distance running and leg excercises

[neil l]

I am currently training for a marathon in addition to strength training. Although I am having no trouble making gains in upper body workouts, I have been avoiding leg excercises because I worry that it might cause injury added to 4-5 runs a week of 8-20 miles or by putting on too much muscle slow me down and make it harder to run. Does anyone know if these are serious concerns? Would it be safe to do leg training along with my running? If so, what sort of leg workout wouldn't work against my running?

[turboman]

I run marathons also. Or have run one so far. Just started! If your running 20 miles each time that is way to much. I wouldn't do that more then once a week. And I would run that in the grass. I learned the hard way that concrete and long runs is dangerous. Just space everything out to get a rest

I also take alot of suplements for my joints and such. Glucosamine and chondronin, antioxidents, and I drink lots of cranbery juice for inflamation(i think it works). When I do get a pain I put ICY HOT on and it usualy does the trick. I hurt myself trail running(which I love) so I have been taking it real easy and just running on grass and tread miles.

But just be careful and there should be no problem.

[vuduchyld]

How far along are you in your marathon training? Is your SHORTEST run 8 miles? I would think that if that's the case, you are not just training to RUN a marathon, but rather to RACE it.

I'm a distance runner, as well. In fact, I'll be running a half marathon a week from tomorrow that I'm REALLY looking forward to running!

Right now, my weekly mileage totals have dipped down in a little mini-taper for my half marathon. I'll run 30 miles this week and 25 next week including the 13 mile race, down from 38-40 mile weeks in this training cycle. Personally, I don't think there is ANY problem with doing leg training once per week while you are training. I do full squats, front squats, overhead squats (not really a leg exercise, I guess, but my absolute FAVORITE exercise...if I had to pick just one), ham-glute raises, heel raises, seated and standing, stiff-legged deadlifts--every week. I do some other miscellaneous stuff, as well.

I guess I'm a little puzzled by the fact that you are still making GAINS in your upper body workout, if anything. I don't know your weekly mileage totals or how far along you are in your training, but I am amazed that you can actually consume enough calories and avoid catabolism well enough to keep gaining. I'd say that if you are still gaining in your upper body, there is NO REASON you shouldn't be able to work out your lower body.

In fact, I'd say that you are going to be more likely to keep your leg muscle maintained and avoid injury if you keep doing lower body lifts.

[neil l]

I am going to run the Philadelphia marathon on Nov. 24. This is my running schedule I've been doing this week, put together from several training programs and my own experience of what works.

Mon. rest day
Tues. 9.5 miles, 7-8 min. mile pace
Wed. rest day
Thurs. 9.5 miles, 7-8 min. pace
Fri. rest day
Sat. 20 miles, slow(8:30-9:30 pace)
Sun. 5 miles, slow

I do a lot of rest days because I had problems with injury several weeks ago, and rest days seem to help. I do upper body workouts of 25 sets or so 2-3 days a week, high intensity, most sets to failure with forced reps, which combined with a high carb and very high protein diet has been giving me gains(I weigh 145 lb so I have plenty still to gain.) My immune system went straight to hell when I started up this program, but glutamine supplements seemed to fix that. I think I will take the advice on glucosamine-my joints feel like they have been taking a series of serious beatings, although they have been holding up so far.

I don't think I am going to start up any serious leg weight training before the marathon, although its good to hear that other people have experience with this stuff haven't had problems. Would leg training even be effective? My legs probably are almost entirely slow twitch fiber right now.

[vuduchyld]

November 24...right around the corner! Well, that definitely makes a difference. If you've got a program that is working for you, I would NOT change anything now that you are just four weeks before the date of the race!

As for whether or not you would make gains, it's hard to say. My guess would be that you would not....but my guess would have also been that you would not been making upper body gains, either.

Glutamine really helps, I agree. It may not be for everybody, but for a runner to maintain gains, it rocks.

Good luck to ya!