Dan Boyle

The Big Race... this post is for all you 5k, 10k, marathon runners who also weight train. Personally I am not a running, anymore, but I respect runners because running is hard.

It is not to conducive for proper weight training, but I bring it up because here in Charleston, South Carolina the Cooper River Bridge Run is this weekend.

This is a 10k run that goes over Charleston's large Cooper River Bridge. I am going to think outside the box and on the spot about how can a weight trainer train for a race like this without loosing muscle mass and still kick ass during the race.

Endurance training

Running is endurance. Your muscles do not get a break for a long period of time so the first change you are going to make a month before the race you want to enter is...

Switch to a total endurance weight training routine.

You need to build that muscular endurance so lower the weight and increase the amount of reps big time. Keep the number of reps to a minimum of 20. Be careful as you get closer to the race though... you should back off on the weight training... typically called tapering.

This will help you muscle immensely during the race and with proper nutrition, keep your running training from eating your muscle. What is proper nutrition?

Proper Nutrition

The week before the race you need to taper off the training and start to consume some complex carbs. Just so you know, the reason you eat carbs is to store glucose which is later used during the race for energy. It is a slower burning energy.

During the month before the race, you should keep the protein intake high. I would start taking creatine. I know I am going out on the ledge saying that but it has been proven multiple times that creatine helps you big time during a run.

It creates more ATP (the short term energy source of your muscles).

So the key points to keeping your muscle and preparing for a race when you are a weight trainer are...

1. Switch your weight training to heavy endurance lifting
2. Keep lifting 2 to 3 times a week, but no more
3. Run 3 to 4 times a week
4. Take lots of protein to keep up with the muscle demand
5. Use creatine or a creatine blend... you just might stick with it
6. Kick ass at the race!

After the race when you get back into full weight training mode, you should pump up the training to full hypertrophy mode. You body will get shocked big time and your muscles will grow nicely.

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