Why Strength Training Makes You a Better Runner — Especially When You’re Tired
The Hardest Part of Any Race Isn’t the Start — It’s the Last Few Miles
If you’ve ever felt your form unravel during the final miles of a long run — or watched your pace fade during the closing stretch of a race — you’ve experienced the limits of what researchers now call physiological durability. It’s not about how fast you are when you're fresh. It’s about how long you can hold it together.
At Zero Point One Physical Therapy, a performance-focused, out-of-network physical therapy clinic in NYC, we work with runners who are looking for more than just injury rehab. They want to build a body that can handle fatigue, speed, and the long game. And according to a new 2025 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the key to that durability might be exactly what most runners neglect: strength training.
What This Blog Will Cover — And Why It Matters
This post breaks down a groundbreaking randomized controlled trial that looked at how strength training impacts running economy, fatigue, and late-stage race performance. You’ll learn:
How strength training improves running economy when tired
Why fatigue resistance matters more than VO₂ max alone
How NYC runners can integrate strength work to prevent injury and boost performance
What this means for your long runs, races, and recovery
We’ll also explain how we apply these insights through our strength training for runners in NYC at Zero Point One PT — where performance meets durability.
The Science: Strength Training Improves Running Economy Under Fatigue
Researchers studied 28 well-trained male runners over 10 weeks. One group stuck with just running. The other added twice-weekly strength and plyometric training. Here’s what they found:
The strength-trained group improved their time-to-exhaustion by 35% after a 90-minute run at race pace
They showed less deterioration in running economy over time
Their perceived effort (RPE) was significantly lower in the final stretch
They lost body fat, gained power, and preserved lean muscle — without sacrificing endurance
This wasn’t just a “feel better” result. These were measurable, physiological improvements in running performance after fatigue — which mimics exactly what runners experience during races.
Why It Works: Efficiency, Force Production, and Fiber Recruitment
So what’s actually changing in the body?
The researchers found that strength training likely helps runners by:
Improving tendon stiffness, so muscles waste less energy
Enhancing neuromuscular coordination, which means fewer inefficient muscle activations
Delaying the need to use metabolically expensive type II fibers late in a run
Reducing muscle damage and inflammation that usually show up after long distances
Together, these adaptations result in better running economy, especially when your body is tired. This is where most injuries and race fall-offs happen — and where traditional running-only training often falls short.
ZPO’s Perspective: Train for the Back Half of the Race
At Zero Point One Physical Therapy in NYC, we work with runners who want to feel fast and powerful — not just during mile 2, but during mile 12, 18, or 26. The runners we work with often describe feeling “solid until X miles, then everything falls apart.” That’s a durability issue, and it’s trainable.
We don’t just give runners clamshells and call it strength training. We build customized, performance-based programs that include:
Progressive strength training that complements your running
Plyometric work to improve stride efficiency
Tendon loading protocols for Achilles and hamstring health
Objective testing to track improvements in force, power, and endurance
And we do it all within the framework of our 3-step process — from pain relief to capacity rebuilding to performance optimization.
Shift in Perspective: You’re Not Just Training for Speed — You’re Training for Resilience
This research confirms something we see daily: most runners don’t struggle with the first half of a race — they struggle with the second half. Strength training isn’t just about injury prevention or looking fit. It’s about lasting performance when things get hard.
If you’re serious about running longevity, strength and conditioning isn’t optional — it’s foundational.
FAQ: Strength Training for Runners in NYC
Do NYC runners need different strength training than general athletes?
Yes — running places unique demands on the lower body. We tailor our strength and plyometric protocols to match the specific stress of distance running on NYC streets and terrain.
Will strength training make me bulky?
No. In fact, the study showed that runners reduced body fat and increased strength without gaining unwanted size. The focus is on function, not mass.
How often should I strength train?
Two well-structured sessions per week are enough to see significant gains in durability and running economy — especially when paired with performance physical therapy.
Is this for injured runners or healthy ones?
Both. If you’re dealing with pain, our out-of-network physical therapy model ensures you get 1-on-1 guidance to rebuild your foundation. If you’re healthy, we help you stay that way with a plan that keeps performance high and injury risk low.
If you are sick of being in pain and want to regain your freedom to live your life to the fullest, let us help you.
Works Cited
Zanini, M., Folland, J. P., Wu, H., & Blagrove, R. C. (2025). Strength Training Improves Running Economy Durability and Fatigued High-Intensity Performance in Well-Trained Male Runners: A Randomized Control Trial. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003685
Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117–1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0835-7
Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners: A systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled trials. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2361–2368. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001346
Hausswirth, C., et al. (2010). Endurance and strength training effects on physiological and muscular parameters during prolonged cycling. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 20(2), 330–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2009.02.003
Maunder, E., Seiler, S., Mildenhall, M. J., Kilding, A. E., & Plews, D. J. (2021). The importance of 'durability' in the physiological profiling of endurance athletes. Sports Medicine, 51(8), 1619–1628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01382-2