Training for a half (or full) marathon is a big commitment--it taxes your body, emotions, and time reserves. I know the last thing you want is something that will make your workouts longer...but if you're going to invest the next 12 weeks in training, you may as well do it right. Crossing the finish line with an injury is no fun--I'm guessing you'd rather smile in your race photo, instead of having tears (of pain) streaming down your face.
How can you prevent injuries/pain? Read on.
The Perfect Workout
- Warm up: 5-10 minutes
- Run
- Cool down: 5-10 minutes
- Stretching: 5-10 minutes
Yes, for all of you math people out there, that's an extra 15 - 30 minutes tacked onto your run...so why should you take the time to include all of this in your workout?
**I know there will be days where it's all you can do to squeeze in your run--so yes, if push comes to shove, I'd rather you skip warm up or cool-down than your run altogether. However, in a perfect world, your run will have all of the aforementioned components.
**NOTE: Information on warm up and cool down is highly technical and full of scientific language. I'll try to keep it informative without boring you to tears.
Warm up
The warm up is pretty straight forward--before you start your run, take 5-10 minutes to briskly walk or slowly jog.
**The funny thing about skipping a warm up: if you do, you'll probably notice that your first 5-10 minutes of running are slower than you'd like them to be. That's your body telling you that it's going to warm up whether you make the time for it or not!
Benefits of Warm up
- Redirects blood flow to your muscles
- Whether you run first thing in the morning or after work, your body isn't prepared to start running. Your heart is pumping blood all over your body, which isn't helpful for you as a runner. These first few minutes tell your brain that your legs are going to be working harder and will need a little extra blood (read: oxygen) than usual.
- Reduces muscle stiffness
- For those of you who run after work, your body especially needs a warm up. Sitting at a desk or standing in high heels causes all sorts of muscular imbalances/tightness/etc. Increasing blood flow to the muscles helps warm them up and increase their flexibility.
- More flexible muscles = less chance for injury
- Many injuries for runners include muscle tears. If you try to stretch a rubber band beyond its limits, it breaks. The same holds true for your muscles: if you try to work them too hard before they're ready, you're setting yourself up for a tear/injury.
- Reduces Waste Build up in muscles
- To exercise, we need energy, which typically comes from fats and carbohydrates (glycogen). When we burn glycogen (sugars), we produce lactic acid/lactate. The higher the intensity, the more lactate is produced. Jumping into a workout too quickly yields higher quantities of lactate in the bloodstream and our muscles, which causes fatigue.
Benefits of Cool Down
- Redirects Blood Flow
- Once you've finished running, your legs don't need all of that blood flowing into them. A cool down signals to the brain that the heart can start pumping back to the digestive tract, liver, etc.
- Ever felt dizzy after a workout? That could have been caused by abruptly stopping your run.
- Decreases Muscle Soreness
- One cause of muscle soreness is having an excess of lactate (cellular waste from burning glucose) in the muscle cells. During cool down, the blood picks up this lactate and ships it off to the liver where it can be recycled into glycogen.
- Burns extra calories
- The longer you're moving, the more calories you burn!
Benefits of Stretching
**Please note that stretching should take place after the cool down and not before the run--remember, no stretching "cold" muscles!
- Increases muscle flexibility
- Prevents injury
- Improves posture
- Relieves stress
- Improves balance
Stretching Tips
- Hold each stretch for 30 - 60 seconds
- Yes, I'm aware of how long that is--and yes, you should really time it. 30 seconds feels like forever when you're just sitting there stretching!
- NEVER bounce while stretching
- Stretching should be static--meaning you remain stationary during stretching. The bouncing stretches from the 1970s can stay there!
- Stretching should not be painful
- Stretch to the point where you 'feel' the stretch and keep it there. If it hurts--STOP!!!!
- Ease into the stretch--don't go as far as you can right away
- Breathe!
Muscles to Stretch
- Hip Flexor (Psoas/Iliopsoas)
- Hamstring
- Quadricep
- Iliotibial Band
- Gastrocnemius/Soleus (calf muscles)
- Gluteus Maximus
Mayo Clinic Stretching Photos
"Cool Running" Magazine's Stretching Diagrams
Remember: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Taking the time to warm up and cool down properly will help your muscles feel better and improve the quality of your training. Happy running!
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