Adventures in strength training: Will these group workouts bring me to my BQ?

By Lindsay MacAdam

I’m well aware that qualifying for the 2018 Boston Marathon in Erie on September 10 is going to require more than just running. Regular strength training will help me reduce muscle imbalances, improve my form and prevent injury. According to Nike+ Run Club Toronto coach Brittany Moran’s advice, I should be hitting the weight room, in one form or another, twice a week. Being a sporadic gym-goer who would much rather work out with a group than go at it alone, I went out in search of the best strength training classes for runners that Toronto had to offer. Here’s how it went.

MP[Stride]

The first class that sounded like it might fit the bill was called MP[Stride] at Myodetox Performance. Taught by elite runner Kate Van Buskirk, it’s designed to make you a faster, stronger and more efficient runner— all the things I need to be. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a friendly receptionist who warned me that the class would be tough. Instead of heading straight for the door in a panic, I thought: “Surely she must think I’m attending a different class. This is strength training for runners. How hard could it be?”

RELATED: Boston or Bust: Why I’m trying for the coveted BQ before I have a baby

I was about to find out. 

Coach Kate introduced herself and then explained that this was endurance day, Wednesday’s session would focus on speed. The class began with 10 minutes of mobility and muscle activation work followed by loosening the legs and light jogging. Kate made a point of correcting our running form along the way, highlighting misbehaving limbs and poor posture. “Nothing new here,” I thought. “This is going to be a breeze.”

Then, we went back inside where she introduced us to the first of several rotating circuits that we would suffer through—er, complete—that day, each one bookended by a run of increasing intensity. Gulp. The exercises included everything from agility ladder drills, medicine ball throws, partner work, sliding discs and box jumps to burpees, long jumps, weighted step-ups, lunges, shoulder presses, sit-ups, push-ups and core work.

By the time we finished the first round, I was dripping with sweat and there wasn’t a towel in sight. By the second round, I was bordering on breathless and people were lapping me (I blame the box jumps for that. We have a rocky past). With all that sweat in my eyes, the remainder of the class was a blur.

Verdict: Killer workout, but I think it’s a bit too intense for this point in my training cycle. I’ll definitely be back in the off season.

Run Stronger

On Monday, I headed out for my first of six Run Stronger classes at The Runner’s Academy. I had planned to get some easy kilometres in by running there and back, but arriving home from work later than expected meant I also left late. It quickly became apparent that I wouldn’t make it to class on time unless I picked up my speed significantly, which was a big training plan no-no. So I hopped in a cab with my CamelBak on—and yes, that was just as soul-crushing as it sounds.

RELATED: Will this plan prep me to get my BQ in nine weeks?

As for the class itself, it was excellent. Taught by kinesiologist Jordan Collison, the newest member of The Runner’s Academy team, the series was developed to improve runners’ strength, mobility, balance and stability. Fresh out of university, Collison spent two years as a NCAA Division 1 runner and is now incorporating everything he’s learned from his running career into his strength training programs.

He started us off with a series of mobility exercises for our shoulders, hips and legs. Then he announced that the bulk of the workout would come in the form of a circuit. “Oh no, not this again,” I thought. And then I spotted it, my nemesis: the box. As it turned out, box jumps were not a part of this workout. Phew. In fact, I barely broke a sweat the whole class. But that’s not to say it was easy.

This class is essentially a mash-up of all the exercises your physiotherapist has told you to do over the years— the ones you pretended to do but didn’t actually do, or you did until your injury healed and then never did again. This class ensures you’re getting all those running-specific strength exercises in every week, for a full hour, with professional guidance to ensure you’re executing them properly. It’s not about burning fat or getting jacked. It’s about becoming a stronger runner, and that’s it. The class ended with a five-minute active stretch that we were encouraged to include into our daily run routine and at that point, Collison made a note that the class is also going to get progressively harder each week.

Verdict: This class is exactly what I need at this point in my training cycle. I’m really looking forward to taking it for the next five weeks and reaping all the benefits.