Pre-race warm up????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak

On the long stuff I now delibrately set off steady and use that as part of the warm up. For shorter stuff I can warm up for 30 minutes or so.

I find early morning races tougher to get going so after breakfast I sometimes go for a a couple of miles slow run with a bit of stretching. I then eat on way to race and follow that with a bit more warm up.

Evening races are not nearly so hard to warm up for as you've been on the go all day.

---

I know one former very quick marathon runner, sub 2:20 who swore by a 3-4 mile run first thing in the morning 3-4 hrs before a marathon.

I struggle with evening races, been at work all day, normally sat at a desk, and not really 'up' for races.

Weekend races you normally wake up with that on the mind. For a long maybe a mile jog to the start, some light stretching but nothing really.

For a 10 k normally 10 minute light jog, 3 or 4 50-100 yard strides and some stretching.

I find 10-15 mins of dynamic stretching does the job: jogging around flipping heels to backside, toes out front and knees to chest alternately, with some sprints, and finish off with maybe a static stretch of the hamstrings.

I only really do longer races where your first mile or so can be part of the warm-up: I normally try and start off fairly sedately. But for a shorter race I'd probably warm up more, as Grouse says.

for long races i do some stretching in the back of the van with the heater on:o

For the short fell races and all road races, I generally do a 5-10 min warmup jog 10-15 mins before the start. For longer fell races (a grand total of 2), I just do a little stretching and start off steadily.

It obviously has no effect though as I've not troubled the scorers in any race so far.

you've got to do a warm up before you race, lessening the risk of pulling a cold muscle and getting into the pace much quicker.I always do 30mins with hard bursts thrown in, keeping moving till the last minutes......find it annoying when you have to then stand about whilst late-comers hold things up.
Was watching the World Track Cycling on telley and those guys warm-up on rollers for up to two hours before their event.
Having said that I just went straight into the Three Peaks and Yorkshireman Marathon cold knowing I needed energy for later and I could take the first miles easy.

I did a 2 hour warm up for the Tour on saturday, hence why I probably started flagging half way round lol.

Was constantly stretching from about 8.30 till 9.30, then jogged up the Pendle path for about 1km then back, more stretching, then 15 mins prior to start, jogged up the track from start, up the first climb and back.

I did this because I hadn't run for 2 weeks and I could feel my muscles were really really tight.

I never feel as if I have done enough stretching though.

Back when I used to race properly I'd start about 30-45mins before the start of the race with a 20-25 mins easy jog. If it was a multi-lap cross-country race then it would probably be a lap of the course to find my way round and get the lie of the land. After that I'd do a dozen or so light strides (note strides - not sprints!). Then I'd change my shoes and do a few more shorter faster sprints to get my heart rate up so I'm ready to race from the gun.

I'd also religously warm down afterwards. These days I jump out of the car, grab a number and race. Afterwards I head straight for the pub....

I've experimented with a short run on the morning of an afternoon race - but I don't reckon it worked for me. What did work was a short fast session on the Thursday before a Saturday race. Bear in mind that I was younger and trained harder at this time!

I like to get to a race an hour before the start, sign in, then spend about half an hour streching and jogging gently with small interjections of sprinting. I think it's important to prepare your body for the coming pain. :D

depends if the pubs are open. if not i will just have a quick tinny before the start

I was told that Seb Coe used to have a 2 hour stretching and warm up routine before races. Mind you, he only did kiddie distances and no hills involved :rolleyes:.