Weights-if you had to pick (Page 2)

You won't likely build up a resistance to running overuse injuries by sitting in a weight room.  You will build up those resistance by following an intelligent running progression.  For example, what you need is to first run 45mpw for some time.  And 40mpw for some time before that, etc... 

Because there has been much poo-pooing of weight-lifting as an injury prevention measure and because the OP is a female, I feel I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that weight-bearing exercise is considered an important part of an osteoporosis prevention program.  While running (or jogging) is considered a weight-bearing exercise, cycling and swimming are not.  Female athletes, especially older females or those who aren't able to run, may want to consider adding some sort of weight lifing routine to their program.

Daremo- The scapular row one of numerous exercises that strengthen the scapular region and rotator cuff.  It happens to be my favorite.  While I can not "prove" that strengthening will help prevent injuries, I can provide consensus and expert opinion.  www.emedicine.com/sports/topic125.HTM  "a structured rotator cuff strengthening program during the off season and a gradual increase in training at the beginning of the season can help prevent occurance of swimmers shoulder."       www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlefinder.fcgi?artid=1088340      www.beginnertriathlete.com.cmj/article-detail.asp?articleid=1293.                    As a physician, I do regularly recommend such exercises for athletes with repetitive use of the shoulder.

And I can understand and appreciate that.  But as a physician I would hope that you can agree that you cannot prove something can prevent something else that has not happened yet.  By wearing a helmet on my bike I am not preventing an accident.  Perhaps I am giving myself a better chance of avoiding serious head trauma, but I could still just as easily get hit and end up in a wheelchair paralyzed.  Unless there is a way to specifically pinpoint what CAUSED an injury, then there is not really a way to prove some specific activity that would have not allowed it to happen.

I correlate it to all those "studies" that said moderate doses of "X" helps prevent -blank- disease and then 2 years later they come out with something else that says "X" can cause problems with -blank-.

As I mentioned, if there is some sort of muscular imbalance or current injury that you are recovering from that then messes up your form in one of the disciplines, then it is not a bad idea at all.

I am also just rehashing what many other much more qualified people then myself have stated through the years.  And while I do not have all the links and studies that those professionals reference, they are out there in the same sorts of publications that you provided.  And often really reading through the studies they proffer a much different analysis of the findings.

It is also a topic which has been beat to death and leads to a lot of ill will and bad mojo toward others.  There are a lot of very opinionated views on it.  So I'll leave it at that and not get into any sort of pizzing match with anyone.