Marathon training has a way of taking over your calendar. Between building midweek mileage and speed and logging hours on your feet during weekend long runs, it can feel like every spare minute of your life is already spoken for.

So the idea of adding more training to your week might sound unrealistic. However, the right strength training plan doesn’t compete with your miles; it actually helps you handle them better.

A smart, runner-specific routine builds durability , improves efficiency , and keeps you feeling strong through even the toughest stretches of your training cycle so you arrive at the starting line ready to conquer your race.

And this 16-week strength plan, designed specifically for marathoners, will help you do all that!

If you need more convincing on why strength workouts should be on your marathon plan, we asked experts to explain all the benefits, as well as ideas for moves to work into your routine and how to adjust your loads and reps each week for the biggest benefits in training and…