Show Notes
Most runners believe the best way to improve is to run more. But what happens when your heart is ready to keep going—and your muscles, joints and tendons are not?
In Episode 3 of the SLAY Performance Series, Olympian and SLAY founder Louise Hazel explains why running is not just an endurance sport.
Running is a strength sport. During a half marathon, your body may need to absorb tens of thousands of impacts. Strength training helps prepare your muscles to tolerate those forces, maintain efficient technique under fatigue and continue moving well when the miles become difficult.
This episode takes you inside The Runner’s Gym and shows you how to train for performance rather than appearance.
In this episode you'll learn: • Why stronger women make better runners • Whether lifting weights will make you bulky or slow • The difference between strength, power and muscular endurance • The four physical qualities every runner needs • The five exercises every runner should master • How heavy runners should lift • How to progress your weights safely • When to schedule strength training around your runs • Why plyometrics help develop more elastic and efficient runners • How Olympic athletes use the gym to solve weaknesses before competition exposes them
Louise also breaks down the Four Pillars of Running Strength: Stability
Force
Elasticity
Control
This Week's Challenge Complete two total-body strength sessions. Record the exercises, repetitions and weights you use. The following week, improve by one repetition or a small increase in load. You are not lifting to punish your body. You are lifting to make it harder to break.
Why Running Slower Is the Easiest Way to Improve We’ll explain conversational pace, Zone 2 training, heart rate and why easy running may be the most important part of your program.
Subscribe and join us every week as we build stronger runners—physically, mentally and emotionally.
What exercise do you avoid in the gym? Tell us in the comments.
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More from SLAY
This is it. Twelve weeks of training. Long runs. Strength sessions. Early mornings. Fuel. Recovery. Self-doubt. Progress. And now there is only one thing left to do: Race.
You're TWO WEEKS away from your half marathon. And suddenly you're questioning everything. Did I train enough? Was my longest run long enough? Why do my legs feel terrible? Should I run this week? Should I carb load? How many gels do I need? Can I walk? What if I can't sleep? What if everyone starts faster than me? And the biggest question of all... What if I can't finish?
You've spent weeks training for your half marathon. And now that race day is getting closer... Your training plan is telling you to do less.
You’ve been training for weeks. You’re running further. You’re lifting weights. You’re fueling properly. You’re recovering better. So why aren’t you getting faster every week? And if your pace hasn’t changed… is your training actually working? In Episode 10 of the SLAY Stronger Runner Series, Olympian, coach and SLAY founder Louise Hazel explains why pace is only one measure of running progress, and why you could be becoming a significantly better runner without seeing a dramatic change on your watch.
You’re training for 13.1 miles. But does that mean you actually need to run 13.1 miles before race day? And if you haven't… how can you possibly know you'll finish?