In my day, it was rare for coaches to think much of strength training for distance runners. But in high school, my jr and sr year coach was recently graduated from Baylor University, and was a standout lineman on their football team. Coach Wagner. So, way ahead of his time, he had us perform strength training, as in weights, twice a week. That’s Coach above in a photo with teammate Marc Jurnigan from my cross country team. Likely taken at the Texas State Meet we qualified for as a team in 1979.

You can’t look at this photo of me above and not think I was a strong looking distance runner. My senior year, my team didn’t just win the 2 mile relay (4×800) at every track meet of the season, we set the meet record for the event nearly every week. I’ve been a fan of strength training for distance runners ever since. BTW, RR was for Round Rock, not Road Runner.

Traditionally, coaches have always felt that time was more wisely spent putting in the miles for distance runners. They aren’t wrong on that. Strength training has many benefits, from staving off repetitive use injuries to contributing somewhat to endurance, but from a time perspective, a distance runner is going to benefit mostly from running the miles. It’s an aerobic activity after all. But what about ultra runners?

I don’t know if this thought is pervasive, but I’ve read enough to know that strength training is a good idea for ultra runners. You can only run so many miles in training each week. Lifting weights takes time too, but a separate routine from running can find another time in the day. And think about it, you’re not going to run any more miles each week training for an ultra than you would have for a marathon. I’m currently strength training at the Longmont Rec Center 3 times a week. 50% more than I ever did in high school or college. I’m lifting considerably less weight on my arms than I did back then, but I’m impressed with my progress on my legs. My legs are half the size currently than they were back in the day, but I’m working on them.

The pic above is of me and Doug Hall running the very first Capitol 10K in Austin in the spring of 1978. Doug died later that summer, in my arms, in a tragic car accident. I didn’t know then how traumatic that was for me, but I know now that the incredible positive influence of my high school sweetheart I paired up with the following fall probably saved my life. She was a runner too. I’ve been running ever since. I suspect this was one of those life events that burned running into my psyche. Running drives my emotions to this day like nothing else.

I didn’t beat Doug that day. I never, ever beat Doug in a race. But I kept running the Capitol 10K and improved.

I’m still running. My current goal is to complete the 62 mile course in the Bandera 100K in January. I’ve completed a couple of 50Ks at a 14 minute mile pace. I’m hoping to complete the Bandera 100K at a 14 minute pace. That’ll have me competitive with the top 3. I’m still racing. And I’m still working on my strength.