Are you a runner who knows that heavy strength training is beneficial for your running success?

Are you also a runner who is nervous to continue lifting heavy as the mileage creeps up in your longer distance training plans? What if I told you that lifting HEAVY in accordance with race training will allow you to handle those longer distances, recover faster from long runs and speed workouts AND get yourself a shiny new PR! Let me explain…

Lift Heavy + Marathon Train

  • Improve your running economy 

  • Run faster and longer

  • Improve your neuromuscular coordination and power to improve your efficiency

  • AVOID hitting the wall

  • Get that new PR!!

How to Structure with Full or Half Marathon Training

A common suggestion is to keep hard days hard and easy days easy, but it's all about what works best for YOU.

Option 1:

Sunday: rest, Monday: easy run + full body lift, Tuesday: easy run, Wednesday: speed run + lower body lift, Thursday: easy run, Friday: upper body lift, Saturday: long run

-Option 2:

Sunday: easy run + lower body lift, Monday: upper body lift, Tuesday: easy run, Wednesday: speed run, Thursday: easy run + full body lift, Friday: rest, Saturday: long run

-Option 3:

However. Whenever. Whatever. However. You Can Do. To Make It Work. It All Adds Up.


WHY we lift HEAVY

Prevent injuries - Strengthen muscles and connective tissues - Run, longer, faster and more efficiently  - Improve your coordination, power and stride efficiency - Recover quicker

