Stretching could probably be defined as something runners do when they are injured! I know I have certainly smiled at my physio
and said those exact words. But alas, much as we would like to
believe this, it is not true! I have learnt the hard way about
running with cold or “sleeping” muscles. I like to look at stretching as “waking up” my muscles. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t follow a specific pre-run/race routine. It all depends on the time of day I am running as well as the weather conditions (outside temperature, wind and/or rain). If I’m running first thing in the morning I usually do a few simple back stretches (I’ve had back injuries in the past so need to take care). I also do gentle hamstring and calf stretches. If I am running later in the day my muscles are already pretty active so I may just start off by jogging for 5 minutes. This usually does the trick. I
believe the key to stretching is to do them easy ie. start
slowly. When stretching, your original stretch only allows so
much flexibility. After a few stretches you will find that you
are able to extend the muscle that little bit further. A few more
stretches and the muscle will extend even further. However, never
stretch to a pain limit! On Comrades morning, I usually have a hot bath or shower to “wake and warm up” my muscles. It works!!!! When travelling to the start, I usually do “feet flexing” exercises to keep my feet and calves warm. I also focus on holding in my core muscles while trying to “relax” at the same time. Internal links: core stability, physio, comrades morning, core stability, External links: Official Comrades Marathon website |
Copyright
Nikki
Campbell 2010