A few months ago at Kezar Stadium in SF, Adidas invited us to do some run training with all-star athletes: pro marathoner Neely Spence Gracey [1], Olympian Dominique Scott-Efrud, and Team USA middle distance runner Brianna Felnagle.
The one thing they said that really struck a chord with me? "We don't run to warm up; we warm up to run." It's a fact that so many runners, myself included, totally neglect — running warmups [2] are so important. Think about it: every time you go to a group fitness class or do a workout video at home [3], there's some kind of warmup, right? So why do we bypass this when we go for a run? As the athletes emphasized during our training, "Running isn't a warmup."
So what is an appropriate running warmup? Their categories of emphasis were "agility, stability, and mobility." Here are some moves we did with pro runners before going for a jaunt around the track.
Walking Hamstring Dips
- With a soft bend in your left leg, take a step forward with your right leg, flexing your right toes toward your face.
- Flip your palms to face forward and, hinging at the hips, reach forward toward your toes in a sweeping motion. Sweep your hands down, forward, and up as you return to standing.
- Step your left foot up to meet your right. Repeat on the left side.
- Continue for 30 to 60 seconds
Walking Standing Kicks
- Exhale to engage the abs as you kick your right leg up, bringing your left hand to your right toes, doing a small crunch. When you return your foot to the ground, take a small step forward.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Continue for 30 to 60 seconds.
Heel Raises
- Position your feet hip-width apart.
- Slowly raise your heels until you're on your tiptoes, then slowly lower back down to the ground. Take three slow counts to raise and lower your heels.
- Continue for 30 to 60 seconds.