How Power, Balance and Strength are a Trail Runners Best Friend

After a good week of exercise and running, I decided to write my first weekly blog. This week I really saw how training for power and strength helped me tremendously this week. I have been incorporating plyometrics, balance, and strength training 2-4 days week for the last 4 weeks. 3 weeks ago I was recovery from a medial ankle injury that had made my running uncomfortable even downright painful. This occurred on very technical steep terrain that required strength, balance, and power (strength with speed). I have been doing more technical and steep terrain in preparation for the Georgia Death Race.

I was taking every 4 weeks as a down as part of my training. Before my last down week, I did a 35 mile Fatass run with 15,000 in elevation change. I could not run as fast as a usually do because of my ankle and especially downhill. I made it through the Fatass with just some soreness but I was determined to get better. I had been neglecting my strength training and recovery so I decided to add some programming and it has helped me to augment my running and stay fairly healthy.