Can you be a good runner and a good lifter?

I've been doing a lift routine (all pro beginner) and bulking for the last month with just a few cardio sessions and did a 5k run today which before would have been no big deal but this was miserable and I got a really disappointing time compared to my last 5k before I started lifting. Before I started lifting my 5k time was 19:40 this one was 23:13. I'm concerned because I really like running and I've only been doing the lift/bulk for a month and if its having that much of an effect on my running time. It may also have been a mistake to do my heavy day on the day before the race. I didn't like how skinny I was when I was focused on running, I guess I'm wondering if I can have my cake and eat it too; get bigger and stronger but still be able to run fast?

Thanks!

I think it's totally possible to be good at both, but I think you can only be truly great at one or the other, so keep your goals realistic. You don't mention any stats, what your goals are. Are you happy with a 19:40? How much lean body mass are you trying to put on? The big factor here is going to be diet and getting the nutrition for both.

Here's some of the dilemmas many put forward. For example, when bodybuilding your aiming to put on more muscle mass. That weight compared to someone who solely runs can not only slow your pace but it can also put extra stress on your joints when running, leading to you experiencing injuries more often than someone who just runs that will stall your running progress. Also, there can be no off days with your diet, or you can end up burning more muscle than fat because you've used up all your glycogen/glucose stores and fat reserves cos you're burning the candle at both ends. While also falling below a much needed high calorie intake, adding to you hitting plateau after plateau with your lifting and running. But these are challenges to overcome, not impossibilities you can't conquer. You can be great at lifting and still be strong at running too.

Here's a great article outlining how to mix both I suggest you read...

[url]http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/the-running-bodybuilder-85-tips/[/url]

I think that if you want to compete or really be good with one thin you will have to decide

option 1: be a good runner and to weight work to improve your running skills
which means a moderate muscle build in order to avoid problems, i mean all runners are rather skinny
I dont know where the moment is when you are to bulked to run, but a certain degree it might be helpful and then more of a problem
But then you do not need to be outstanding with weights but rather do the right moves

option 2: be a good lifter and do the cardio work for assistance or definition
cardio is necessary and healthy in my opinion, but if you decide to do this way then you wont run record times
you dont need to, you just need to hit your heart rate and intensity to have the desired effect

Maybe if you really give it 150 % you can be good at both, e.g. MMA fighters have good endurance while lifting hard
but this will require lots of dedication

And I think that you need to decide though, because 5k runs might be good but longer ones will hurt with lots of muscle

Thanks for the encouragement and tips. The article linked above was helpful. I guess my goal with lifting was to add 10lbs of lean muscle and up my working bench weight from 150 to 200 and up my squats from 100 to 150. I typically enter several races each year and my times have improved from year to year but I'm not trying to compete really. I just still like running and was hoping I'de be able to keep improving. From the article:
"4. Never run on the day after your leg-training day for weights. You need a day to rest after maxing out on squats. If you don’t, your leg muscles are not going to grow."
This may have been my downfall, I did lifts the day before and while I was running it felt like my thighs were 50 pound bricks. I'll keep up with the lifting goal and mix in running and see if i can make some tweaks to my diet to accomodate.

Thanks again!

My long distance time-trials slowed as I gained mass. I did get older though ;)

My ability to repeat sprint and recover fast hasn't been affected though.

Anything is possible. You can gain LBM while doing your running, just ensure you're consistently eating enough. I guess you will find out in time if the extra weight impacts on your running times.

And yes, do legs hypertrophy on the day that is furthest from your next run!

[QUOTE=Deewreck;1023571443]I've been doing a lift routine (all pro beginner) and bulking for the last month with just a few cardio sessions and did a 5k run today which before would have been no big deal but this was miserable and I got a really disappointing time compared to my last 5k before I started lifting. Before I started lifting my 5k time was 19:40 this one was 23:13. I'm concerned because I really like running and I've only been doing the lift/bulk for a month and if its having that much of an effect on my running time. It may also have been a mistake to do my heavy day on the day before the race. I didn't like how skinny I was when I was focused on running, I guess I'm wondering if I can have my cake and eat it too; get bigger and stronger but still be able to run fast?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

I understand this might be bro science but i believe as you get stronger/ bigger you can get even faster. I also believe the reason you had a slower time is because of the lack of cardio this time around. I Cardio is an everyday of the week type of thing. On your rest day do a light jog,exercise bike,etc.(low intensity) Most believe that cardio is just to burn fat but it also works on endurance in which you have to take into consideration. If you still had the lung capacity as you did before you started lifting then your time would have been minutes or secs lower than your 19:40. So my suggestion is though you are lifting a beast also do cardio like a beast yes this means workout two times a day. Hard in the weight room. set aside 30 minutes to do intense cardio or paced cardio on exercise bike of some sort. I am a big guy at 340 pounds right now but that is down from 500+ and i can do 45+ on recumbent bike intensely everyday so i know someone in true shape like you can do it with ease. So basically this big ass paragraph was to really just don't neglect cardio and running if you want to excel in running and lifting you have work hard at both same effort for both :)