How Often Should Runners Lift Weights?
How Often Should Runners Lift Weights?
This is one of the most common questions I get as a running coach, especially since I specialize in strength training for runners. People want a clean number, and know exactly everything week to week. So let's not bury the answer at the bottom of the page. The simple version is this: most runners should be strength training two days a week for the majority of their running life. Some will do three. A few will add a fourth during specific training phases. But the real answer depends on who you are, what season of training you're in, and how well you recover.
One side note there. When I say “who you are,” I don’t mean whatever you’re feeling. I mean, dig into what works for you through trial and error before deciding that you don’t lift because it’s who you are. If you’re a runner, you need to lift. Read more below!
Let's break down why lifting matters so much for runners, and how to figure out the right frequency for where you actually are right now.
Why Runners Need to Lift in the First Place
After years of coaching runners at every level, from collegiate athletes to everyday people chasing a first marathon or a Boston Qualifier, I've noticed the same pattern over and over. Strength training and power training are two of the biggest loopholes in distance running performance. Most runners simply are not structurally sound enough to keep training for the long term without it, even if they feel fine in the beginning.
That "feeling fine" phase is deceptive. Someone new to running, or returning after time off, often feels okay at first simply because they haven't put in the mileage yet to expose the weak links. Strength training closes that gap by supporting:
Running economy, so you use less energy at the same pace essentially.
Long term injury resilience, which keeps you consistent over years, not just weeks.
Muscle maintenance as you age, which matters more the longer you stay in the sport and your general overall enjoyment.
Power relative to efficiency, giving you a stronger push off without wasted effort. Quite simply, you’ll feel like an athlete.
The Simple Answer: Two Days a Week for Most People
Across the board, for fitness in general and for running specifically, two days a week is where most people should land for the majority of their life. That's the baseline worth building toward, even if you're not there yet.
Personally, I aim for three days a week, and at certain points I'll add a fourth, usually a dedicated power training day. But that shift happens for specific reasons tied to a race calendar or a training phase, not as a default for every runner.
How Frequency Changes by Runner Type
Beginners should start with one to two days a week and work toward two fairly quickly, over about two to three months, if your actual schedule allows it. Not if your motivation allows it. Your schedule.
Recreational runners, meaning people who've been running consistently for a few years, generally do well at two days a week.
Competitive runners should be thinking two to three days a week, essentially all the time. This is where I place myself, and it's not about claiming anything special about competitive running, it's simply what tends to work at that level of training demand.
It's Not Just About the Number
Here's where a lot of people get this wrong. They read something online, hear a number, and try to force it into their life without asking whether it actually fits. I've had clients tell me they think they should be doing five days a week of zone 2 cardio on the bike, running 2-3 days per week, on top of lifting three days a week and seeing me every other week in person. That's not sustainable. There's no way to keep that up long term, and trying to will burn you out fast.
The better questions to ask are:
What does my recovery actually look like right now?
What season of training am I in?
How do these choices affect me later, not just this week or even month?
That last one matters more than people realize. How you respond to a hard winter, a busy work season, or a life change should shape your strength training plan just as much as your race goals do.
Workout Length: Keep It Simple
Aim for around 30 minute strength sessions. With a really solid warm up AND adding cool down mobility, that can stretch to about 45 minutes, and that's completely fine. This doesn't need to be complicated, and don't overthink it.
Why Consistency Beats Everything Else
If there's one thing to take from this article, it's that consistency beats everything else. I've personally lifted three days a week for over a decade, and the physical difference between now and ten years ago is significant. Not because of one perfect program, but because of showing up consistently over a long period of time.
If you're currently at one day a week, or even a day and a quarter on average, that's a fine place to be for now. After a year or two of real consistency, you can ask whether it makes sense to add a second day. Just make sure there's a genuine reason behind that decision. Not because a video told you to. Not because an app generated a plan for you. Because it actually fits your life and your goals.
Conclusion
If you take one thing away from this, let it be this: two days a week is a strong, sustainable target for most runners, and building toward that consistently matters more than chasing a perfect number you found online. Your schedule, your recovery, and your current season of life should drive the decision, not a generic rule.
Want a strength plan built specifically around your running goals and your actual life? Here’s a link to my calendly: https://calendly.com/coachwilson/intro-coaching-call