it also benefits with running, swimming and biking. So currently my workout schedule is about 60 minutes a day, 2-3 days dedicated to weight lifting, 2 days are a bike & run combo and the run varies in mileage between 3-10 miles and 2 days are swimming. Sometimes the bike gets scratched and I do a longer mileage run to prep for my Marathon (13-20 miles). And occasionally a swim day gets canceled if my body tells me it needs some down time.

    Proper nutrition is absolute key. But to answer your question, yes, it's absolutely possible to do both and get the look of a lifter yet have the endurance of a runner. It's just a **** ton of hard work but I love it :glasses:
  • Bounce2
    Bounce2 Posts: 138 Member
    I maintain both. True lifting gains take a little longer and nutrition can require some serious calculations but I have made steady progress with both. I would argue that training for 10 k races shouldn't cut into your lifting program much, if any provided you progress through both programs correctly.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    Beginner strength programs, like Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting, or Strong Curves are typically a 3-day-a-week full-body routines. At first, when you're still learning the lifts, they aren't particularly strenuous, and you should have no problem running on your off days.

    But these strength programs progress fast, and when things get heavy, a lot of people need 2 full days to recover. It's common for people to be unable to workout on off days.

    If the running is important to you, there are some adjustments you can make. Do a 3x5 instead of a 5x5 program, or just workout 2 days a week instead of 3.

    There is no reason to cut back, though, until you need to. Look for signs of over-training in yourself - lack of progress, difficulty sleeping, being unmotivated. If that happens, that's the time to cut something back.
  • vegwrangler
    vegwrangler Posts: 143 Member
    I am interested as well! Great question!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I'm not an expert, but I do both. I love the results I've gotten. Fuel your workouts properly and don't over-train and you should be fine.

    ETA: Just looked back and saw your distance - 10k. You should have no problem doing both. :drinker:
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    I maintain both. True lifting gains take a little longer and nutrition can require some serious calculations but I have made steady progress with both. I would argue that training for 10 k races shouldn't cut into your lifting program much, if any provided you progress through both programs correctly.

    I agree with this...it's only been for me when increasing my mileage to over 10 miles or 2 weeks before a race that I really need to cut back my weights. That being said it's not easy to balance and I've definitely slipped forwards and backwards a few times with regard to training one or the other.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    I do both. I alternate running days and lifting-following Strong Lifts. 10k distance is no problem for me. I had to slow my weight progression when training for a half marathon and the long runs got over 9 miles, though. Very doable, but you may have hard weeks.

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