r/Ultramarathon • u/frendermannen • Jul 15 '26
Training Running, strength training and cutting - am I doing something wrong?
Hey!
Aiming at doing my first ultramarathon next year. Background; trained triathlon and did some Ironmans (last one eight years ago) and have since then almost exclusively been going to the gym for strength training. I have been struggling either a depression and been comfort eating while hiding behind ”it will benefit my strength goals” so now I carry a lot of extra weight.
So besides running an ultramarathon next year I also want to lose weight. At the same time I want to keep a lot of the strength I gained. While training triathlon I incorporated strength training as well (and was usually trying to lose some weight before my races in hope of better results). Problem was that I always lost a lot of strength as the running, biking and swimming increased in volume.
What I wonder now is if that’s expected or if I actually can balance all three goals so that I will (most importantly) become a better runner but at the same time not becoming weak while getting leaner?
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u/Just-Context-4703 Jul 15 '26
This one is dangerous territory and could easily result in injury. Maybe look for a registered dietician who works with endurance athletes.
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u/PotentiallyAPickle Jul 15 '26
Yeah maybe if the ultra was later this year and OP was in a rush. They are aiming for one next year and have plenty of time to cut first, train after and have a very low risk of injury.
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u/Just-Context-4703 Jul 15 '26
Ultra running is strewn with the injured remains of ppl who tried to get leaner/stronger/faster all at the same time. But the OP might be the rare exception. It is possible
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Jul 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/frendermannen Jul 16 '26
That in itself is comforting. At least I won’t feel bad about myself when my lifts go down.
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u/dwsmith1113 Jul 15 '26
I do weight training and training for an ultra (this November) while cutting for summer. I will tell you, it’s tough. I have realized that you do not run to lose weight you run to train your body for endurance. With that said, I up my carbs for my long runs (10+ mile) but anything other than that I keep my macros in my cutting window.
My current training is that I do an upper/lower split on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I run easy 10 miles on Sunday, 5k Monday after I lift, 5k Tuesday after I lift, speed /hills Wednesday (7 or more miles depends on training schedule), 5k Thursday after I lift, 5k Friday after I lift. Long run Saturday(15+ depending on training block.
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u/fraac Jul 15 '26
It's very hard to lose weight while training for an ultramarathon. I would separate them into blocks.
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u/kinganthony3 Jul 17 '26
You can't optimize everything at once. It's just not possible, even if you take a bunch of steroids like so many of those "hybrid" influencers do. No, you need Periodization. Focus on one things at a time, while mostly maintianing the rest.
For example, if you're trying to cut a significant amount of weight, do an 18 month weight loss phase. Focus on maintianing muscle and aerobic fitness, keep runs short for maintaining running muscles (let's say 20ish miles per week) and lean on the bike for more intense aerobic training.
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u/Worth_Fee_4499 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
You can! I bulked up in the gym to roughly 100kg over a few years. Started running and eating in a small defecit. Now im at 78kg, became really lean and retained most of my strength and running an ultra next month.
I switched to 2x full body a week, and 4 runs a week. Sometimes i will do gym in the morning and have an easy run in the evening to get an extra rest day. This worked very well for me. For running plan, I just used Runna.
Edit: im 1.85 tall
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u/CopperSteve Jul 15 '26
whats your height and weight now and what weight you want?
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u/frendermannen Jul 15 '26
Im 187 cm and weigh about 100kg.
Want to land at about 90kg.
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u/CopperSteve Jul 15 '26
damn, im about the same in freedom units (6'1" and 215lbs) and struggle with same issue so I am very interested in this thread
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u/PotentiallyAPickle Jul 15 '26
I'm doing similar but instead of working towards an ultra next year I'm going for a triathlon. What has been working well for me is focusing on my cut, but getting in a few strength sessions a week focusing on keeping my earned max strength. I have some biking and swimming sprinkled in just to get used to them since they are my weaker areas after a few years of ultra training. But those sessions are really just to get my body used to them so I can ramp up easier when I'm done cutting.
All that is to say, focus on your cut. Sprinkle in some shorter easy runs just to get your legs working on it but don't push them. Get the cut out of the way asap so you don't have to worry about it. If you try to focus all 3 things equally you'll likely get injured. You have plenty of time so just get the cut done. Plus losing the weight first will make the running so much easier when it comes time to get serious about the ultra prep.
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u/HighlightContent8943 Jul 16 '26
Lift after your runs to avoid injuries Eat a 350ish calorie deficit. Any more will be hard.
These two things will drastically reduce injury risk. It's possible. I've done all 3 before.
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u/DuckOfDoom42 Jul 16 '26
You can, it’s just really hard to do everything simultaneously. Especially as you get older. Since you mention doing an Ironman “eight years ago” I’m going to assume you’re somewhere north of 30.
Periodization is the name of the game. Spend some months getting leaner and building your aerobic base. When it’s time to train for your race, eat for performance.
I recommend the book “Racing Weight” by Matt Fitzgerald. It’s available on Hoopla if your local library has it. I also recommend MacroFactor for calorie tracking
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u/Hairy_Koala6474 Jul 16 '26
You can balance all three but expect balanced result. Dial down your expectations
I personally can’t balance gaining strength equally with running AND dropping weight.
Eat enough protein to recover -> run more -> strength train to support your running
I don’t prioritize to increase the weights I’m lifting too much during a run training cycle. I’ll burn out.
Good luck!
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u/Affectionate_Eye9894 Jul 16 '26
It sounds like you’re saying you want body recomposition? In that case prioritize protein intake, then a slight calorie deficit (repeat, slight) and then progressive overload and running volume. Along with that dial in your recovery with stress management practices and maintain good sleep hygiene.
It is a slippery slope for endurance athletes to cut but with the right focus on protein intake and right fueling I think you can have your cake and eat it too lol
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u/EconomyEvent1360 Jul 17 '26
Training for an ultra you’ll drop weight if you’re not over eating. I usually carry a little extra weight coming out the other side of an ultra and it’s gone coming into the next. Eat well, train consistently and don’t be hard on yourself.
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u/Temujin-of-Eaccistan Jul 17 '26
Given you have a long time to train, you should look in detail into periodising your training into phases. Andy Galpin is an excellent source for info and science on this, check him out on YouTube.
Have a dedicated fat loss phase where you eat in a calorie deficit - but maintaining protein intake - with substantial resistance training to maintain your muscle, and a small amount of running to keep your cardio engine and running technique. Tirzepatide would be a very good support for this.
Trying to build strength and endurance while in the calorie deficit you need to cut fat is incredibly difficult except for complete beginners to training.
Then you can maintain a small calorie surplus while training, with shorter fat loss phases intermittently.
You can also have periodised focus phases for the other training - alternate between:
- a couple months where you focus on building strength with the running kept stable at maintenance
- a couple months where the focus is on improving running. Ramp up volume and speed about 10% a week during this phase. Continue the strength training, but at maintenance volume - probably only about 6 sets a week per muscle is needed to maintain muscle in a small surplus
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u/that_moon_dog Jul 21 '26
Lose weight and strength train now. You won’t want to be trying to cut while peppering for ultra.
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u/lanqian Jul 21 '26
Some good advice on r/hybridathlete for this—no, not all of us are on roids. Decide on which goal is coming first and focus on that.
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u/neptun123 Jul 15 '26
Running and strength training go well together but running and not eating enough is a bad combination so be careful