August: Humility

   How pathetic to see a proficient marathoner who can't open a jar of mayonnaise. Let the meatballs down at the gym build their upper-body strength, he'll sniff; weight training steals time from running. He's right, and runners who run short on time won't suffer the tedium and concentrated agony of weights and machines.

   Still, pumping iron makes you a stronger runner. It also forces you to square with humbling, sometimes humiliating, truths about your abilities. It dispels the self-flattery and hubris that all running programs acquire. So get brutally honest. Take what's coming to you.

   You're a wimp. Despite its magic, weight training casts no halo. Working your legs gives you strong legs; it does nothing for your stomach, arms, shoulders, back, and the great web of hoists and pulleys that propel and contort you, miracle that you are. Because running also works your heart and lungs, it certainly feels that you're making every part of your body strong. Not so: just ask your biceps how they feel after 20 push-ups.

   You hurt. Muscle imbalances often cause chronic pain. This is particularly true for a runner's lower back, hips, hamstrings, and knees. Be suspicious of exercises that purport to ease specific aches. Strengthening your abdominal muscles, for example, can sometimes diffuse lower back pain. But then, stretching your hamstrings can have the same effect. A better idea: ease into a weight-training program that strengthens all your major muscle groups. It's a backdoor remedy for the most demonic forms of suffering.

   You're getting fat. In all likelihood, the opposite is true. So why does fat play on your fears? For starters, regular running workouts spike your appetite, as you've no doubt noticed. Sometimes hunger outpaces efforts. And woe to your bathroom scale should you miss two weeks of running. Weight training increases lean body mass, decreasing fat. It also raises your resting metabolism. If running isn't slenderizing your body as quickly as you'd expect, add a weekly strength-training workout to your running program. It's shockingly effective.

   You're old. After 30, you begin to lose muscle mass, your bones become porous, your metabolism slows, and critical connective tissue begins to degenerate. Ain't aging fun? Strength training can slow osteoporosis and improve the strength of connective tissue, which gives you better joint stability when running. If you want to keep running deep into your dotage, weight training is the best way to get you there.

   You need new friends. Even if you're loath to run with others, a strength-training companion brings diversion, focus, and moral support to a workout. The best partner won't let you off the hook when boredom and exhaustion would send you to the shower. It's unmercifully tempting (and easy) to cut corners when working weights and machines by yourself. Until the benefits become apparent, you'll want adult supervision.