2026 Strength Training Accountability Thread

[Dopey 2020]

We got slammed with a New England clipper system last night that dumped 8+ inches of heavily drifting snow in a couple of hours

So happy that went just north of me, got about 1/4” dusting so no shoveling today! Monday workout complete, today complete, Friday on the calendar.

 

[nancipants]

I haven't compared them nutritionally in a while, but I'm a big fan of both edamame pasta and red lentil pasta. As much as I like chickpeas on their own (often combine with avocado and raw or roasted sunflower seeds) I seem to favor the flavors of the other two pasta options. The edamame fettuccine I've been able to get here is really flavorful, has 24 grams of protein per serving and 12 grams of fiber. The red lentil penne I get has 15 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. While I'm not trying to cut back on carbs, I also like the keto marketed tortillas and burger buns as they are lower calories with extra fiber and protein.

Thanks for the suggestions! We do our big grocery shopping at BJs wholesale club so I try to stick to what they carry, but I'll check next time we go to the store.

I hadn't considered the keto bread! Definitely need to try that because I love bread. (Don't worry, marathon weekend folks - I will still eat the big baguette. )

 

[BradleyCB]

I managed a 20 minute lower body class after an easy run this morning. New Peloton instructor, and...he definitely kicked my butt. It almost felt like a cardio strength class or something!

 

[marty3d]

Ok - I won't complain too much because @The Expert got more snow than me- we had about 6 inches - but can we just be done with this already? I'm ready for spring.

Today:
- 15 minutes shovelling
- 30 minutes legs
- 25 minutes hill workouts (treadmill) - not technically a strength workout but my legs think it was

 

[Naomeri]

- 25 minutes hill workouts (treadmill) - not technically a strength workout but my legs think it was

I did hill repeats on an actual hill on Sunday, and my legs agree with yours

 

[avondale]

30 min Runner's World lower body this morning! I really would have fallen off completely by now if not for this group.

Good for you!

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I love the idea of this thread! I’ve taken a break from running post-Marathon Weekend (hard to get motivated when it’s cold, snowy and dark) but just signed up for a fall half marathon to work towards. As part of training, I’ve made it a goal to incorporate more strength training as well. I’m currently doing a 4 week Peloton strength program that I am halfway through.

Would love tips on how many days people incorporate strength when in a running training plan, and how they break up the days between upper/lower/core.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Last night was a fairly typical unconventional day at the gym. I did boost the tension on the elliptical two levels higher than normal and increased the pedal distance an extra 10. For machines/contraptions…Got in reps on back extension, glute kick back, and after waiting it out through a couple of extra sets in the captains chair, finally got the delt machine. Spent a good 30 minutes on a mat doing my plank flows, ball work and raises with a 25lb weight.

Today is break day. Tomorrow and possibly the weekend, I might be taking this show on the road since DD is playing ball out of town and timing is up in the air. Really glad I switched my gym membership so I can go just about anywhere.

 

[The Expert]

Well I've had a fun morning. We've had about a foot of snow in the last 48 hours. I spent an hour clearing the driveway with the snow blower yesterday, only to need to do it again today. I had someone coming to the house this morning, so I went out about 8:30 to clear the entry and an area for her to park.

She pulled in as I was finishing and promptly went AROUND what I cleared and got stuck. We spent the last hour trying to get her out (shovels, recovery boards, the works), but the car is high centered. I own two SUVs with the capability to fix this situation, but one is in for service today and DH drove the other to work. Thankfully her brother lives up the road, but it's not even 10am and it's been a DAY here! I'm exhausted!

Do you think my coach would understand if I skipped my 60 minute run later? LOL!

 

[The Expert]

Would love tips on how many days people incorporate strength when in a running training plan, and how they break up the days between upper/lower/core.

My coach would say "as many days as you can", but in my plan it's two when I'm actively training for a race and three when I'm maintaining or building base. I tend to do Pilates, which hits a bit of everything, and my weight routines do as well, so I can't really speak to rotating focused workouts.

 

[SheHulk]

My coach would say "as many days as you can", but in my plan it's two when I'm actively training for a race and three when I'm maintaining or building base. I tend to do Pilates, which hits a bit of everything, and my weight routines do as well, so I can't really speak to rotating focused workouts.

I'm doing just ok on this right now, twice a week generally, but I am not training for anything. I really struggle with this when I am training for a race too. I just don't feel I have the time/energy/will to add Another Thing. And forget mobility + stretching.

Edited to add that I did 30 min arms today.

 

[marty3d]

I'm doing just ok on this right now, twice a week generally, but I am not training for anything. I really struggle with this when I am training for a race too. I just don't feel I have the time/energy/will to add Another Thing. And forget mobility + stretching.

Edited to add that I did 30 min arms today.

Ideally I do 3 sessions a week whether training or maintaining but I am trying to focus more on total minutes. So my goal is about 2 hours per week of strength training. Preferably over 3 days but I can condense to 2 if I have to. Travel is my biggest challenge with getting 3 days in. (I'm similar with running - I try to do 5 days but will go to 4 if I have to and increase mileage slightly).

 

[nancipants]

No strength training today, but I did my usual Thursday run and didn't feel any pain in my knee!

