Strength training for runners: Why it matters

The Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival is inspiring thousands of people to lace up their shoes and rethink the role strength training plays in running performance and injury prevention.

“Not everyone equates running excellence with strength training, but it plays an essential role,” says Dr. Andrew Mock, Medical Director of Hoag Compass and a national educator in exercise prescription for physicians. As a four-time winner of California’s Strongest Man, he brings both clinical expertise and high-level strength and conditioning experience to endurance performance.

Strong muscles help absorb the repeated stress and impact of running. Increasingly, research shows that incorporating strength training can also improve speed, endurance, and running efficiency, making it an important part of a well-rounded training plan.

Building more efficient runners. Strengthening the hips and legs improves force production and movement control, which can translate to smoother, more economical running.

“Building muscle has been shown to improve running economy, or the amount of energy required at a given running speed,” Dr. Mock says. “This means runners may use less energy to maintain pace, which can support improvements in both speed and endurance.”

Injury prevention. Some of the most common concerns runners experience, such as patellofemoral pain syndrome (“runner’s knee”), Achilles injuries, and shin splints, may be reduced by strengthening the muscles and tissues that help support and control movement.

“Resistance training places controlled stress on muscles, tendons, and bones, which then adapt and become stronger,” Dr. Mock says. “That added strength and stability can help the body better handle unexpected moments—like fatigue late in a run or uneven terrain—which may help reduce injury risk.”

Timing it right. While strength training is important for a runner’s long-term development, marathon preparation requires thoughtful adjustments to the overall training plan—including strength work. As race day approaches, Dr. Mock recommends gradually reducing strength-training volume and avoiding new or high-fatigue sessions that could leave runners with significant soreness heading into the final one to two weeks before the race.

“The goal of tapering is to arrive at the starting line fresh, strong, and ready to perform,” he says. “In the final weeks before a marathon, strength work should support readiness, not add unnecessary fatigue.”

Learn more about how Hoag Compass is redefining strength for Orange County.