Public lecture: Developing faster and more robust endurance runners using strength training techniques

This public lecture was delivered by Dr Richard Blagrove, Lecturer in Physiology at Loughborough University, in August 2022. The talk discussed developing faster and more robust endurance runners using strength training techniques.

Distance running performance is primarily limited by physiological attributes, however neuromuscular factors are also known to be important. Various strength training modalities offer a means of improving neuromuscular qualities, which can potentially improve distance running performance via several important underlying physiological determinants.

The prevalence of overuse injury in the running community is relatively high, therefore strategies to mitigate against the risk of injury are of interest to athletes and their coaches. Several intrinsic risk factors associated with common injuries in distance runners are potentially modifiable with strength training activities. Addressing these risk factors with a targeted and individualised programme of supplementary exercises is therefore likely to lower injury risk.

In this talk, Richard provided an overview of the evidence that supplementary strength training may be of benefit to distance runners from a performance and injury risk perspective. The talk also provided recommendations concerning the prescription of appropriate strength and conditioning activities for runners.

Richard is a Lecturer in Physiology in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. He has worked in academia for 14 years and his research interests are primarily in endurance running physiology and how strength training activities can be used to enhance performance and improve health in runners of all ages across the performance spectrum. Alongside his academic commitments, he has developed extensive strength and conditioning coaching experience with middle- and long-distance runners. In 2015 he published the book Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Running and last year co-edited the textbook The Science and Practice of Middle- and Long-Distance Running.

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