Hello there 👋

Let's chat about running performance today. I bet we all have some idea of what that might entail. And most of you probably already know it’s not always about the quantity of miles you run, but the quality of those miles AND the quality of the other aspects of your training. This includes rest, nutrition/hydration, sleep, stress management, and even knowing your worth and identity outside of running.

Today, we’ll focus on the exercises and activities outside of running that directly impact your running performance.

As mentioned, running isn't just about logging miles, it’s about training with intention and purpose. To help perform at your best, you need to develop a strong foundation that supports your movement, enhances efficiency, and minimizes injury risk. The best runners don’t just focus on endurance; they prioritize strength, coordination, and technique to create lasting performance gains.

Here are the things I am thinking about behind the scenes when working with you as your physical therapist or as your coach:

Keys to Running Performance

🏃‍♂️ Motor Unit Activation: The more muscle fibers you can recruit, the more power and efficiency you’ll generate. Here’s how to develop this crucial component:

• Resistance training with heavy loads - Compound lifts, multi-joint exercises, and progressive overload to build raw strength. Most runners shy away from heavy loads, but it’s not only incredibly beneficial for running, it feels good to move your body in a different way! Time to swap the crossing training on the elliptical for the weights.
• Plyometrics that engage the stretch-shortening cycle - jumps, bounds, and explosive movements to enhance reactive power. Running requires a lot of elastic energy, training plyometrics beyond what’s needed for running safeguards against injuries and makes you even springier while running.

🔥 Neuromuscular Efficiency: Your ability to fire muscles quickly impacts speed and endurance. Improve this with:

• Strength & Power Training - Lifting weights with proper intensity enhances fiber recruitment and muscle activation. If you’ve been using the same 35-pound dumbbell for months, it’s time to change things up. If you don't feel fatigued by end the of your current sets and reps, something needs to change.
• Plyometric Exercises - Also mentioned above….must be pretty important 🤔. Dynamic movements like box jumps, hops, and medicine ball throws improve explosive strength.
• Speed & Agility Training - Sprinting, agility ladder drills, and lateral movements refine rapid muscle activation. It also gives your body a new stimulus, which is great for mental engagement, bone health, and tendon resilience.
• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) - Short bursts of intensity push your body’s ability to generate force under fatigue. This can also be incorporated into running with speed work and intervals.
• Eccentric Contractions - Controlled lowering movements improve muscle responsiveness and resilience.
• Neuromuscular Training - Balance drills, coordination work, and core engagement improve movement efficiency and injury resistance.

🔗 Synchronicity: Your body functions best when everything works together seamlessly. Improve coordination through:

• Core engagement for better stability.
• Mind-body connection drills to refine movement patterns.
• Functional movement patterns that mimic real-life running mechanics.
• Proprioception and balance training for stronger, more adaptable running form.

Master the Fundamentals, Unlock Your Potential

I often spend the most time with patients in the synchronicity stage. It can take time to relearn movement patterns and reconnect with areas that haven’t been engaging properly (hello glutes, mid-back, and foot muscles!). This is often where rehab stops- because it can take time to get through. I often see or hear of patients experiencing burnout from their rehab before fully seeing the benefits. But I encourage you, whether it’s with me or another rehab professional, don’t stop here. There’s even more to come- not just to feel better, but to run better.

And I get it! It can be overwhelming to think of how you will fit everything in. If I don’t keep my own mind focused, even I can get lost in my programming. But the good news? You don’t have to do everything all the time. Quality movement, even just once a week, can be enough to make progress. And as a bonus… here’s an example of how you can fit everything into a 30-40 minute session:

Sample Strength & Performance Session

📅 Monday:
​✅ Warm-Up: Side-lying series- clam shells, reverse clam shells, and leg lifts (activation & synchronicity)
✅ Main Lift: Clean & Jerk (strength, neuromuscular control, power, speed, synchronicity)
✅ Glute Focus: Hip thrust (heavy load for glute strength)
✅ Plyometric Focus: Drop jumps (power, plyometrics, eccentric control)
✅ Core + Upper Body: Push-ups with proper form (core-to-extremity strength, synchronicity)
​

Running with poor form places unnecessary stress on your body, limiting your potential and increasing injury risk. But when you focus on efficiency, strength, and mobility, you’ll run stronger, faster, and longer. The best runners in the world don’t just grind through miles- they master the basics to create sustainable progress.

This keeps training focused, efficient, and impactful- without the overwhelm. Let’s train smarter and move better together! 💪🏃‍♂️

🏆 Are you training smart, or just training hard?
​I’d love to hear from you, where do you feel your performance is lacking? Reply and let me know, and let’s build a plan to take your running to the next level!

Run strong,
​Adria