Runner's Warm-Up
I’ve already written a lot about successful virtual races (mindset, route, race day but didn’t discuss an important aspect: the warmup.
The warmup is an afterthought for many runners hurrying to the start line. Maybe it’s a bonus that only happens if it fits in somewhere between gear bag drop, the porta-potty lineup and getting to the corral in time. But with virtual races none of those factors apply, so pre-race warmups should be included and scheduled into the race-day plan.
Active Stretching & Mobility
This is the bare minimum for any warmup!
What is a Warm-Up?
A full warmup consists of an easy jog of up to 20 minutes, sometimes ending with a short tempo run of about 2 minutes, followed by dynamic stretching and mobility and some strides.
An abbreviated warmup may simply be some dynamic (active) stretching and mobility with or without a few minutes of jogging.
Check out my FREE resource 25 Days of Mobility
Won’t All That Make Me Tired?
Runners sometimes hesitate to expend energy doing a warmup for fear of compromising their race, but that isn’t very likely. A runner who is fit and race-ready will quickly “recover” from a short easy jog, brief tempo and strides. In fact, and easy jog + strides will make the start of a race feel easier than it would otherwise.
Warm-ups help us perform better in races. A warmup allows our muscles, tissues, joints and cardio system and nervous system gradually prepare for a hard effort rather than be shocked into it. Pre-race strides should be run at a pace faster than goal race pace so that when the race starts the pace feels slower relative to your most recent running pace: the strides.
New to Warm-Ups?
Start by incorporating a full warmup on training days with workouts. Develop a relatively consistent routine so you know how much time you need to complete your warmup without rushing. Leading up to a key workout or virtual race, think ahead and schedule plenty of time to go through your warmup without rushing, adding in time to allow for bathroom breaks, getting water, resting between strides and before starting the actual race.
The Exception
For long distance races like the half or full marathon, a full warmup often isn’t necessary - especially when runners do not have pace goals. When there is no pace goal, runners can start as comfortably as needed to ease into the race. These races are long enough that the first mile or two of a race can double as the warmup.
A good rule of thumb is that a warmup jog generally isn’t necessary when the race distance is longer than any distance regularly run in training, and/or when there is no goal pace.
In these cases I still recommend some activation and mobility exercises.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.