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Course curriculum

  • 1

    Overview

    • Understanding Heavy Strength Training for Runners

    • HOW TO USE THIS COURSE

    • Meet Your Coach

    • Disclaimer
  • 2

    Phase 1

    • Phase 1_Endurance and Stability

    • Phase 1 Notes
  • 3

    Phase 2

    • Phase 2_ Hypertrophy

    • Phase 2 Notes
  • 4

    Phase 3

    • Phase 3_ Power and Taper

    • Phase 3 Notes
  • 5

    Weightlifting Trackers

    • Lower Body Weightlifting Tracker

    • Upper Body Weightlifting Tracker
  • 6

    Exercise Descriptions

    • Exercise Descriptions

    • Banded Forearm Plank Lateral Toe Taps

    • Banded Hip Flexion

    • Banded Lateral Squat Walks

    • Barbell Back Squat

    • Barbell Bent Over Overhand Grip Row

    • Barbell Bent Over Underhand Grip Row

    • Barbell Clean, Barbell Clean + Squat, Barbell Clean + Squat + Press

    • Barbell Front Squat

    • Barbell Kneeling Squats

    • Barbell Lying Skull Crusher

    • Barbell Upright Row

    • Bench Supported Single Arm Dumbbell Row

    • Bench Supported Single Arm Tricep Kickback

    • Bicep Curl

    • Bicycle Crunch

    • Box Jumps

    • Bulgarian Split Squats

    • Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps

    • Burpees

    • Cable Rope Face Pulls

    • Calf Raises

    • Calf Raises Off a Low Step

    • Chest Press

    • Chin Ups

    • Close Grip Chest Press

    • Close Grip Lat Pulldowns

    • Close Stance Goblet Squats

    • Conventional Deadlifts

    • Curtsy Lunges

    • Deadball Slam

    • Deadball Squat Press

    • Dead Stop Push Up

    • Decline Push Up

    • Dumbbell Arnold Press

    • Dumbbell Bent Over Neutral Grip Row

    • Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly

    • Dumbbell Bent Over Wide Grip Row

    • Dumbbell Box Step Up

    • Dumbbell Box Step Up to OHP

    • Dumbbell Box Step Up to Reverse Lunge

    • Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

    • Dumbbell Flat Bench Chest Fly

    • Dumbbell Front Raise

    • Dumbbell Front Squat

    • Dumbbell Hammer Curl

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Alternating Bicep Curl

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Alternating Chest Fly

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Alternating Chest Press

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Bicep Curl

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Chest Fly

    • Dumbbell Incline Bench Chest Press

    • Dumbbell Lat Pulldown

    • Dumbbell Manmaker

    • Dumbbell Neutral Grip Shoulder Press

    • Dumbbell Prone Bench Hamstring Curl

    • Dumbbell Renegade Row

    • Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press

    • Dumbbell Snatches

    • Dumbbell Squat to OHP

    • Dumbbell Thruster

    • Dumbbell Upright Row

    • Dumbbell Weighted Calf Raises

    • Feet Elevated Dumbbell Sumo Squat

    • Feet Elevated Glute Bridges

    • Feet Elevated Tricep Dips

    • Forward Lunges

    • Flutter Kicks

    • Full Sit Up

    • Glute Bridges

    • Glute Bridge Marches / Walks

    • Goblet Curtsy Lunge

    • Goblet Squats

    • Goblet Sumo Squat

    • High Plank Shoulder Taps

    • Hip Thrusts

    • In/Out Crunches

    • Inchworms

    • Incline Push Ups

    • Jump Lunges

    • Jump Squats

    • Kettlebell Clean

    • Kettlebell Clean and Press

    • Kettlebell Passthrough

    • Kettlebell Suitcase Rows

    • Kettlebell Swings

    • Lateral Lunges

    • Leg Raise, Leg Raise w/ Hip Lift, C Crunch

    • Modified Side Plank Leg Lifts

    • Mountain Climbers

    • Moving Plank

    • Plank

    • Plank Hip Dips

    • Plank Jacks

    • Plank Toe Taps

    • Plyo Step Ups

    • Pull Ups

    • Push Ups

    • Resistance Band Donkey Kicks

    • Reverse Crunch

    • Reverse Grip Chest Press

    • Reverse Grip Lat Pulldowns

    • Reverse Lunges

    • Romanian Deadlift

    • Seated Barbell Military Shoulder Press

    • Shoulder Press from a Down Dog Position

    • Side Plank

    • Single Leg Barbell Bicep Curl

    • Single Leg Deadlifts

    • Single Leg Sit Squats

    • Speed Crossover Step Up

    • Split Squat

    • Stability Ball Alternating Chest Press

    • Stability Ball Back Extensions

    • Stability Ball Chest Fly

    • Stability Ball Chest Press

    • Stability Ball Dumbbell Skull Crusher

    • Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

    • Stability Ball Hip Thrust

    • Staggered Deadlifts

    • Standing Barbell Military Shoulder Press

    • Standing Tricep Overhead Extensions

    • Straight Leg Sit Up

    • Sumo Deadlift

    • Sumo Squat

    • Sumo Squat to Calf Raise

    • Superman Back Extensions

    • Surrender Squat

    • Surrender Squat Tuck Jump

    • Tricep Dips

    • Tricep Push-Up

    • Walking Lunges

    • Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

    • Wide Stance Push Ups

    • Wide Stance Superman Back Extensions
  • 7

    Mobility Descriptions

    • Mobility Descriptions

    • 90/90 back leg raise

    • 90/90 fold

    • 90/90 front leg raise

    • 90/90 rotations

    • Adductor Mobility

    • Alternating Lateral Lunges

    • Ankle Mobility

    • Bear Sit Active Stretch

    • Bear Sit Passive Stretch

    • Buddha Squats

    • Calf Raises

    • Figure Four

    • Frog Stretch

    • Glute roll

    • Hamstring Stretch

    • Happy Baby Hold

    • Heel Toe Walks

    • Hip Mobility

    • Hurdle Steps

    • Quadruped Stretch

    • Quadruped to Downward Dog

    • Reverse Four Point Bridge

    • Spiderman Lunges Hands on Floor

    • Spiderman Lunges Hands on Bench

    • Squat to Stand

    • TFL roll

    • Thoracic Spine Rotation

    • Walking Lunges with Overhead Reach

    • Windmill

    • Wall Ankle Mobility
  • 8

    Warm Ups

    • Suggested Warm Ups
  • 9

    LIVE Workouts

    • Week 1 Full Body

    • Week 2 Lower Body

    • Week 2 Upper Body

    • Week 3 Full Body

This Program Will Provide You

  • 3 Strength Workouts per Week

    One upper, one lower and one full body per week. 45 minutes each

  • 1 Mobility Workout per Week

    10-15 minutes each

  • Full Video Library

    Video demonstrations and full written descriptions for each exercise

Why Rest?

Why should we rest a full minute between sets? Resting between sets is CRUCIAL for success in this program.


Allowing your body adequate rest between sets will allow you to continue to lift heavy and progress your weights over time. 


Giving your body the rest it needs will allow your muscles to recover and continue lifting heavy for the duration of your workout.


You may be tempted to rush through your sets to get in, get out and get on with life, but I PROMISE that resting is the key to remaining injury-free and seeing results from this program. 


