MENTOR / RECOVERY

POST RUN STRETCHING ROUTINE

It's really easy to blow off stretching after your run. Often we are already thinking of the next place we need to be or what we have to do and stretching post-run seems to be the first thing we dismiss.

When it comes to injury prevention, it's really important to maintain and/or improve mobility. The best way to do this is through consistency. Just like improving your endurance or speed - you have to do it regularly and balance it with rest.

One of the easiest ways to introduce more mobility into your weekly routine is to think about stretching as part of your run. For example, if you have a 45min run on your training plan for this week, schedule 60min so you have time for your post run stretch. If you only have 45min in total, schedule 40min to run and choose 2 target areas to focus your post run stretches on... such as tight hamstrings or quads. 

It's easy to say you'll stretch when you get home or fire up that 60min yoga class on your down dog app, but often we are more distracted when we get home and it's less likely you'll fit it in. That's why this week's learn section is all about making stretching part of you run. So make it a goal to stretch after every run starting this week. Even if it's only 5min and you'll start to see how much better you feel, or gain awareness on areas that need more attention such as foam rolling or making a massage appointment. 
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