One of the most neglected areas by many runners is strength training. It really does help your running particularly at the end of long runs. A good place to start is to start building up your core. What are the core muscles? According to Wikipedia:
"In anatomy, the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms.[1] Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.[2]
The major muscles of the core reside in the area of the belly and the
mid and lower back (not the shoulders), and peripherally include the
hips, the shoulders and the neck."
Specifically they hold you upright with good form when you are running. There are a variety of exercises you do to work your core (leg raises, crunches, twists, deadlifts, etc.) however there is one exercise that beats all others: the plank (and all of it's variations).
Several years ago I got introduced to the benefits of planks and jumped on the Plank A Day movement. Since that time my race times have consistently gone done, the recovery time from a marathon is much shorter and I rarely ever have back pain.
If you want more information on Plank A Day go here: http://www.fudiet.com/plank-a-day-revolution/
My variation on planks: I do them between sets when lifting and put my feet up on a bench (or whatever else can elevate my feet to make the plank harder), then hold for at least a minute. I switch in side planks and a few other variations to make it interesting. When I first started them a minute was tough, I can now hold a standard plank for over 5 minutes. I keep trying to push to see how long I can hold one while always keeping good form. The best part about this exercise: you don't need any equipment or even a gym to do them. anyplace that has enough room for you to lie on the ground is enough.
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