Most runners think the answer to strength training is just two days a week. But how much you can handle depends entirely on where your running volume sits relative to your ceiling — and there are a lot more variables to manage than just showing up to the gym.

The secret to getting fit as a new runner isn't running more. It's building aerobic volume, and if you try to do that exclusively through running, you're setting yourself up for a breakdown before your fitness even has a chance to develop.