I used to be able to lace up my shoes and take off for a run without any stretching or prepping. I often think about the “keys to success” for marathon training, or really running of any distance, and stretching has definitely become a key part of my routine. Lately I’ve been prepping for runs with a dynamic warmup from a recent Runner’s World. It’s five simple moves that warm up the muscles that work the hardest during a run (see a video here). I’ve also been more diligent about post-run stretching. There are a ton of articles on stretching after runs (examples here, here and here), but they generally target the same areas (hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors). My personal favorites are the butterfly and pigeon pose. They’ve become my go-to stretches after a run and have helped keep injuries and soreness to a minimum!
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