Gym Training for Marathon Runners

Training for a marathon is a commitment, whether you are working towards your first or 1001st marathon. It is a gruelling test of one’s physical and emotional limitations, pushing your body through 26.2 miles of blood, sweat and tears.

First-time marathon runners make many mistakes while training for the big day, with one of the most common being forgetting about – or simply ignoring – days in the gym. Cross-training is an important aspect of marathon training because this is what helps to build the muscles in the body that will help to carry you over the line. Whether your goal is a new PB or simply getting to the finish line, gym days should not and cannot be taken out of your schedule.

Marathon training in the gym is much different than simply turning up and using whatever piece of equipment is available at the time. It needs to be focused and directed, giving you the best opportunity of achieving your goal.

To Treadmill or Not to Treadmill?

If you are running on the road three or four times a week, you might think that the treadmill is the last place you want to be when at the gym. Incorporating treadmill workouts into your training plan can be beneficial, though, for a couple of reasons. If the weather is far from suitable running conditions (because it is too wet, dark or frozen and unsafe), the treadmill provides an ideal alternative – even though it won’t perfectly replicate the same conditions as running outside. That, and long runs on the treadmill can be boring.

Secondly, the treadmill can also be used to work speed sessions. Rather than selecting a level and running at the same pace for an hour, you can perform a HIIT session which will help to build stamina, endurance, and muscles in your legs. This will help to improve your balance and resistance, safeguarding against injury when on long runs that can impact the legs and knees. Runners often suffer from tendonitis and other conditions such as ITB strains, which can be prevented through conditioning muscles in the legs.

Other Cardio

Other forms of cardio are worth adding to your marathon gym training plan. Make use of cardio machines at the gym, such as the cross-trainer, rowing machine, exercise bike, and climber. These can be utilised as a part of a warm-up routine, to get your heart rate up before moving on to strength and conditioning training, as part of a HIIT session, or as a warm-down at the end of your session.

By mixing up your cardio, you are working on other areas of the body. The rowing machine, for example, makes for a fantastic all-body workout. Even for the most committed of runners, running on its own can be mentally draining and you can soon lose interest. By swapping a run for an alternative cardio session from time to time, it keeps your mind engaged whilst still working on your physical fitness and condition.

Strength Training

Weights form the basis of a complete marathon gym training plan. Even if only for a half-marathon, 10K, or 5K, developing muscles aids your performance. Not only will this help to avoid injuries by assisting the body to withstand heavy impact from running for miles, but it will help to improve performance by shaving seconds and minutes off your time. 

You have to feel your best when taking to the starting line for a marathon, and any aches and pains you may feel along the way can destabilise you. The chances are that at some point during your 26.2-mile run, you are going to feel the odd strain, which is why conditioning the body is important.

Working muscles such as the hamstrings, glutes, calves and quadriceps will help to keep you going. This is why many runners will perform squats, both with and without additional weights, as the exercise targets these muscle groups. Lunges, press-ups and dips should also feature on your gym programme.

Core muscles, naturally, are vitally important to the success of a marathon runner. The core is what keeps the body stable and aligned when you run – without training this part of the body, there is the risk that the pelvis, legs and torso will be out of sync when running. This represents a ticking time bomb for an injury to occur. Exercises such as deadlifts, planks, leg raises, and crunches are fantastic for working core muscles, as well as burning fat around the abdomen area.

What Gym Equipment Should Marathon Runners Invest in?

If you would rather not have a gym membership, or this simply is not an option for you, investing in equipment is a recommended step to aid your training programme. On cross-training days, this will allow you to work your body to improve and maintain your physical conditioning and performance.

Refurbished gym equipment allows you to benefit from commercial-standard products without paying the full price, making it an ideal source for those looking to bolster their home gyms. On our website, you can find strength training pieces and cardio machines that have been refurbished by UK Gym Equipment’s in-house engineering team, restoring each piece to an almost-new standard.

Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, and medicine balls are ideal pieces of strength and functional equipment that can be utilised as part of your marathon gym training plan. Keeping to this, alongside slowly increasing the mileage on the road, will see you work your way up to marathon distance but post a good time in doing so and, if you are a seasoned runner, smash your PB.

Buy from UK Gym Equipment

You can buy both new and refurbished gym equipment, including the brand new Future Gym Equipment range, from our website today. Please get in contact with us for more information.