RUN FAR. LIFT HEAVY.

Since 1995 THIS has been the way I train; here's why...

Running and lifting is not a new concept; it’s been around since the beginning of time. Humans were built to be strong and to endure; to persevere through the adversities of life both physically and mentally for ALL their days.

I bought my first gym membership when I was 16 years old; a $19 monthly fee to 24 Hour Fitness; a gym popular for its around the clock open doors. My 16th year of life was a troubled one; I was working two jobs, playing on two soccer teams trying to get a soccer scholarship; juggling homework; and watching my mom lose her battle with cancer. Often, after work, I’d arrive at 24 Hour Fitness at 10pm to get in a second workout. Looking back, the empty gym and walls of iron dumbbells brought a peace I craved. There was nothing fancy about lifting, but it challenged me; and I believed for every time I lifted, I’d get a little stronger. I’d pick a heavy dumbbell from the rack and attempt to curl or raise it in the air; and most of the time I struggled. I’d look at my red face in the mirror and try to imitate the same moves the big, muscly guys did. I didn’t understand form or range of motion; I simply wanted to lift and be strong. Being strong made sense to me as a soccer player. I could lean harder into an opponent or hold my own when battling for the ball. It made sense to me that strong legs meant more explosive, powerful take-offs down the sideline or the difference between winning a header ball. But being strong was also something I longed for mentally- something I craved to have for the storms that brewed around me. My childish mind believed that if I was physically strong, then I’d be mentally strong too.

Fast forward to 2007, the year I launched my fitness and run business: Sally McRae Fitness. I started with outdoor bootcamps for women, where I created workouts around running and lifting. For years, it was my dream job; and gave me the financial security to be a stay-at-home mom; something that was precious to me especially after losing my mom. Helping women build endurance and strength brought a fulfillment to my life that I didn’t know existed. I had jobs as a soccer coach and sports camp counselor in the past; and as a little girl one of my dream jobs was to be an aerobics instructor! As the years went by, my business evolved and I became an online running coach, a Nike Run Club Coach, an iFit trainer, and in 2021 launched the Sally McRae Run & Strength App.

My First Photoshoot for Sally McRae Fitness

In 2014, when I signed my first pro trail running contract with Nike, I was still lifting and running like a soccer player. It only made sense to me that if my body was going to endure for 100 miles through the mountains, then having a strong, sturdy body would be an advantage. A few weeks into my pro career, Nike flew me to Oregon for my first photoshoot; I was ecstatic! How did a young mom of a 4 & 6 year old land a shoe contract with one of the biggest companies in the world? As I stepped off the van to meet my new teammates, one of them said, “Wow your quads are huge.” I laughed it off, “Yah, I was a soccer player for most my life- these babies aren’t going anywhere.” His response, “I played soccer too, my quads were never that big.” Again, I laughed, genuinely not bothered by it; I had always been proud of my strong soccer thighs and unlike a few of my friends who ran cross country in high school, I was never concerned about my weight or size. Having spent most my life believing my muscles were a positive thing, it was easy to laugh and smile when I was told I had big quads, “Like Duh…and THANK YOU!” But, it only took a week before our Nike Trail team photoshoot appeared online and the comments about my “Big Legs” and “Too big to be a runner” and straight up, “fat” hit me square in the face. It was the first time I had been publicly shamed for my body.

Training on Mount Baldy with my strong quads.

I spent the next two years visiting doctors and nutritionists about my physique. I’d ask, “How can I lessen the muscles in my legs?” or I’d make the naive request, “Can you help me get rid of some of this muscle?” One doctor looked at me sideways after putting me through a Hydrostatic test where I was submerged in water to test my body fat, “Are you NOT telling me something?” She peered at me through her glasses. Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?” I watched as she looked over the data from the test and then she said, “The last time I saw numbers like this was when I tested an Olympic wrestler. Are you a professional athlete?”

I let out a sigh, embarrassed because when she had interviewed me and asked what I did for a living I only said, “I’m a stay at home mom and I like running and lifting weights.” I came clean and told her I was a professional athlete but didn’t feel that was important for her to know. We sat down together and she spoke directly, “Sally, do you know if you attempt to lose your muscle that you won’t be able to perform in the way you do now? You could compromise your career. I don’t understand why you want to lose this muscle, I’m usually working with people who are trying to gain muscle and get stronger!”

She was right and I admit, I knew it too.

I left her office, and then chose to fully embrace my strong physique like a trophy! I continued training as I always had: Running Far and Lifting Heavy. This type of training served me well and I stayed injury free for over a decade while standing on podiums all over the world. You can run and lift; and you can endure in whatever body type you have been blessed with.

Filming for my Run & Strength App

Now 11 years into my pro career, I’m reflecting on thousands of encounters with athletes who have thanked me for standing strong in my body or for representing all the “big thigh girls.” I’ve had athletes come to me in tears after years of believing they were “too big to run” or because they “mostly love to lift” they believed they couldn’t do both; but upon finding my YouTube channel or Instagram, they saw themselves in me. Runners have joked that they secretly do my strength program because if they told their running coach, their coach would be upset about “lifting too much.” The conversations have made me laugh; the emails and DMs have made me cry; and the stories of overcoming have brought me deep joy.

Leading a run with iFit

At the root of all these encounters and conversations about strength, muscles, and body size, there has been a consistent theme: people want to BELIEVE they are capable.

Capable in the ONE body they have.

Capable to endure to the finish line.

Capable to be strong when it’s hard.

Capable no matter their doubts or fears.

Not everyone believes they are strong and enduring; and I’ve made it my life’s mission to change that. Somewhere along the way, a lot of us were lied to. Some of us were told we were too weak or made to believe we didn’t fit a certain mold in order to endure. I’m here to tell you, YOU CAN.

I love helping people Run Far and Lift Heavy (and note, the distance and weight of far and heavy is different for everyone.) But really, I love pointing people to strength and endurance because the natural overflow of these two things into their REAL, everyday life is invaluable. The mindset shift that happens when you begin to see how strong and enduring you truly are is life-changing!

I’d like to think I’m making teenage Sally proud today. I wish I could go back and tell her that although life was painful in that season; all her efforts in the gym weren’t in vain. I’d love to wrap my proud arms around her and tell her that she’s laying a powerful foundation of strength and endurance that still carries her today.

Teenage Sally

***Thank you so much for reading today’s post. I’d love for you to join the Run & Strength community that’s been growing in my app. I’m also dropping Run Far+Lift Heavy merch in my shop in January 2026 and I hope you grab a shirt, sweatshirt or hat for yourself. My app and merch help support my work, film documentaries, and tours so thank you in advance! It’s my hope that everything I put out from content to merchandise to coaching programs will strengthen and encourage you in all you do.