As runners, we love the joy of “the run.” The runner’s high, the sense of movement and exploration, the chance to get away for a few minutes or a few hours.

In short, runners love running. (even if they tell you otherwise)

That’s why when we hear that we should change up our workouts once in a while, either for flexibility or strength training (let alone for an injury!!) we balk. We want to add on mileage to increase our fitness and feel the freedom of the road or trail, not lock ourselves away in the gym.

But the truth is changing up or adding on to our workouts is important. This is especially true when it comes to building muscle mass.

Muscle mass is not only important for taking you farther and adding power, it is important for keeping the metabolism running at an optimum (the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest) and sustaining strength and mobility as we get older. Research shows that it can become harder for people to put on muscle as they age, which also means that it is important to start adding muscle now (no matter your age). The more muscle you start with, the easier it will be for you to sustain strength into your twilight years. This can also explain the “your metabolism slows with age” myth. If people are losing and then struggling to put on muscle as they age, their metabolism will start to appear slower even though it is running as usual.

So doesn’t running build muscle?

Absolutely! Running builds muscle (especially on your lower half) and tones your whole body as you shed fat. But it is primarily an aerobic exercise — running is burning calories, building your heart muscle and your entire cardiovascular system (which is awesome and super important!) — not necessarily bulking you up.

And yes, you don’t normally hear runners talk about “bulking up,” but everyone should be striving to add quality muscle for their overall health, even if their goal is not to become a body builder. The good news is you don’t have to spend countless hours at the gym to start adding muscle building to your routine. Though it is recommended that you have dedicated strength building sessions to your workout regimen each week, anyone can start by tacking on bodyweight training into their routine before or after their run, or even during some spare moments of their day. Think push ups and planks after your run. Squats, lunges and leg raises while brushing your teeth. Triceps dips, pull ups, and bicycle kicks for 5 min before bed. You could even try working with some resistance bands and/or simple dumbbells while watching TV.

Building muscle should be a goal for anyone who wants to be healthy for a myriad of reasons. If you find yourself struggling to get in dedicated strength workouts, start by adding smaller strength challenges into the simple moments of your day. Then, get in the gym and start adding some more variety each week. Your future you will thank you for it!