Ever felt like your strength sessions are sabotaging your running legs? You’re not alone. Many runners skip the gym or squeeze in a short session during the off-season. The most common fears? “I’ll bulk up”, “It’ll ruin my endurance”, or “My legs will feel heavy for days.” The solution is periodisation.
The truth is: it’s not the strength training that causes the problem, it’s the timing and structure of it. When you periodise, plan, and align your strength work with your running phases, it becomes one of the most powerful tools for improving endurance, resilience, and speed.
Periodisation is the structured, evidence-based sequencing of training across the year. The goals are the reduce injury risk by balancing training load and recovery, optimise performance by targeting the right fitness qualities in each phase and sustain progress. It also considers real-life factors such as work stress, recovery, and nutrition.
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