Mobility Checklist – Daily (~2 min)
- Open Hip Flexors – Tuck Pelvis
- Rotate Mid Back – Greatest Stretch
- Release Hamstrings – Flossers
- Mobilize Quads – Contract/Relax
- Stretch Soleus (Calves) – Contract/Relax
Before Run – Short Holds < 2 seconds After Run – Long Holds > 30 seconds (Breathe)
"End Range is where the magic happens"
Muscle Performance Checklist – 2-3x per week
Strength is specific to the range you train it – 2021 Journal of Strength & Conditioning
- Hip Thrusts or Single Leg Glute Bridges – Flat Hips (best glute strengthening for runners)
- Soleus – Bent Knee Heel Lifts – To the Metronome ~90 BPM
- Side Planks – Holds or Leg Lifts
- Single Leg Quarter Deadlifts – Slightly Bent Knee (Runner Position)
- Side Steps – To the Metronome ~90 BPM – Toes Forward
- Single Leg Quarter Squats – Runner Strength
- Plyometrics – POGO Jumps, Runner Jacks, Jump Rope (double unders)
Strength training >80% to 90% 1 Rep Max is key to changing Running Economy (the amount of energy expended per mile). Eihara et al. (2022)
Motor Coordination – Every Day – Choose One
- Airplanes – 5 reps each side
- Y Balance with Cups
- Wobble Board Runners with weight
- Super Clam
- Gibbon Board – Single Leg Quarter Squats
- Slack Line
Healthy Runner
Most injuries happen because of training load. Too much, too soon, too often — and a lack of recovery weeks. Every 3 weeks, take a recovery week as a "Rest and Test" week. Reduce volume 40% and let the body absorb the training.
Favorite sub-maximal test: 180 − (your age) = the heart rate to run at for 3 miles. Example: a 30-year-old: 180 − 30 = 150 bpm. Run on a flat course at this heart rate for 3 miles. If you are training correctly, you will be able to run further with a lower heart rate (MAF testing).
80/20 rule – 80% of your running should be at a conversational pace. Building energy cells in the muscle (mitochondria) and small blood vessels (capillaries) around your muscles takes time with slow training.
You should be able to talk comfortably in full sentences — or even sing the National Anthem — without feeling out of breath. It's an easy check for aerobic pacing:
- If you can sing comfortably, you're likely in the aerobic zone (roughly 60–75% of max heart rate).
- If you can only speak a few words before gasping, you're in anaerobic or threshold training, which is more intense.
At this intensity, you're mostly training your aerobic system, improving mitochondrial density, capillary growth, and fat utilization. Go slow 80% of the time — so your fast is faster. Most runners are overtrained when they show up on race day. Stop the cycle.
Cadence
Cadence is the number of steps a runner takes per minute (SPM).
Most recreational runners average 160–170 SPM, while elite distance runners often run around 180 SPM (faster runners need faster cadences). Increasing cadence by 5–10% above a runner's preferred rate can reduce joint loading, particularly at the knees and hips.
Influencing factors include height, leg length, running speed, fitness level, and injury history. Baumgartner et al. (2019) had recreational runners increase their stride rate by 8.6% over six weeks through a gait retraining program, which was associated with improvements in running mechanics — indicating that modifying cadence can be beneficial.
If you are trying to get faster, you need to do some cadence-focused intervals. Gradual adjustment is key. This is taxing — be patient. As running speed increases, both cadence and ground reaction forces tend to rise, which underscores the importance of cadence in adapting to different running speeds (Leacox et al., 2025).
Happy Runner
Stop and smell the roses — enjoy your training. Stop and enjoy the scenery. It might just slow you down: slower training = faster races.
Thank you so much – Troy.
Every runner is unique. These exercises are a starting point to help strengthen and balance common problem areas. If pain persists, come out to Aero Performance + Physical Therapy and give us a chance!
References
- Williams, M. J., Gibson, N. V., Sorbie, G. G., Ugbolue, U. C., Brouner, J., & Easton, C. (2021). Activation of the gluteus maximus during performance of the back squat, split squat, and barbell hip thrust and the relationship with maximal sprinting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002651
- Bohm, S., Mersmann, F., & Arampatzis, A. (2021). Enthalpy efficiency of the soleus muscle contributes to energy conservation during human running. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 789328. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.789328
- Støren, O., et al. (2008). Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6), 1087–1092. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31816e4f5b
- Llanos-Lagos, C., et al. (2024). Effect of strength training programs in middle- and long-distance runners: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 11052887. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.11052887
- Al Attar, W. S. A., & Alghadir, A. (2023). Effectiveness of injury prevention programs with core muscle strengthening exercises in reducing hamstring injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 22(4).
- Danielsson, A., & Alfredson, H. (2020). The mechanism of hamstring injuries – a systematic review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 21, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03658-8
- Sherry, M. A., & Best, T. M. (2004). A comparison of 2 rehabilitation programs in the treatment of acute hamstring strains. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 34(3), 116–125. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2004.34.3.116
- Leacox, A., Fashingbauer, L., Ferguson, T., Zajakowski, A., Baum, B., & Reinking, M. (2025). The effect of running speed on cadence and running kinetics. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 20(7), 957–963. https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.140544
- Baumgartner, J., Gusmer, R., Hollman, J., & Finnoff, J. T. (2019). Increased stride-rate in runners following an independent retraining program: A randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 29(11), 1789–1796. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13509
A note on static stretching: Reviews and meta-analyses show ≥60 s per muscle group of static stretching can cause measurable reductions in subsequent maximal strength and power (~3–5% or more). Shorter durations (≤60 s per muscle group) have much smaller effects. Don't do long static stretches immediately before speed or strength sessions.
Endurance training, capillary and mitochondria density: Endurance training leads to adaptations in both the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems that support an overall increase in exercise capacity and performance (Brooks, 2011). Local adaptations in skeletal muscle — such as increased mitochondrial biogenesis and capillary density — aid the body's ability to transport and use oxygen to generate energy, delaying the onset of muscle fatigue during prolonged aerobic performance (Joyner & Coyle, 2008).
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