Strength Training for Master Runners: What Changes After 40 (and How to Train Around It)

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Master runners should strength train 2-3x per week, prioritize single-leg calf work, and add plyometrics for tendon health. Here's the physiology behind why, and how to build it.

Written by Natalie LaMendola, a RRCA & USATF Certified Running Coach for Running Explained for over 5 years.

Strength training is having its moment right now. People everywhere are, thankfully, realizing the important role of bone density and muscle mass in their overall health. Runners are also hopping on the bandwagon. It seems more and more runners come into my physical therapy clinic KNOWING they should strength train, want to start, and are seeking guidance on the details.

As a physical therapist specializing in runners, I’m the first person to be thrilled about this. One of the most important parts of this role is ensuring that different demographics of runners tailor their strength training to meet their specific physiological needs, based on factors like training intensity, health status, injury history, and, yes, even age.

A “Master Runner” is any runner aged 40 or older. Most road races and local events use this cutoff, but track and field governing bodies often set it at 35. Seems a bit early, but hey, 40 is the new 30, right?

Just like every other factor listed above comes with special considerations, so does age. Let’s start with the physiological changes that show up at 40 and beyond.

What Is Happening to My Body?

It’s easiest to look at the physiologic changes master runners face through two lenses: cardiovascular and biomechanical. Cardiovascular function first.

Unfortunately, no matter how healthy and fit you are, the normal and expected age-related decline in cardiovascular fitness and function begins between ages 35-40 for most people. Key measurements all decrease: maximum heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, and maximum aerobic capacity (aka your VO2max). To translate, your heart is working much less effectively and efficiently. The change that affects distance runners in particular, and causes the most noticeable effect, is VO2max. Master runners are consuming oxygen at a higher percentage of their VO2max than non-master runners. This explains why the same paces that were once comfortable now feel harder. Despite these depressing decreases, all hope is not lost: VO2max can still be improved as you age with training, and improvements are comparable to those of younger runners.

Now let’s address the less-discussed, but just as impactful, musculoskeletal and biomechanical changes.

Similar to cardiovascular function, muscular strength and power inevitably starts to decrease from age 30-35 onward. The area of most profound loss for runners is the plantarflexor group, aka your calf musculature. More specifically, there’s a reduction in muscle mass, cross-sectional area, maximal force production, rate of force production, and Achilles tendon stiffness. That loss of tendon stiffness isn’t confined to the Achilles either. The proximal hamstring tendon is another commonly affected one. We want stiffness in our tendons because it acts as resistance against strain microtrauma (forceful lengthening loads). A stiff tendon can “snap back” faster and acts like a powerful spring.

How does this affect your running? The overall reduction in your ability to produce propulsive force leads to lower leg and ankle stiffness. As a result, biomechanical analyses have shown that master runners tend to have higher stride frequencies (cadence) at the same pace they used to run. They land with a more bent knee at initial footstrike and show less vertical oscillation as they move forward on each leg. Additionally, less tendon stiffness over time leads to more tendinopathy injuries (again, most commonly in the Achilles and proximal hamstring group). Overall lower muscular strength and power in the plantarflexor group leads to frequent calf strains.

Though age-related decline is inevitable and coming for all of us, there’s no need to fret. While it can’t be prevented, continued endurance running can SLOW the decline in VO2max. Targeted strength training can SLOW age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.

So, with this knowledge, how do we build a feasible routine?

Special Considerations for Your Strength Training for Master Runners

Simply put, the more consistent you stay with training over the weeks, months, and years as a master runner, the better your odds of slowing the decline in VO2max and other aerobic measures. There are specifics that come with that, but we’ll save those for a different article.

One of the biggest factors that keeps master runners running consistently in the first place is maintenance of muscle mass and strength. The more a runner can slow that decline, the greater their chance of longevity in the sport. With special consideration for all the biomechanical and musculoskeletal changes that come with age, there are three primary areas master runners should focus on in strength training. Check out Natalie's Strength Training Plans here

1. Consistency, 2 to 3 Days a Week

This is perhaps the most important piece: consistency with an effective, efficient strength training routine 2 to 3 days per week. Why so often? Think of it in terms of working sets per muscle group per week. For maintenance of muscle mass and strength as you age, aim for 8-12 sets per major lower body muscle group. When you follow the recommended rep scheme for heavy strength training (2-3 sets of 4-8 reps per exercise), the math works out over 2-3 sessions per week. It comes down to how you spread it across your weekly schedule. Since recovery often takes longer after harder efforts as we age, a master runner might lean toward 3 sessions instead of 2. Increases in, and maintenance of, muscular strength only happen with months of consistent effort. Find a plan that works for you, and stick with it.

