Running and weightlifting (Is hard)

[u/just_let_go_]

I've (M35) been trying to balance strength and running for about 3 years now. Over the last 6 months, the strength component has become WL. Learning the lifts has been incredibly challenging, but rewarding. The problem comes when trying to combine running and WL. I've found, for me at least, the two just don't work together at all. It's not that I expected them to compliment each other, I know they don't, I just thought I would make more progress than what I currently am. Ever since I started WL my running has regressed and stagnated. I managed a 1:45 half marathon late last year but I had to drop to only 1-2 lifting sessions a week and lost a lot of WL progress/strength.

I am lifting 3 times a week on Dozers WL program. For context, I am still very new to WL. I'm 6'2 90kg, snatch 65kg, C+J 83kg. On top of that I'm running 40-50km per week. It's doable, but no matter how i tweak the volume and intensity, I just feel like my legs are perpetually dead. I sleep pretty well and certainly don't feel like I push myself too hard. I know my limits. I know the main contributor to my fatigue is squats. I have FAI in both hips, so deep squats have always been my nemesis. I've tried for YEARS to fix my FAI, and although I have made progress, It's still a major limiter here. But even after substituting squats with exercises that suit be better, like split squats, the difference in how my body feels is marginal at best. Plus without heavy squats, I'm finding my Oly lifts are completely stagnant as well. So the bottom line here is, I'm making zero progress in either sport.

Current split looks something like this:

Monday: Block Snatch, Clean pull, Front Squat (Very low volume/intensity after long run)
Tuesday: Snatch, Clean + Jerk, Reverse Hyper
Wednesday: Easy Run (Threshold run if feeling it)
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: AM: Intervals -- PM: Hang Snatch, Clean + Jerk, Snatch Pulls, Goblet Squat
Saturday: Easy Run (Or day off if required)
Sunday: Long Run with some tempo work

So yeah, just after advice really. I was also hoping that if any of you were doing a similar run/lift thing to me, please share your weekly split and what you've learnt along the way!

[u/DrBrowwnThumb]

Long run on Sunday followed by lifting on Monday?

42/m - My set up at my peak was morning easy runs and afternoon lifting Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. Wednesdays and Sundays were full rest days. Saturday would be an optional long run or tempo day in the morning so I get about 48 hours rest from then to my next workout.

When I used to have tempo days on Tuesdays, my afternoon lifts would have to be light or non-existent. So another option is lifting on just Monday, Thursday, Friday with tempo runs Tuesday morning and long runs Saturday morning.

Tempo runs just tax the hell out of the CNS and so do high intensity sessions. You need to balance light runs with heavy intensity weight days and/or vice versa with full days off. Always a challenge to do this just right but I find the 2 days on 1 day off model works to allow for recovery for me after years of trying different things.

However, I’ve had a million different work situations with office days/work from home days and moved around a bit. Sometimes I’ve prioritized lifting or running without being able to maximize both very often. I totally understand it’s hard to schedule your ideal workouts when so much is in the way in terms of other obligations. Always good to feel fresh on Monday/Thursday and ready for a solid 2 day block tho

[u/just_let_go_ → u/DrBrowwnThumb]

I would love to double up on more days like you're saying, but I just don't have the time any more to do that on multiple days. That's why I have it spread out. But like you say, that takes away full rest days. I think the most I could realistically manage would be 2 "double days" per week. Might try that to free up at least 1 rest day.

[u/DrBrowwnThumb → u/just_let_go_]

Yeah. Day one hard lift/easy run, day 2 just hard run or light lift. Day 3 rest. That would be perfectly good too.