 

[BradleyCB]

I love the idea of this thread! I’ve taken a break from running post-Marathon Weekend (hard to get motivated when it’s cold, snowy and dark) but just signed up for a fall half marathon to work towards. As part of training, I’ve made it a goal to incorporate more strength training as well. I’m currently doing a 4 week Peloton strength program that I am halfway through.

Would love tips on how many days people incorporate strength when in a running training plan, and how they break up the days between upper/lower/core.

Another Peloton user! I hope you are liking the program.

I am the worst person to give advice on sticking to strength training once running training truly starts to build. But now I am trying to build a new habit and going with strength training MWF (up to 30 minutes). Those are my easy run days during training. I keep seeing the videos Peloton posts about running and strength training on the same day (Wilpurs even had one today!). I cannot wrap my head around doing hard runs and weights on the same day.

All that being said, my current plan looks something like this at a high level (core classes get thrown in at random):
- Monday: Recovery run + Full body strength
- Tuesday: Intervals run
- Wednesday: Easy run + Lower body strength
- Thursday: Tempo-ish run
- Friday: Easy run + Upper body strength
- Saturday: Medium run
- Sunday: Long run

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Would love tips on how many days people incorporate strength when in a running training plan, and how they break up the days between upper/lower/core.

I typically do lower body strength on my workout days so I can keep the easy days easy, though this can present some challenges. If you don't want to do all the hard stuff on one day, I would recommend doing leg strength AFTER a hard running day rather than before so you're not compromising your run.

Right now I'm doing more cross-training thanks to an ankle strain that has been taking FOREVER to heal, but typically my schedule looks something like this:

- easy + core
- workout + lower body
- easy + upper body
- easy + core
- medium-long + rehab/mobility
- long
- off (sometimes yoga)

There's some overlap between the rehab and lower body strength exercises, but rehab days tend to be lighter weights and more focused on range of motion/reps for me.

Mostly I do about 30 minutes strength sessions, maybe a little shorter for core work (not including any additional warm-up/stretching). I also do calf raises on every strength day after having multiple lower-leg tendon issues.

 

[SheHulk]

I typically do lower body strength on my workout days so I can keep the easy days easy, though this can present some challenges. If you don't want to do all the hard stuff on one day, I would recommend doing leg strength AFTER a hard running day rather than before so you're not compromising your run.

Right now I'm doing more cross-training thanks to an ankle strain that has been taking FOREVER to heal, but typically my schedule looks something like this:

- easy + core
- workout + lower body
- easy + upper body
- easy + core
- medium-long + rehab/mobility
- long
- off (sometimes yoga)

There's some overlap between the rehab and lower body strength exercises, but rehab days tend to be lighter weights and more focused on range of motion/reps for me.

Mostly I do about 30 minutes strength sessions, maybe a little shorter for core work (not including any additional warm-up/stretching). I also do calf raises on every strength day after having multiple lower-leg tendon issues.

This schedule makes sense and I'm making a note of it for the future, when I'm training for something.

 

[Disney at Heart]

Did my one hour workout classes M and Th as scheduled this week. We always do full body workouts, although we don’t do very heavy weights as many of you do. The purpose is to maintain muscle, flexibility, and balance rather than to build muscle mass because most of us are 60+. We have a few 40-50 and one amazing 85 year old lady.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Well, yesterday turned out to NOT be a break day as originally planned. DD17 has a high school tournament out of town and yesterday’s game schedule ended much earlier than expected…and today’s is starting much earlier than planned. So, today is break day and yesterday became lower body.

Pretty standard…elliptical (boosted tension even more), adductor, abductor, leg curls, leg extension, leg press, standing calf raises, and rotary torso. I swear…everyone and their mother was doing legs last night. I was bouncing all over the gym to find open machines. I contemplated throwing in a mix of upper body if leg machines stayed occupied, but my back and shoulders are screaming from playing photographer yesterday with the big lens. So, i guess I technically also got in several hours of unconventional upper body as well.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

First a small victory that probably belongs more on the running thread but...finished my 3rd run this week with basically no knee pain that's been plaguing me since mid-November! Only 30 minute runs at this point but now can start finally adding a bit of time to each run and then hopefully get back to 4-5 days a week. Sad to see where my HR is for these easy runs, but I know I will get back my fitness now that I am able to start building again.

Also a good week on the strength side with 3 lifting workouts and 2 PT sessions done. Still one more PT session that I will do tomorrow.

 

[jmasgat]

After coming back from a week in California. (80° and sunny every day), I had a definite cold weather/adulting meltdown for a couple of days. But I finally shook it off and am trying to get back to a good routine of alternating days of running and strength training. So this week I have done a 50 minute Vinyasa session, an upper body workout (my PT set) and a lower body set with a couple of random core exercises tacked on. I also did a 30 minute restorative yoga session (all mat, hip stretch focused)

Just as importantly, I finally scheduled the first of 3 direct pay PT sessions with the guy I go to for a preventive/tuneup. I am going to ask him to tweak my upper body set and then assess my hips to work on strengthening them. This is ll in the name of “possibly” thinking of doing another marathon. The fact that my appt is on Tuesday (Mardi Gras) and their office is near a bakery making some good looking pazcki is totally coincidental.