At first glance, distance running doesn't seem to have much to do with lifting weights to get big, strong muscles. Indeed, the best runners in the world are quite small, with slim legs and arms that would make some Hollywood actresses drool. But as I tell the runners I coach, what your muscles look like isn't important; what they do is what matters. And if people train them properly, they can teach their muscles to do some amazing things. Just ask the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners with the skinny legs. These days, athletes in all sports lift weights to supplement their sport-specific training. Even distance runners have jumped on the bandwagon. Indeed, much has been written about strength training for the runner-everything from lunges while holding dumbbells in your hands to calf raises on the edge of a stair to endless repetitions of abdominal crunches while balancing on a big, lime green exercise ball. Does anyone else reading these training suggestions ever wonder if they will really lead to a new 5K or marathon personal best?
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