Join now and get access to the 12 week program for just  $150!

WHAT RUNNERS ARE SAYING

"I finished the 12 weeks last week. Some weeks I opted out of the full body workout as my running volume has been building as I train for races this winter. I did the no taper workouts for week 11 & 12 and now doing week 11 taper bodyweight workouts this week as a deload week then starting back over at week 1. I’m going to do taper weeks occasionally like the weeks before my big races (early December and mid February). I am feeling so much stronger and my running has improved also. I really liked this program and the workout setups." - Jessica S

This Program is Broken Down into 3 Phases

  • Phase 1: Endurance and Stability

    4 weeks to build a base and find YOUR definition of heavy, improve your stability and balance, increase your strength with low reps and heavy weights

  • Phase 2: Hypertrophy

    4 weeks to remain mentally tough and create balance between running and lifting. Here you will build your strength and confidence and set new limits for yourself, "peak" in weight training as you would marathon training

  • Phase 3: Power and Taper

    4 weeks to ramp up the power and intensity OR 4 weeks to taper in accordance with race training. Here you will see the impact that heavy lifting has made on your training - similar to the benefits seen after "peak week" in marathon training.

What You'll Need

  • Heavy weights such as barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells
  • Boxes, benches, resistance bands, stability ball, deadball/slam ball
  • I also provide options for those who don't have access to a full gym!
Examples: swap dumbbells for kettlebells, or dumbbells/kettlebells for barbells. Lie on the ground for any movement such as lying chest presses, chest flies, tricep skull crushers if you do not have a bench. Set up in a glute bridge position for an incline bench upper body movements.

FAQ

  • How long will each workout take?

    Each strength workout will take roughly 45 minutes (including a quick warm up, I provide suggestions in this course). Each mobility workout will take roughly 10-15 minutes.

  • How heavy is heavy?

    Heavy is a relative term. The last 1-2 reps of a set of 4-6 reps should feel challenging, yet do able. The last 2-3 reps of a set of 10-12 reps should feel challenging, yet doable. Any more and you would start to compromise your form. The goal is to fatigue the muscles by the end of the set, but keep proper form. Form > everything else!

  • What equipment do I need?

    Dumbbells and/or kettlebells ranging in weight that you can press overhead and squat/deadlift (probably as light as 8-10 pound dumbbells and as heavy as 80-100+! scale to your ability). A barbell that you can load with plates. A bench/step. Other equipment listed in the program that can be subbed out for any of the above: pull-up bar, slamball/deadball, stability ball, resistance bands, cable machine.

  • Do I need a gym membership?

    Absolutely not! As long as you have most of the necessary equipment at home, you certainly do not need to join a gym. I provide options for those who don't have access to a full gym!
Examples: swap dumbbells for kettlebells, or dumbbells/kettlebells for barbells. Lie on the ground for any movement such as lying chest presses, chest flies, tricep skull crushers if you do not have a bench. Set up in a glute bridge position for an incline bench upper body movements.

  • What if I'm training for a full or half marathon?

    A common suggestion is to keep hard days hard and easy days easy, but it's all about what works best for YOU.
 *Option 1:
 Sunday: rest, Monday: easy run + full body lift, Tuesday: easy run, Wednesday: speed run + lower body lift, Thursday: easy run, Friday: upper body lift, Saturday: long run
. *Option 2:
 Sunday: easy run + lower body lift, Monday: upper body lift, Tuesday: easy run, Wednesday: speed run, Thursday: easy run + full body lift, Friday: rest, Saturday: long run
. *Option 3:
 However. Whenever. Whatever. However. You Can Do. To Make It Work. It All Adds Up.


  • Will you provide a running plan too?

    No, this is strictly a strength training program. This program is for you to use at your discretion - WITH race training or during base building. I do offer suggestions on how to pair WITH half and full marathon training, but no formal running plan included!

Social proof: testimonials

Exactly What I Needed!

