Get Stronger, Run Faster

I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of distance running.  I ran some cross-country in high school and have done my share of 5Ks in my time, but I’m not one of those people who just love to run.  However, every June since its inception, my wife and I have run in the Oldsmar Taphouse 5K run.  It’s a great event, much more than just a run, and we will be participating again this year. 

Each year as the race approaches, I find myself in a situation where I haven't run for distance since the previous year's race.  The same thing happened this year and once again I wasn't really looking forward to training for it.  First of all, I’m about 30 pounds heavier than I was last year.  Don’t worry – it was all intentional and mostly lean muscle, but I was still a little apprehensive about running distance again because impact forces generated during running can be up to three to five times your body weight.  Naturally, I was wondering what my knees would think about all of that?  

As I started my training though, I was pleasantly surprised – I felt great.  You see, I didn’t just get bigger this past year but really focused on getting stronger, especially in my lower body.  That extra strength has provided the support to not only stabilize and protect my joints, but allow me to drive harder.  And that means run faster.

Now, I’m by no means a fast 5K runner.  As much as I would like it, there is no Das Boot (a giant beer stein in the shape of a boot given to the top finishers) in my future.  However, I’ve improved upon my time a good deal since last year without even regularly training for distance and that’s really what I wanted to point out.  If you’re a runner and you want to improve your speed or simply develop a more comfortable stride, there’s much more that can be done than just pounding the pavement day after day.  Strength is an important factor and getting stronger can make a significant difference for runners.  Take the time to develop your leg and core strength in a balanced, functional way and you will notice big improvements in your running.  I know it's been a totally different experience for me this time around.

And don't forget to sign up for the Oldsmar Taphouse 5K on June 10th.  Whether you're a die hard runner or a casual jogger - you won’t be disappointed.  There’s plenty of entertainment and a party like atmosphere which is aptly summed up by their race strategy “Race for 30 minutes and drink beer for 2 ½ hours!” 

Cheers,
Allan
allan@DirectEffectFitness.com