The Best Warmup Routine for Runners

If you are an experienced runner then you know how crucial it is to fit in a proper warmup and recovery routine. One of the biggest fears for runners is getting injured and losing the fitness progress you’ve worked hard for. Research shows that you start to lose some of your aerobic endurance after about 72 hours off without some sort of aerobic exercise, so a little rest is fine, but too much starts to cost you fitness. On top of that, everyone’s body is different and reacts differently to stress, so there isn’t one universal training load that works for every runner.

Speed and sprint work

A workout heavy in speed puts stress on a different set of muscles than a long, steady run does. Prioritize hamstring and hip and groin stretching before these sessions, since the demands are different from distance training, and work in several strides and buildups before you get into the real speed work. Make sure your first burst of speed is not 100% of your total speed, easing in this way helps you avoid a hip or hamstring injury. Afterward, a cool-down jog of a quarter mile to a mile, plus some foam rolling, helps push out as much of the lactic acid buildup as possible.

Distance runners

Distance runners should keep a consistent personal routine of static and dynamic stretching. Before a race, work in several fast strides to help prepare the muscles that produce your explosive movement. Your pace after a hard effort should be conversational, you should be able to talk without feeling out of breath. Recovery mileage varies by runner, but the pacing standard stays the same for everyone. One useful check: your resting heart rate when you wake up. If it’s elevated compared to normal, that’s usually a sign to trim a mile or two off your mileage that day. Above all, listen to your body.