Strength training won't save your running and cycling...

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TRAINING BREAKDOWN

“5 ways strength training will save your running & cycling”

By Emma O’Toole

Welcome to the first Sunday in April 2025 - a big month for a lot of runners and cyclists!

Today’s newsletter is about what strength training won’t do for you. Strength training gets a lot of hype—and for good reason. It makes you stronger, faster, and more resilient. But let’s clear something up: Strength training alone won’t magically make you a better runner or cyclist - despite what you may hear and read! Words are important and I see so many coaches shout how strength training will prevent injuries from your running and cycling training. This is incorrect. Strength training will undoubtedly reduce your risk of injury - but it isn’t a magical suit that you can zip up that gives you free pass after free pass… and that’s the crux of today’s newsletter - 5 ways strength training won’t save you running and cycling… but also 5 ways it will save your running and cycling!

If you’re over 30 and looking to keep running and riding strong for years to come, you need to approach strength training the right way. That means consistency, progression, and a plan that actually supports your endurance goals. Because just like logging random miles with no structure won’t make you race-ready, hitting the gym, or aimlessly lifting a few weights at home won’t deliver the results you’re looking for.

1. Strength training won’t work if you’re not consistent

We all know this one. It’s not fancy, it’s not shiny and new - but it works better than anything else: consistency! Think of strength training like brushing your teeth. You don’t do it once a month and expect perfect dental health. Same goes for building strength—it’s the sessions you stack week after week that make a difference.

Strength training isn’t a quick fix. One solid session won’t suddenly make your legs bulletproof. But show up regularly, even when motivation dips, and you’ll build the kind of durability that keeps you running and riding strong long into the future.

2. Strength training won’t help if you’re not progressing

I’ve talked about the importance of progress before, but imagine if you ran the same route at the same pace every single time. You’d stay fit, but you wouldn’t get faster or stronger. Strength training works the same way. If you’re lifting the same weights, doing the same reps, or sticking to the same exercises for months, you’re maintaining—not improving.

Your body adapts. To keep growing stronger, you need to challenge it. That means gradually increasing weight, changing movement patterns, and progressing exercises so your muscles stay engaged and responsive.

3. Strength training won’t work if it’s fighting your running & cycling

Have you ever overcooked a strength session and then tried to run or ride the next day? If your legs felt like lead bricks, if you were hobbling up and down the stairs and lowering yourself onto the toilet, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Strength training should complement your endurance training, not leave you feeling wrecked for your key sessions - it’s your endurance enabler.

A smart plan places strength work where it benefits your performance instead of draining it. That means balancing intensity, timing workouts strategically, and making sure your strength sessions build you up, not break you down.

4. Strength training won’t prevent injuries on its own

I touched on this at the start of this newsletter, but I don’t like being lied to and I’m sure you don’t too! Strength training lowers your risk of injury, but it doesn’t make you invincible. If you’re overtraining, skimping on recovery, ignoring mobility work, not fuelling properly, or sleeping 4 hours a night, you’re still rolling the dice.

Think of it like wearing a seatbelt—it dramatically reduces your risk, but it doesn’t mean you’re immune to crashes - I’ve used a lot of car analogies these past few weeks!. Strength work helps reinforce your muscles, tendons, and joints, making them more resilient, but it’s only one piece of the injury risk reduction puzzle. I’d go as far as to say no single standalone thing will prevent injuries because they multi-factorial in nature.

That’s why you need a smart training plan, proper recovery, and a well-rounded approach to staying strong and reducing your risk of injury.

5. Strength training won’t keep you accountable—But I will!

Ever signed up for a race or event, gone all-in for a few weeks, then…life happened? … or maybe the race/event left you with too little time from the athlete you are right now? Without a plan and some accountability, it’s easy to let all your training, but in particular your strength training, slip through the cracks. And this even more so when life gets busy.

This is where a coach changes the game. A coach makes sure your strength plan actually works alongside your running and cycling (and is bespoke to you - so you’re not doing any old exercise that might not be right for you and basically wasting your time!). They track your progress, tweak workouts when needed, and give you those workarounds for when life does get busy… as it inevitably will.

Strength training is one of the most powerful tools that you as a runner and cyclist over 30 have to stay strong, fast, and reduce your risk of injury. But it only works if you commit to it consistently and keep pushing forward.

I know I am biased on this, but that’s because I’ve seen the life-changing impact it has on runners and cyclists both inside and outside of their sport(s)- on not just a handful of individuals, but on hundreds!! When done right, strength training builds the muscle endurance and power you need to keep logging miles (or kilometres) without breaking down. It helps you stay in the game longer, avoid frustrating setbacks, and show up stronger to every ride and run.

Don’t let your strength work be an afterthought. Make it part of your training, challenge yourself to improve, and enjoy the long-term rewards.

Reach out here if you need any help and don’t forget to also check out our amazing free community for ongoing support and help with your training!

Have a great Sunday!

Emma

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