Advice please from those who run

I run, lift weights and do a lot of yoga. My weekly routine looks something like this...

Monday: recovery run/ yoga
Tuesday: medium distance run/yoga
Wednesday: leg day at gym. Mainly deadlifts and squats (heavy weights)
Thursday: recovery run
Friday: upper body day at gym/yoga
Saturday: speed/tempo run
Sunday: long run

Obviously the mileage increases if I'm in marathon training but usually would settle at 25-30 miles a week.

Each weights session is shorter and more focused than yours but also much heavier. My legs are ruined after leg day, hence why I put it on a Wednesday so I'm recovered by the tougher runs of the weekend.

In my view your sessions aren't focused enough to be driving improvements, but the timing of things at the moment is leaving you fatigued. It's unlikely that those weights are too heavy; more likely that you're not allowing recovery time between your Sunday weights and Monday jog.

At the moment, the programme looks bitty - and that you're not doing any single activity with enough focus or structure to see improvement. I'd recommend replacing swim and combat with runs, and splitting up the mammoth weights session into 2 or 3 smaller sessions. You could be doing shorter runs - going out for 90mins or so is quite hard work, so you could replace one of these sessions with a shorter and more targeted intervals or hill-training session. I think it would also be beneficial to do a daily mobility routine: something like The Dynamic Runner. This will help ease the stiffness after weights.

My routine looks like this:

20-mins stretching/mobility every morning

Monday: weights (I do a 1 hr kettlebells class); short 4km run to aid mobility in legs after weights
Tuesday: 50-min intervals or hill-training run (this consists of 10-min warm up, 30 mins of intervals, 10-min cool down)
Wednesday: weights and short 4km recovery run
Thursday: long slow trail run (anything from 10km to 30km, depending on what I'm training for)
Friday: short recovery run
Saturday: 8-10km tempo run
Sunday: rest

HTH

If your primary motivation for doing weights is to prevent injury I think you need to be doing more single sided exercises (e.g. split squats, single leg deadlifts) which are really useful for building running specific strength. James Dunne has some great recommendations aimed specifically at runners.

You might also find these podcasts useful on strength and injury prevention:

https://strengthrunning.com/2020/04/dr-victoria-sekely-run-more-stay-healthy/
https://app.runsmarter.online/audio

Generally DOMS does diminish with practice - I find it's at its worst when I'm increasing weights significantly or adding in a new move (adding hack squats definitely stopped me running for a few days!) so I try to schedule a lighter load running week if I know I'm at higher DOMS risk, knowing that in subsequent weeks I can pick up the running load again.

Spreading your strength work across multiple sessions a week should also help with reducing DOMS I also find it's easier to fit in strength around running if I do separate lower and upper body days - I tend to do lower body later on the same day as my runs and then upper body the following day so my legs can rest.

Finally consider volume/intensity - it looks like you're currently in a 10-12 rep range which is OK but in the long term you might do better in lower rep ranges with heavier weights (though don't rush this as getting used to heavier weights takes time) which should help build power rather than endurance. There was a school of thought that runners and other endurance athletes should do higher rep ranges to build muscle endurance, but current thinking is moving towards lower rep ranges to boost power, complementing the running which will already be building your endurance. Stacey Sims is very strong on the importance of women lifting heavy weights.

Should add, ultimately as time goes on and you get used to that workout the DOMS will reduce and dissappear, but you do need rest days.

Reduce the volume on the squats if DOMS are severe in your legs, try 3 sets of 8.

Usually your deadlift weight would be more than your squat.

Hard to advise exactly though without knowing what RPE you're currently working at etc.

I’m 48 and have been running for about 3 years too. My thoughts are that if your legs are hurting most of the time, you’re doing too much. I did my first half marathon a couple of months ago, even then I only did one long run a week, the other 3 were 5-8 k. I trained for it using the Runna app, which I highly recommend.

I’ve just lost 1.5 stone (through changing my diet) and my legs feel tons better when running, and I’ve got quicker (still slow though!)

Since then I’ve joined a gym and started doing 2 pump type classes a week and have really noticed how much stronger my legs feel, and its helped my running loads, but I only use light weights - your weights are so heavy! If I had that amount of discomfort the day afterwards, I’d definitely reduce what I was lifting.

The other thing that has made a difference for me is accepting that as I age I can’t push through like I did when I was in my 20s. So if I feel exhausted I won’t run, or I’ll just do a shorter one. I know its really hard when you’re trying to fit it around work / kids / life but imo its better to skip a run / workout than push through when your body is telling you that you should be resting and recovering.

In my opinion OP you are overtraining and that's why you are slow and feeling heavy.
I have a week broken down like this
2 x yoga/pilates classes or similar
1 x weights strength training in gym
1 x long slow distance run
2 x intervals of some description max 30 mins often shorter.
1 x full rest day

You will not get faster doing all long slow runs. You need to get intervals for that. You also need a rest day. When doing weights your muscles need to repair for recovery and strength building. I would also say that your weight training is very intensive lots of reps. You may want to reduce the reps and go heavier and lower reps. I'm afraid at your age (I'm the other side of 50) you need to train differently. So more heavy lifting, more flexibility, plyometrics and less just long distance running. Take a look at Karen Weir, she's done a podcast or two and has some good content on running as you age.

are you prioritising cardio over weights in the belief it’ll aid weight maintenance or loss? If so I’ve been down that road for many years and found food to be much more of a factor.

