The health benefits of running are hard to argue with. Running improves your cardiovascular and muscular fitness, helps you live longer, strengthens bone density, and improves your mental health, just to name a few.
However, like anything else, too much of one thing can lead to imbalances and weaknesses. Runners have a bad reputation for skirting cross-training and only focusing on their running, but there are downsides of only running.
Whether overuse injuries, fatigue, burnout, overtraining, or plateauing, runners who only run will eventually hit a wall.
That’s why, as a running coach, I always recommend a holistic approach to overall training structured with periodization and supported with cross-training. I cross-train once a week to take a break from the high-impact pounding of running every day.
Cross-training for runners involves physical activity and workouts that complement running such as cycling, swimming, or strength training.
But why not just keep running to increase your Strava mileage, you might ask? Surely, the best way to get better at running is to do more running.
Yes, running more will make you a better runner, but cross-training will help you become a better runner and, at the same time, protect you from running injuries and burnout.
If you’re still not convinced, here are six downsides of only running and why you should mix up your training week to reach the next level.
The 6 Downsides of Only Running
So, what are the potential risks of only running for exercise and not incorporating other forms of training? Let’s get to it!
#1: The Repeated Stress Of Running Increases Your Risk Of Injury
Running is a repetitive, weight-bearing form of aerobic exercise. Your body is repeating the same movement over and over again, sometimes for hours on end.
When left unchecked, this repeated stress on your body can lead to muscle imbalances and injuries such as shin splints and runner’s knee.
Along your kinetic chain, some muscles get stronger while others stay on the weaker side, and your running form begins to suffer.
How To Solve It:
Cross-training!
Cross-train with bilateral exercises like cycling, strength training, and swimming to balance muscular development. Runners who rely too much on quads and neglect hamstrings and glutes are especially prone to soreness and injury during long runs.
Even basic bodyweight strength work can support more balanced movement and keep you injury-free.
#2: Running All The Time Will Get Tedious
Running the same routes every day can wear you down mentally. What starts as a joyful habit can start to feel like a chore.
If your training becomes stale, motivation drops, and it becomes easier to fall off the plan altogether.
Cross-training keeps your workouts fresh and your mind engaged.
One day, it’s a run. The next, it could be yoga, swimming, or a fun team sport. These shifts keep things exciting and mentally recharging.
Switching up your activities also gives your body a break from high-impact work while still making fitness gains. That’s the kind of balance that supports long-term progress.
#3: No Time For New Hobbies With All That Running
Only running every day doesn’t leave much room for variety.
Taking a break once or twice a week allows you to explore new activities or reconnect with ones you’ve left behind; cycling, tennis, hiking, rollerblading, or even HIIT classes.
Just remember: your cross-training choice should support your running goals. Go fishing on your rest day, not your workout day.
On cross-training days, opt for activities like swimming, rowing, or pool running to maintain your aerobic base.
#4: Hitting A Plateau
Running the same pace, same distance, same terrain? Eventually, your body adapts and progress stalls.
This dreaded plateau can make you feel like you’re putting in work without getting any faster or stronger. It’s frustrating, but fixable.
Alternating intensity and adding new types of stimuli, like resistance training or cross-training intervals, can reignite progress.
Lifting weights builds strength in your glutes, hamstrings, and stabilizing muscles around your joints; supporting better running form and explosive power.
Try incorporating compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, planks, and lunges. These not only increase strength but also injury resilience.
Need help? Here’s our complete guide to weightlifting for runners.
#5: Too Much Exercise Leads To Fatigue
Without enough variation or recovery, your body, and mind, can burn out.
Running on tired legs every day limits performance and raises your risk of injury. If you’re dreading your run, your body might be asking for something different.
That’s where yoga, mobility routines, or stretching sessions come in.
These practices restore range of motion, promote recovery, and give your nervous system a breather. You’ll move more freely and feel fresher heading into your next run.
Tight muscles restrict your stride and force you to work harder than necessary. Give them the attention they deserve.
Related: The 9 Best Quad Stretches For Runners
#6: Yes, Your Legs Look Great, But What About The Rest Of You?
Running builds lower body strength and endurance, but it often neglects the upper body and core.
Yet these areas are just as critical to good form and energy efficiency. A weak core allows energy to leak from your stride, forcing your legs to work harder than they should.
Strengthening your upper body improves posture and control, especially during long runs when fatigue sets in. Core work like planks and back extensions also enhances your endurance and running economy.
A more balanced body is more resilient, efficient, and powerful. And overall strength means you don’t just run better, you feel better, too.
Running is amazing for the body and mind…but it isn’t everything. Cross-training makes you a more durable, efficient, and enthusiastic athlete. It can boost longevity, prevent injury, and add more joy to your movement practice.
Whether you’re a beginner or chasing a marathon PR, mix it up. Your body and your brain will thank you.
Want to run for life? Check out our favorite insights from Amby Burfoot:
I’m a lapsed marathon runner from the 1980s. I’d like to get back into it at age 75. Thanks.