Floris Gierman here, running coach and Co-Founder of Path Projects.
For the past 13 years, almost all of my training time was spent running. Strength work was always the thing I’d get to eventually. Running more always felt like the answer. Now at 43, I’ve discovered a genuine joy in the gym that I honestly didn’t know existed. I’m stronger, more resilient, and more excited about training than I’ve been in years.
A big part of that shift came from conversations with Ryan Hall, the first American to run a sub-2:05 marathon. After retiring from professional running, he transformed himself from a 127-pound distance runner into a 190-pound hybrid athlete doing epic trail adventures while still building strength. Here are the lessons I’ve learned from Ryan that I keep coming back to.
1. Begin embarrassingly easy
“For the first week, stop when it feels easy. Like you could do 10 more reps if you wanted to. It has to feel super easy, because you’re going to be way more sore than you expect.”
This is counterintuitive for runners who are used to pushing through discomfort. But in the gym, early soreness is a signal you went too hard, not a sign of progress. Nail the movements. Come back next week feeling good. Build the habit before you build the load.
2. Start with exercises you actually like
“The way to be consistent is to love your training and have a good time with it. Start with the things you like, so you have a positive association with going to the gym. You’re not just torturing yourself.”
His advice: pick one exercise you actually enjoy and do that first. Build the momentum, then add in the hard stuff. And ideally, lift with other runners: it reframes the whole experience when everyone in the room is working toward similar goals.
3. Consistency is the magic bullet
“Consistency over a long period of time. That’s everything. In the weight room and in running. That is the magic bullet.”
If there’s one theme that keeps showing up across all my conversations with, it’s this: consistency and joy are at the core of almost every guest’s advice. You don’t need a perfect program. You need a program you’ll actually do, week after week.
4. Heavy lifting matters more than you think
“I coach my athletes to do things they don’t want to do, because it’s their weakness. It’s not fun to do things you’re not good at. That’s exactly why I didn’t like the weight room, because I wasn’t good at it.”
Start light, learn the movements, build consistency. But don’t be afraid to eventually push the weight up.
5. Take inventory on your runs
“Before you go to the gym, take a mental note of everything that feels a little off on your run. Tight hip? Knee tracking weird? Note exactly when it shows up and what causes it. Then ask: what muscle do I need to strengthen to correct this?”
He records voice memos mid-run so he doesn’t forget. After 20 hours on a trail you won’t remember what you noticed at hour three. Your runs are data. Your gym sessions should respond to that data. Strength training becomes a lot more purposeful when it’s directly solving the problems you’re feeling in your body.
The gear
When I’m mixing running and strength training, I reach for the Graves PX 7” shorts and Lynx Base Liners. The range of motion in the Graves makes them great in the gym or on the trail. And for warmer days or longer sessions, the Wadi Hooded Shirt 2.0 has become my go-to. It earned its place on a 95° Grand Canyon 50k, and it’s just as good in a humid gym.
My Approach
I picked 3 days and started doing strength work first thing in the morning, pretty much non-negotiable. Not superhero sessions, just showing up for 30 - 45 minutes, tracking what I’m doing.
Ask yourself this: What would your running feel like in six months if strength training became a consistent, enjoyable part of your week, not a chore, but something you actually looked forward to?
Cheers,
Floris Gierman
Co-Founder | Path Projects
P.S. Not sure where to start? Here are a few follow along videos Path athlete Kyle Long created:
