Eli Hemming Could Outrun Most, But Trail Running Broke His Body in Ways Triathlon Didn’t. Strength, Mobility, and Data Rebuilt His Durability for 100K Races

What does it take to turn an elite endurance athlete into a durable, adaptable force on the trails?

For trail runner and former professional triathlete Eli Hemming, the answer lies in more than just miles logged or elevation climbed.

Instead, it’s the intentional integration of individualized strength training, mobility work, endocrine system balancing, and tailored recovery strategies that has allowed him to take his performance—and durability—to new levels.

In a recent episode of The Road Map, Eli sat down with his strength coach, Chris—founder of Kinesis—to unpack the role strength plays in preparing the body for the unique demands of trail running, and how it’s more than just lifting heavy.

The Hidden Demands of Trail Running

Unlike triathlon or road running, trail racing tests the body in unpredictable ways.

From steep climbs and technical descents to prolonged time-on-feet, it’s not just about aerobic fitness—it’s about biomechanical resilience.

“When I transitioned from triathlon into trail running, I was surprised at how much everything hurt,” Eli admits. “The joints, the bones, the tendons—it was clear my body wasn’t equipped for the impact, even though I had the engine.”

That reality forced him to reevaluate the role of strength training, moving from a one-size-fits-all group training environment to a fully individualized strength program under Chris’s guidance. The goal? Build a body that could not only perform—but last.

Why Strength Training Isn’t Just Lifting Weights

When athletes hear the term “strength training,” they often jump to images of barbells and bodybuilders. But for Chris, strength is a broader concept.

“At its core, strength training is about creating the right endocrine response and building durability,” Chris says. “Not every session has to be about lifting heavy. Sometimes it’s about restoring movement quality, improving hormonal balance, or just helping the athlete leave feeling better than when they arrived.”

This approach includes things like:

• Mobility work to open up restricted joints
• Neuromuscular training with eccentric overload devices like the Kbox
• Endocrine system resets through explosive overhead med ball throws
• Customized loading strategies to build tendon stiffness and muscular endurance

“In our view, you should never leave the gym feeling beat down,” Chris adds. “You should feel more prepared—for life and for your next training session.”

Progressive Overload Done Right

One of the most common pitfalls in endurance training is doing too much, too soon—especially when it comes to strength work.

Instead of prescribing heavy lifts right away, Chris and Eli took a slow, steady approach.

“We started with simple things—glute activation, learning how to hinge and bridge properly,” Eli explains. “I couldn’t even use my glutes in a bridge when we started. I was just all quads from years of biking.”

But over time, this foundational work allowed Eli to build movement competency—essential for integrating higher-level strength moves later on.

One key tool in that process was the Kbox, an eccentric overload device that allowed Eli to safely work on deceleration—critically important for descending technical trail sections without breaking down.

“The first time I used it, I was sore for days,” he admits. “But it taught me to recruit the right muscles, which helped me build that ‘durable chassis’ Chris always talks about.”

The Science of Endurance Meets the Art of Coaching

To perform at the world-class level, it’s not enough to run a lot. You need data—and you need to know what to do with it.

In Eli’s case, this included meeting with exercise physiologist Jared Berg to conduct metabolic testing, which revealed inefficiencies in how his body was using carbohydrates at various intensities.

“At my LT1 [lactate threshold 1], I was burning close to 200 grams of carbs per hour—which is unsustainable,” Eli explains.

Armed with that data, he and Chris refined his training, integrating more strength work to improve running economy and adjusting volume to reduce unnecessary energy leaks.

“Even increasing one or two degrees of hip mobility could reduce energy output over a 10-hour race,” Chris says. “We’re chasing those 1% gains that add up to something big.”

Example energy-saving strategies Chris and Eli implemented:

• Improving hip mobility to allow for more efficient stride mechanics
• Strengthening glutes and hamstrings to offload overworked quads
• Balancing movement patterns to reduce compensatory stress

Fueling and Recovery: More Than Just Protein Shakes

Strength training adds a new demand to any endurance athlete’s routine—and that comes with nutritional considerations.

Chris suggests a few key fuel pillars:

• Prioritize carbohydrates and protein post-strength for recovery
• Use creatine for muscular and cognitive performance support
• Take vitamin C and collagen one hour before tendon-loading sessions
• Avoid coffee prior to collagen supplementation—it inhibits absorption

He also stresses the importance of periodizing strength training just like run training. For athletes peaking for late-season races (like Eli’s upcoming CCC 100K in Chamonix), this means building during the offseason and maintaining as race day approaches.

“Build the Base. Then Reduce the Load.”

Chris breaks down his periodization plan into stages of capacity, quality, and specificity:

1. Foundation Phase (Winter / Offseason)

• Emphasize movement quality, tendon resilience, and motor unit recruitment
• Start with bodyweight or minimal load to build a base

2. Load Phase (Spring / Early Build)

• Increase intensity and volume to raise durability
• Add strength-specific work to address individual deficits

3. Maintenance Phase (Summer / Peak)

• Reduce volume, maintain intensity as needed
• Focus on tissue health, speed of recovery, and reducing injury risk

Training for the “Big Long Stupid” Races

Trail ultras aren’t just long—they demand the body perform efficiently for hours on end. That often means sacrificing pace for economy—drip-feeding effort through every muscle, tendon, and joint.

Eli’s goal for CCC? Enduring the full 10 hours without having his muscles give out.

“That’s something I don’t fully know how to do yet,” Eli admits. “But the work we’ve done has made me feel way closer to finding out.”

Between smart strength training, metabolic insights, and a commitment to tracking the “whole athlete,” Eli’s approach shows how elite performance is manufactured—not guessed.

The Big Picture: Playing the Long Game

Whether you’re an elite competitor or a weekend warrior, the best performances don’t happen in a vacuum. They’re the product of deliberate work over seasons—not just weeks.

“You can’t rush it,” Eli says. “Trail running is a lifelong sport. If you take care of your body, you can keep improving for decades.”

And with the right mix of data-informed decisions and intuitive coaching, the roadmap to long-term strength and performance becomes a lot easier to follow.

Because as Chris puts it, “If your body breaks down, nothing else matters. Strength training is your foundation—build it wisely.”