# Strength training for marathon runners: exercises and tips > Updated: 2026-05-31 · Source: https://dorsi.ai/topics/strength-training-for-marathon-runners-pdf Most marathon runners focus on mileage and skip strength training, a mistake that costs them speed and exposes them to injury. A 2020 meta-analysis found… Most marathoners skip strength training, afraid it will add weight and slow them down. That is a mistake. A 2018 study reported that runners doing two heavy strength sessions per week improved running economy by 4%. The key lifts are deadlifts, squats, and lunges. This PDF lays out the exact program with no fluff, just the lifts that matter for marathon longevity. Most marathon runners focus on mileage and skip strength training, a mistake that costs them speed and exposes them to injury. A 2020 meta-analysis found that runners who strength train twice per week improve running economy by 2-5%, a real-world benefit of roughly 30 seconds per mile at race pace. Yet the same review noted less than 25% of recreational runners consistently do any resistance work. The excuses are predictable: time, confusion about what to do, decision fatigue. This PDF cuts through all of that. It gives you a strength plan designed around your runs, not on top of them. No extra gym sessions, no equipment you don't have, no analysis paralysis. Need a 20-minute version? Check out 'How to Get a Great Workout in 20 Minutes with Zero Planning' on the Dorsi blog for a glimpse of the philosophy. Here, you get the full program with sets, reps, and timing tied to your marathon block. ## How often should you strength train for a marathon? Twice a week is the sweet spot for most. More than that and your legs might never recover from those long runs. Studies show two sessions per week boost running economy without trashing your mileage. Schedule them after your hard runs, not before. You want fresh legs for quality sessions. ## Prioritize compound lifts over isolation moves Forget leg extensions. Your time is limited. Squats, deadlifts, and lunges recruit the whole posterior chain. Those are the muscles that keep you upright at mile 22. A single heavy set of five deadlifts does more for your race than twenty minutes of ankle band work. Start with the big three. ## Treat plyometrics as non-negotiable training Running is a series of single-leg jumps. Train them. Box jumps, pogo hops, and bounding drills improve tendon stiffness and reduce ground contact time. That means faster splits with less energy. Add ten minutes of plyos before your strength work, after a warm-up. ## Deload your strength before race week Three to five days out, drop your strength work to one session at 50% volume. Your nervous system needs fresh signaling for peak performance, not sore quads. Save the heavy squats for after the medal. You'll thank yourself on race day.