👋🏻 Hello Reader...!

Today's reading time is about: 4 to 5 minutes.

Before we jump into today’s topic — which is honestly one of my favorite parts of running — I want to pause for a second and say thank you.

Thank you for the recommendations, the messages, and the conversations you’ve been sharing. I really appreciate it.

I know I can sound like a running fanatic. And yes, I’ve even posted about this on my own social media. But I genuinely believe this:

Everyone should run.

It doesn’t matter if you do CrossFit, HYROX, lift weights, or spend most of your time in the gym — you should run. Not necessarily long or fast, but enough to build capacity.

And the reason is simple:
​running economy matters — for everyone.

That’s exactly where today’s topic comes in.

¿Hablas español o conoces a alguien que sí? Endurance Mindset en Español (¡Ya disponible!): desde cero al maratón, con ciencia y estructura. Compártelo o regístrate y forma parte desde el comienzo. 🏃‍♂️📩 ¡Registrarme!

🎯 The Big Misconception About Strength and Running

For years, endurance athletes avoided strength training out of fear:

• “It’ll make me bulky”
• “It’ll slow me down”
• “It’s not specific enough”

But science has been very clear for a long time now:

Proper strength training improves endurance performance — without increasing aerobic load [1,2].

Strength work doesn’t replace running.
It supports it.

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Post of the week 7 Lessons from a Super Bowl Running Back for Marathoners. This is my second year doing this blog entry, hope you like it. Read article

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🔬 What Science Actually Shows

1. Strength training improves running economy

Running economy refers to how much oxygen you need to maintain a given pace.

Heavy resistance and explosive strength training:

• improve neuromuscular efficiency
• reduce ground contact time
• increase force production per stride

All of which lower the energy cost of running at the same speed [1,3].

You’re not running harder.
You’re running more efficiently.

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2. Neuromuscular adaptations matter more than muscle size

The biggest gains from strength training in endurance athletes come from:

• neural drive
• motor unit recruitment
• tendon stiffness

Not hypertrophy [2,4].

That’s why endurance athletes can get stronger without gaining unnecessary mass.

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3. Strength training reduces injury risk

Stronger muscles and connective tissue improve:

• load distribution
• joint stability
• fatigue resistance

This helps protect runners during high-volume or high-intensity phases [5,6].

In other words:
Strength training doesn’t just improve performance — it improves durability.

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🏃 Practical Takeaway (This Week)

As we head into pre-spring training, consider this approach:

• 2 sessions per week
• Focus on compound lifts (squats, hinges, lunges, pushes, pulls)
• Emphasize quality over volume
• Keep reps low-to-moderate and rest adequate

Strength training should support your running — not compete with it.

If your legs feel destroyed for days, you’re doing too much.

This is an example of one of my favorite Strength Training for Runners [1]:

​

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🔁 Weekly Challenge

This week, commit to one strength session done with intention:

• controlled movements
• full range of motion
• no rushing
• no chasing fatigue

Think long term.
That’s where strength pays off [1,2].

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What's Going On in the World of Running Winter Olympics?

❄️ Milano Cortina 2026: The Games are Underway! 🇮🇹

We are giving a break to the World of running even when the 10th edition of the CAF's Marathon took place in Caracas-Venezuela (my hometown and my first marathon ~ 4:28:00 ~ back in 2011) this weekend, but the 25th Winter Olympic Games officially kicked off this past Friday, with a spectacular opening ceremony in Milan. From record-breaking speed to heart-stopping endurance, here is what’s happening on the snow and ice so far:

• 🏃‍♂️ Cross-Country Speed: Norwegian legend Johannes Høsflot Klæbo just secured his 6th career gold medal in the men’s skiathlon. For our marathon lovers, this is the ultimate display of winter "running" on skis! Read the race recap 🇳🇴
• 🎿 Alpine Drama: Team USA's Breezy Johnson captured the gold in the Women's Downhill today! The victory was bittersweet as teammate and legend Lindsey Vonn suffered a heavy crash earlier in the heat. Vonn is reported to be in stable condition. Full Alpine updates 🇺🇸
• ⛸️ Figure Skating History: The United States clinched their second straight gold in the team event, led by "Quad God" Ilia Malinin, who landed five quadruple jumps in a single performance. See the results 🥇
• 🧊 Breaking Records on Ice: Italy’s own Francesca Lollobrigida thrilled the home crowd by setting a new Olympic record in the women’s 3000m speed skating. Watch the highlights 🇮🇹
• 🥌 The "Stone" Cold Strategy: Great Britain and the USA have both secured spots in the Mixed Doubles Curling semi-finals after a tense round-robin stage. Follow the bracket 🥌

Fun Fact for Runners: This is the most "spread out" Winter Olympics in history! Events are happening across 13 different venues in Northern Italy, from the fashion capital of Milan to the peaks of the Dolomites. 🏔️

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What’s your biggest barrier to strength training as a runner? I don’t know what to do I’m afraid it’ll hurt my running Time constraints I’m inconsistent I don’t strength train regularly

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Let us know what interests you the most at the 'Preferences' link below!
​¡Cuéntanos qué temas te interesan más en el enlace 'Preferencias' al final de este correo!

References

1. Paavolainen, L., Häkkinen, K., Hämäläinen, I., Nummela, A., & Rusko, H. (1999). Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power.Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(5), 1527–1533.

2. Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2361–2368.

3. Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., Telford, R. D., & Hawley, J. A. (2004). Factors affecting running economy in trained distance runners.Sports Medicine, 34(7), 465–485.

4. Rønnestad, B. R., & Mujika, I. (2014). Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance.International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 9(1), 4–15.

5. Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries.British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(11), 871–877.​

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Keep on running—whether it's on the pavement or cheering for those on the powder! 👟❄️

Coach Henri.
​Your Endurance Mindset Team

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