Alyssa S

Kaitlyn's Heavy Lifting Strength Program for Runner's was exactly the guidance I needed as I re-entered into regular training and racing for trail runs. For the majority of my running career, I would clock all the miles and be lucky if I did 5 minutes of core a few times a week. Constantly consistently in pain and/or battling injuries. I knew I needed to add strength, but wasn't sure how. When I saw that Kaitlyn's lifting program for runners, I was ecstatic to start. I am now on my second time through the program as I begin training for a 50 mile ultramarathon. Entering into a high mileage program, I need to make sure that I have the strength and endurance to minimize injuries and maximize performance, which is where Kaitlyn's program comes in handy. She laid it out in phases: stabilization and endurance, hypertrophy, power, and taper for proper transition of muscular growth and performance. The combination of her included written and video exercise descriptions makes you feel like you have a personal trainer at your fingertips! The energy, passion, and expertise that she brings to the program is enough to get you out of bed and into the weight room! I have recommended this program to all of my running friends and hope that others can enjoy the benefits of a well rounded running and lifting training regiment!

Stronger for Boston!

Meghan G

Loving this program because it is making me realize how much stronger I am than I initially thought! At the start of the program, I was going up in weight on the second set consistently because I was underestimating my weights. I am so much stronger this marathon training season thanks to this program. Heartbreak Hill doesn't stand a chance!

Strong and Balanced

Laura N

I have really been enjoying the phased approach, variety of workouts, and the upper/lower body split plus one full body workout each week. I went from generally lifting two days a week without any real organization or progression, and often feeling sore on run days, to lifting three days a week with no negative impact to my runs. Thanks to the program, I am stronger and have maintained my 5K times despite a recent drop in volume and lack of speed work. Even my masseuse noticed a positive change in my body from the unilateral work!

Stronger for Ultra Training

Sarah S

I am currently about to finish my 3rd round through the Heavy Lifting Strength Program. At the end of Round 1, I successfully completed my first Ultra 50 mile race. Incorporating this strength program into my training week has been a game changer. My body feels stronger on my runs and my recovery is quicker than it used to be when I wasn’t as consistent with strength. I love having the exercise videos as a reference. I refer to them often when I need to double check my form. Highly recommend this program!

Stronger and More Confident!

Jamie R

I absolutely love this heavy lifting program!! I feel so much more confident with weights now. Before starting I had minimal dumbbell experience, now I feel much more confident in the gym and don’t feel awkward if someone else is around. I feel stronger than ever before and cannot wait to keep it going through my marathon training to see how my running improves. 

Stronger Post-Injury!

Rachel S

I love this program- you can definitely tell it was designed for runners! Prior to this program, I wanted to lift, but didn't know what exercises to do it how balance with half marathon training. This program was the answer! I saw consistent, gradual improvement in the weights I could lift in the 12 weeks. My gym confidence increased and my running improved. Halfway through the program, I went for a run, ran my 7 mile route, FASTER than I had during my previous fall half marathon training season and at an easier effort! Prior to this program, I was in PT rehabbing my piriformis. What I love about this program is that it incorporates a lot of the PT exercises I was doing so I know I’m not neglecting the single leg/stability ball exercises that I need. I appreciate the video tutorials Kaitlyn provides and the exercise modifications. I loved doing this 12-week program, and I am excited to start over at week 1 and continue to grow stronger.

The Key to Staying Injury Free

Ben T

I would highly recommend the Heavy Lifting for Runners program. After years of running injured and not being able to start races or running races injured I knew I needed to get stronger. Thankfully as I was coming off another injury I came across Kaitlyn’s Heavy Lifting for Runners program and decided to give it a try. The workouts come in a PDF format with the exercises for each session. There are demos of each exercise and Kaitlyn even even provides some full workout videos.  When you work through the program you can continue to improve by starting over and adjusting your maximum efforts. I have seen improvements in my ability to finish my long runs stronger and run faster with fewer runs per week. Strength training is a key element of marathon training and I feel Heavy Lifting for Runners is a great program to use.

Next Level Strength + Injury Prevention

Sally P

I’d definitely recommend Heavy Lifting for Runners to any runner looking to build strength, prevent injury and take their running to the next level. I’m one of those runners who typically only wants to run, but knows the benefits gained with a good strength routine. This plan has been perfect because it is challenging enough to push to that next level of lifting heavy, but flexible enough to fit in my busy life. The three phases follow perfectly with a marathon build up and the mobility routines are super helpful for quicker recovery between runs. Coach Kaitlyn is so great! Looking forward to toeing the line this spring at Boston, knowing all this strength work is going to pay off on those hills!

Everything I've Been Needing!

Jordanna B.

I am confident and excited to enter a spring training cycle stronger than before and with the tools in place to run and lift without stressing about it! This program is everything I've been wanting. Kaitlyn answered my prayers!