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30 Days of Strength for Runners
Written by Andrew Taylor. USATF Level 1 Coach. Coaching runners since 2010.
Build strength that supports your running.
This free 30-day strength plan gives you a clear place to begin. Every session uses bodyweight exercises.
It fits around your running instead of competing with it. You do not need any previous strength experience because the plan assumes you are starting from zero.
- 30 days laid out day by day
- 8 bodyweight exercises with photos and coaching cues
- 10 to 20 minutes a session
- No gym and no equipment
Strength Training Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated
Strength work often gets skipped because it looks like a separate sport. You picture a gym, a barbell and a program you do not have time to learn, so doing nothing feels easier than figuring it out. This plan starts smaller. It gives you a few movements to learn, a clear schedule to follow and enough repetition to make them familiar.
Get the Free 30-Day Strength Plan
The PDF will arrive in your inbox straight away, along with occasional running tips and training resources from Sunrise Running Company.
What's Inside the Plan
The PDF shows you exactly what to do each day and how to complete every movement.
- Every exercise has its own page with a photo, the areas it works, 3 coaching cues and a beginner modification when the full version is too much.
- The 8 exercises are planks, single leg glute bridges, squats, forward lunges, push-ups, side planks, bicycles and the iron chair.
- Together, the exercises work the glutes, hamstrings, hips, core and calves that support your running.
- All 4 weeks are laid out day by day. The exercises stay familiar while the workload gradually rises, so you improve movements you already know.
- Week 1 begins with 8 to 12 repetitions and 20 to 30 second holds. By week 3, that rises to 12 to 15 repetitions and 30 to 45 second holds.
A Real Week From The Plan
Here is the complete Week 1 schedule from the PDF.
| Day | Focus | Exercises or Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Strength | Squats, Planks, Glute Bridges |
| Day 2 | Stability and Core | Forward Lunges, Side Planks, Bicycles |
| Day 3 | Recovery | Easy walk or run, Mobility work |
| Day 4 | Strength | Squats, Push-ups, Glute Bridges |
| Day 5 | Core and Balance | Planks, Side Planks, Forward Lunges |
| Day 6 | Recovery | Easy walk or run, Mobility work, Light activity |
| Day 7 | Recovery | Rest and stretch, Prepare for week 2 |
Week 1 guidelines: Complete 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise, hold static exercises for 20 to 30 seconds and rest as needed between exercises.
3 of the 7 days are recovery days because a plan that asked you to complete strength work every day is a plan nobody finishes.
Who This Plan Is For
If you already complete structured strength work twice a week as part of a plan, much of this will be familiar ground.
Founder & Head Coach, Sunrise Running Company
Andrew Taylor coaches runners preparing for everything from their first 5K to 100 miles. These are exercises he uses in his own training and prescribes to the runners he coaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is simple enough for someone new to structured strength work, and runners at any level can use it to maintain strength and durability alongside higher-volume 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon training.
Strength sessions take about 10 to 20 minutes. The goal is to make the work manageable alongside your running instead of turning it into another major training session.
No. The plan uses bodyweight exercises you can complete at home or almost anywhere, with little to no equipment.
Yes. The strength work is designed to support your running, not replace it. Fit the sessions around your existing schedule and keep the recovery days easy.
You will have built familiarity with the movements and a habit you can continue. The next step is a training plan that schedules strength work alongside your running instead of leaving you to remember it.
Ready to Build This Into a Complete Running Plan?
These 30 days help you learn the movements and build the habit. A beginner plan puts strength beside your early running. Half marathon training carries that work into a longer goal with both running and strength placed on the calendar.