Strength Training for Runners - let's get started!

on January 15, 2026

This month we start a new series of strength and conditioning blogs from Coach Char - Charlotte Milne, the Run & Strength Coach at CMF Running since 2020. A Level 4 & 5 Personal Trainer, a strength coach for 7 years, full-time run coach for four years and lifelong running & strength training experience, Charlotte shares her strength training tips for runners.

Charlotte writes: "Training isn’t just about kilometres or speed, it’s about having fun, in both the enjoyable and the challenging. It’s also about mindset, balance, fuelling, communication, and personal growth. Face challenges in running, and you can face them in life.

The Program

Strength training is important for runners because it helps prevent injuries. Staying injury-free means you can train consistently, handle higher loads or intensity, and keep doing the running you love.

It also improves running economy by strengthening muscles that aren’t used as much while running, while making the muscles that are used regularly even stronger. Beyond performance, strength work just makes you feel good - it boosts confidence, makes you feel strong, and helps you move better in everyday life.

I like to keep strength work simple, effective, and approachable so everyone feels confident doing it with relative ease. Simple doesn’t mean easy - it means you can focus on good form, engaging the right muscle groups, and using your core properly, rather than getting distracted by over-complicated exercises that just look “cool”.

This approach helps:

Build real strength and stability
Improve running efficiency
Reduce injury risk
Increase confidence in the gym

I also love using supersets and circuit-style workouts. These keep sessions engaging, time-efficient, and fun, while still delivering results.

Strength Training for Runners

I believe runners should aim for 2–3 strength sessions per week, ideally around 30 minutes each.

During base building or strength-focused phases, 3 sessions per week is ideal.
When running volume or intensity increases, strength can drop to maintenance mode rather than building.
Bank your strength gains early so they support you later in the training cycle.

A great place to start is:
Monday / Wednesday / Friday — or any consistent weekly routine that works for you.

Workout 1: Lower Body

First Circuit