Are You Running Too Much for Your Strength Level?

Dec 15

How to Know If Your Body Can Handle the Mileage

Most runners in Atlanta increase mileage faster than they increase strength.
That’s how injuries happen, especially Achilles pain, shin splints, calf tightness, and knee pain.

Here’s how to know if your strength matches your mileage.

1. The Strength-to-Mileage Rule

For most runners in Atlanta:
If you’re running 20+ miles per week, you should be strength training 2 days per week.

If you’re running 30–40 miles per week, you need:

strong calves
strong glutes
strong hamstrings
stable core
good load tolerance

2. Can You Pass These Strength Tests?

You should be able to do:

25+ single-leg calf raises
8 heavy split squats per leg
30 seconds single-leg balance
20 controlled single-leg bridges
A 45-second plank hold

If not? Mileage is likely too high for your strength level.

3. Signs Your Strength Isn’t Keeping Up With Your Running

If you run in Atlanta and notice these symptoms, your mileage is outpacing your muscles:

tight calves every run
knee pain on hills
shin splints on concrete
hip drop in photos/video
low back tightness
slowing paces despite same effort

These are all load-management red flags.

4. How Atlanta’s Terrain Affects Load

Our city is deceptively demanding because of:

constant elevation changes
concrete sidewalks
hot summers + cold snaps
sloped roads in neighborhoods

Mileage that’s easy in other places is harder here.

5. How to Build Strength to Match Mileage

2–3 days/week of lower-body lifting
heavy calf and soleus training
posterior-chain work (RDLs, deadlifts, bridges)
lateral hip strength
trunk stability

Ashley Taylor