Fall is settling in and that means that many running events are just around the corner. To have a successful race and in order to train properly for these events we need to stay injury free. Whether you are running a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon stretching after your run will keep you on your feet and on the right track towards that goal.
It is tempting to just skip your stretch routine because you may be crunched for time, feeling hungry, or just simply forget however it will only be a matter of time before an injury will come creeping in. Let’s highlight 5 quick, easy, and key stretches that you can implement into your post workout routine today:
Hamstring Stretch
Find an object that is elevated and put one foot up, making sure your hips are square to your shoulders facing forward.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Come into a half kneeling position, shoulders, hips, knees stacked over top of one another.
Quadracep Stretch
Stand nice and tall, grab onto ankle and pull. Keep your knees together and hips forward.
Glute Stretch
Cross your ankle over your opposite knee, lay back and reach through your legs to grab onto that opposite knee- pull towards your head or until you feel a stretch. Try to relax into this stretch.
Calf Stretch
Find an object/wall you can put the bottom of your foot up on, straighten out the front leg and bring your hips close to the wall/object
Hold each of these 5 stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds on each leg totalling only 5 minutes at the end of your run. The intensity should be about a 6 out of 10. The longer you hold the stretch the more benefit you will gain from the stretches. Stretching will allow you to recover more rapidly for your next training run. Start with these 5 stretches every day and soon you’ll learn more about your body, what muscles get tight and which areas need more focus.
Happy Fall running!
Carla McCallum
Professional Training Coach
Innovative Fitness Kitsilano
www.InnovativeFitness.com
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