2. Special Attention on the Calf Complex

While it’s important to hit all major lower body muscle groups, one deserves special attention as you age: the calf complex. Your plantarflexors (gastrocnemius and soleus) are more susceptible to age-related muscle loss and need special consideration in the weightroom. Basic bodyweight double-leg calf raises from the floor won’t cut it for a healthy, noninjured runner with decent baseline strength. Think single-leg calf raises instead. My favorite way to program these in the clinic: elevate the non-working foot in front of you on a 9-12in step, box, or bench. This takes balance out of the equation and lets you fully isolate the working leg (the one in back), so that calf becomes the full driver of each rep. Build from there by holding progressively heavier dumbbells at your sides, with the eventual goal of loading this movement under a barbell. Any slow, eccentric-focused single-leg exercise (going really slow on the lowering portion) is also a good challenge for the calf complex.

3. Tendon Health Through Plyometrics

As discussed earlier, tendon stiffness decreases with age. That stiffness helps your lower leg and foot function properly during the gait cycle. We rely on the “springiness” in the Achilles tendon specifically to propel us forward efficiently. Losing that stiffness can lead to a whole slew of injury issues down the line. The answer in the weight room is plyometrics. I’m not talking 24-inch box jumps or explosive barbell work (unless you can, in which case, go for it). I mean a simpler, basic version that most master runners need to start with if they’re new to this kind of training. I love programming simple pogo hops for my master runners: a double-leg hop with minimal knee bending, where most of the work happens around the foot and ankle. Start with 3 rounds of 30 seconds on double-leg, then progress to single-leg with more sets or longer time, then onward to multi-directional movements. Include this in every strength session throughout the week.

Aside from the Achilles, the proximal hamstring tendon is another one that frequently sends master runners into their local physical therapist’s clinic. Like the Achilles, this tendon also loses stiffness and is prone to injury from a loss of hamstring and glute strength. Instead of plyometrics, the best move here is heavy, slow eccentric or concentric hamstring exercises in a single-leg position: any hinge-type movement (think deadlift variations), or a challenging variation of an elevated single-leg bridge. A good running-specific physical therapist can help

you figure out which exercises are right for you and how to progress them smartly.

In Summary

There’s no way to fight the age-related physiological changes in aerobic fitness and your musculoskeletal system that come with earning the title of Master Runner. But there are plenty of well-researched ways to slow those effects and build longevity in the sport. Focus on strength training consistently alongside your running, give the calf complex real attention in the weight room, and maintain tendon health with targeted plyometric work. Even if you weren’t doing this before you became a master runner, it’s never too late to start.

FAQ

Q: What age is considered a “master runner”?

A: Most road races and local events use 40 as the cutoff. Track and field governing bodies often set it at 35.

Q: How often should master runners strength train?

A: 2 to 3 sessions per week, hitting 8-12 sets per major lower body muscle group, with 2-3 sets of 4-8 reps per exercise.

Q: Why do master runners need extra calf-specific strength work?

A: The plantarflexor group (calf muscles) shows the most pronounced age-related loss in muscle mass, force production, and Achilles tendon stiffness, which drives higher injury risk and reduced propulsion.

Q: Can master runners still improve VO2max?

A: Yes. VO2max still responds to training as you age, and the gains are comparable to what younger runners see.

About the Author

Natalie is a running-specific Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified run coach based in Kansas City. When she's not working with runners in the clinic, you can find her chasing her own goals on the run alongside her husband, twin toddlers, and hound dog. Her passion lies in helping runners of all abilities achieve their goals and get back to the miles they love. If you want to hear more listen to Natalie talk about Strength Training on this Episode of The Running Explained Podcast

References

Willy, R. W., & Paquette, M. R. (2019). The physiology and biomechanics of the master runner. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review, 27(1), 15–21.

Paquette MR, Devita P, Williams DSB III. Biomechanical implications of training volume and intensity in aging runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018;50:510–515.

Silbernagel KG, Crossley KM. A proposed return-to-sport program for patients with midportion Achilles tendinopathy: rationale and implementation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015;45:876–886.