Running or walking can sit alongside strength work, cycling, swimming, team sport, mobility work and everyday movement. The useful mix depends on what you enjoy, what your goals require, your experience and how the activities fit together.

Australia’s 2026 movement recommendations for adults include varied activity, muscle-strengthening work and functional activity. That public-health guidance supports variety; it does not prescribe a runner’s personal gym program.

Start with the purpose

Ask what the other activity is for. You may lift because you enjoy it, cycle for transport, swim for a different aerobic activity, or do strength work for a goal developed with a qualified professional. An activity can have intrinsic value without needing to justify itself as support for running.

When running performance is the goal, placement matters. A demanding leg-strength session the day before focused running may change the quality and recovery of both. A hard social ride still adds demand even if it is not in the running plan. Put all purposeful activity on the same weekly page before deciding that there is room for more.

Choose strength work for your circumstances

Exercises, equipment and loads need to account for your experience, technique, disability, injury history and current plan. If you are new to strength training, want help with technique, or need adaptations, seek a suitably qualified exercise professional. Injury rehabilitation belongs with the clinician managing it.

Use other movement deliberately

Imagine a runner who enjoys a hard Saturday football match and has a long run scheduled Sunday. Calling football “cross-training” does not make the combination easy. They might adjust the running schedule, protect recovery or choose which activity matters most that weekend.

Gentle movement can also be enjoyable on a non-running day, but a rest day does not require substitute exercise.

Your next step: write every planned activity for the coming week in one place and mark which will be easy, demanding or restful for you. If the week looks crowded, remove or move something before adding a new workout.