Running Race Prep: Cross Training Tips

I’m Training for a Race—What Should I Do?

So, you signed up for a race… now what? Preparing your body properly is key to improving performance and reducing your risk of injury. In this series, we’re covering the fundamentals of race preparation, including training programs, cross-training, and recovery strategies.

In our last blog post, we discussed training programs. Today, we’ll focus on cross-training and how strengthening your body can support efficient, injury-resistant running.

The Three Major Forces of Running

Running places three primary types of forces on the body: vertical, horizontal, and lateral. A well-rounded cross-training program addresses all three.

Vertical Load

Running is essentially a series of repeated jumps. With each stride, your body absorbs force and then propels itself upward. The primary muscles involved in managing this vertical load are the quadriceps.

Effective exercises for training vertical load include:

• Squats (bodyweight, kettlebell, or barbell)
• Single-leg squats
• Rear-foot elevated split squats
• Incline squats

Our long-term strength goal is for runners to squat approximately 1.3–1.5 times their body weight, when appropriate. It’s important to include both double-leg and single-leg exercises. Double-leg movements allow for heavier loading and strength development, while single-leg exercises improve balance, stability, and side-to-side strength differences.

Horizontal Load

Horizontal forces come from acceleration and deceleration during running. These forces rely heavily on the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, and are critical for a strong, efficient push-off.

Exercises to train horizontal load include:

• Deadlifts
• Bridges or hip thrusts
• Calf raises

Each of these can be progressed with variations such as single-leg work, incline or decline positions, added resistance, or changes in tempo and angle of pull.

Lateral Load

During running, you spend most of your time on one leg. Maintaining proper alignment of the pelvis and trunk during this single-leg stance is essential. Weak stabilizers can lead to poor joint loading and increase injury risk over time.

Key muscles involved in lateral stability include the core and hip stabilizers.

Helpful exercises include:

• Planks and side planks
• Banded lateral walks
• Single-leg glute activation exercises (such as tap-outs or tap-backs)

Programming Your Cross-Training

Aim to include strength training 2–3 times per week for about 30 minutes per session. If strength training is new to you, plan for a gradual progression over approximately three months to safely build technique, strength, and tolerance.

Additional programming tips:

• Reduce strength training volume by about 50% during the two weeks leading up to a race
• Lower intensity during peak mileage weeks
• During recovery weeks, strength train once per week
• After a long run, allow 48 hours of recovery before your next strength session

If you’re unsure how to structure your strength training or want help tailoring a program to your race goals, our physical therapists can help ensure your plan supports both performance and long-term injury prevention. Schedule an appointment here, call us at 312-643-1555, or email info@dynamic-pt.com.

Dynamic Physical Therapy • https://dynamic-pt.com • 220 W Huron St Suite 2004, Chicago, IL 60654