I am planning to change up to more strength work to seek to retain muscle and bone density as I age.

Why do you want to do weights?
Is it purely because it's good to complement cardio with strength-based training (particularly as you get older) or are you trying to achieve a particular body shape? That makes a difference.

I'm 50. I run 5k every morning, maybe once a week I'll run 8 or 10k. I follow every run with a workout of 30 mins - press ups and 2.5 weights arm work plus sit ups. I don't bother with legs because your legs hold up your body and get their own workout through running.

My blood pressure is optimal and my resting heart rate averages 44. I weigh less than 8 stone, have a subtle six pack and toned arms. It's more than enough to be healthy and toned and I could probably scale it back but I like it.

You are doing way too much. I'd cut the runs back and concentrate on improving your speed a bit before adding more distance. I'd also ditch the heavy weights and focus more on using your own body weight until you get comfortable with it all, then increase it.

If however you're trying to achieve a particular look you'll need something more specific but I'd definitely change PT.

@NeedToAskPlease you'll probably find weight loss a huge help. My parkrun time was about 36 min, losing two stones took me down to 25 min, not just because I was lighter but because the running got so much easier so I enjoyed training harder. I also find cutting out (or at least minimising ) processed sugar and carbs has helped with muscle inflammation and I no longer get tendon niggles, knee aches etc.

Sorry I've just seen your comment on yoga, I don't agree with the trainer but 🤷🏻‍♀️the single thing that improved my running was weight loss. I lost just over two stones and took 45 min of my marathon time and 12 min off my parkrun time. I'm 57 now so not as fast as I was for several reasons, but I was never super speedy. I only started running in my mid 40s though

I don't run as much as I used to (have done a few marathons but not for 7-8 years) but the only other exercise I did was yoga. Yoga is great for strength but more importantly balance, if you trip or run off road yoga will definitely help you from falling over! When I ran cross country I never fell once due to being able to keep my balance. Don't over complicate it, go to a good yoga class and run more frequently even if it's just a couple of miles, try and do one mile faster than usual then keep that pace for a little longer each time, I'm assuming your aim is to speed up? There are programs to help you do this. Most people in the running club don't to a lot of weights or much else. If there's a running club near you that would be another good plan, some also do complementary workouts

Im a runner and I lift weights but my answer to this would very much vary depending on your primary goal with the training you are doing.

I have been running for 20+ years but only started weight training around 7 years ago. I made a few mistakes along the way when I had mixed goals.

Generally - if you do the cardio because you love it and its good for your brain and its your primary love then I completely get why you don't want to drop it and why the PT wasn't helpful. I have been in this position too.

If you want to build muscle though for health or aesthetic reasons then he may have good reason to suggest dropping some of your cardio. Recovery time is essential to build muscle.

If you want to lose weight and you believe the cardio is helping with that - again there is evidence to support that less cardio can help you with that because the impact it may have on hunger.

For what it's worth, I strength train 3 x a week and run 4 times at the moment, BUT I have don't have the best muscle mass. The times I have made the best 'aesthetic' changes in my body I have done less running, the same amount of lifting and a decent amount of walking while paying attention to nutrition more.

I weight train (well…CrossFit) 3-5times a week and run 3 times a week. I’m slow. My 10k pace is 1hr 30mins and it currently takes me 45 mins to complete parkrun (I’m aiming to get back to more like 35 mins). I did les mills before CrossFit but didn’t see much body muscle change - personally I think the weights are too light and the reps are too high with Les mills. In my CrossFit class, half of the class is warm up and technique practice and then you do a few of the actual exercise but at a much heavier weight (even an empty bar is 15kg).

I’ve got some weight to lose after a couple of years of ill health. Starting CrossFit a couple of years ago has changed my life. I was heading down a path to a rubbish old age. I’ve now got my grip strength back and my pelvic floor is improving steadily.
Nutrition and getting enough protein makes a massive difference too. I only get uncomfortable doms now if I take a couple of weeks off for some reason.

Oh ok.

Well as I say, I weight train 3 times a week. One day focusses on squats, one on pull-ups or presses, one on deadlifts. Back squats I do about 60kg, 3 sets of 6-8; deadlifts 80kg, 3 sets of 8-10.

The other days, I run - mostly zone 2 runs, with some occasional speed work and/or hill work thrown in to keep checking that it's working (and for a bit of motivation). I have a 10k race in March and aiming for 55 minutes. Zone 2 is dull, and difficult mentally, but it's effective.

I take a rest day when I feel like it, or if I am away/too busy.

Do you always do a proper warm up? Dynamic movements, with bodyweight or low weight doing the same actions as the heavier exercises. As others have told you, 2 shorter weights sessions per week might work better for you for recovery.

I have never not suffered from DOMSsome people are just cursed with it. You will have it pretty badly until your muscles and body adjust to lifting, but if you are looking to complement running, I would (as someone above suggested) switch to a pump class, maybe 2x a week, drop one of the runs or the swim. Other thingsmake sure you stretch REALLY well after your weights, and maybe take a magnesium supplement on weight days.

DOMS is your muscles repairing themselves from the microtears your exercise creates. Soreness is your body telling you the weights are working

It does look like a lot. Your legs must feel like concrete blocks running after that!

In my experience, you have to do weights a minimum of twice per week to not suffer from DOMS.

And I’d strongly prefer not to do my longer run the day after weights, I’d prefer not to do any run the day after but do usually do my run with work people the next day.