Local trainer Kimberly Garrison of One on One Ultimate Fitness offers this advice for women runners, who may be running the risk (no pun intend) of osteoporosis:

Kimberly: According to the experts, many women runners are running toward bone loss. Running is good for your cardiovascular health, and in the prevention of diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Running once was thought to increase bone density, but recent studies show that women who run long distances (as little as 5 miles a day) have lower bone density than women who just sit around. In addition to being shocking this is just plain old bad news because women with low bone density are prime candidates for osteoporosis and high risk of bone fracture.

A 2003 report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine states that "women who ran the most had the lowest bone density. Each extra 10 km run per week was linked to 1% to 2% lower bone density. Women who had more muscle lost less bone, but the most muscular women were not those who ran the most."

That’s the bad news. But the good news is you don’t have to give up running. You do need to incorporate a balanced fitness program into your routine however. That means incorporating strength training. "Regular exercise, especially resistance and high impact activities, contributes to the development of high peak bone mass" according to The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Muscle mass is the major variable influencing bone growth and women in general and runners in particular would certainly benefit from a progressive strength training regiment. For more than a decade researchers and physicians like Dr. Miriam Nelson have advocated and proven the benefits of weight training for women (especially those 50 and over).

However, the majority of women who work out don't lift weights and when they do they rarely lift weights with any degree of effectiveness. Unfortunately, most women who work out spend the majority of their workout on cardiovascular exercises like running, the elliptical trainer, stair stepper, and treadmill. This is unbalanced and is unlikely to produce the desired goal of a healthy, toned, and fit body.

The bottom line is, every woman, especially female runners, needs to incorporate strength training into her fitness routine. If you’ve been avoiding the iron ladies, here are 8 reasons why you need to Pump It Up!

1. You will lose body Fat and increase your lean tissue (muscle).
2. Weight training tones your muscles, which looks great and raises your basal metabolism.
3. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones).
4. Weight training can decrease body fat levels and reduce your risk of breast cancer.
5. Weight training can diminish the pain of osteoarthritis and reduce your risk of arthritis.
6. Weight training builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability and reduces your risk of Injury.
7. Improve Athletic Performance.
8. Win your battle against Depression.

Ladies, I challenge you to be Fit, get Strong, and Be Your Best!