Warm-Ups for Runners

Introduction

Warming up is an essential component of preparation for a hard session or race. A good warm-up comes with several benefits and, when executed well, can help ensure that runners perform to the best of their ability.

Benefits of a Warm-Up

Warming up improves performance in a majority of runners. And for good reason, since there are several benefits to warming up correctly:

• Increased range of motion. It's important to gently expose your body to the ranges of motion you'll experience when running. Unless you're a sprinter or hurdler, most warm-ups will cover the bases, especially around the hips and ankles.
• Elevation of the heart rate, closer to that which will be experienced during the session or race.
• Psychological preparation. Warm-ups provide an opportunity to visualie an upcoming race, to adjust mental focus, and to motivate oneself.
• Elevated muscle temperature, which has several effects. Warm muscles offer less resistance so can move more efficiently and more economically, and are less likely to pull or tear. Warmer muscles also facilitate better metabolism, leading to more energy production, and warm muscles are able to contract more quickly.
• Diversion of blood to muscles from other organs due to vasodilation, which results in improved gas exchange, waste removal, and balance of electrolytes.
• Dilation of blood vessels, meaning that blood flow to working muscles is improved.
• Increased production of fluid to lubricate joints.
• Coordination, reaction, and response are improved thanks to priming of the nervous system.
• Less risk of injury. For several of the above reasons, such as better range of movement and warmer muscles, injury risk is decreased following a decent warm-up.
• Less lactate accumulation. Blood and muscle lactate levels during intense exercise will be lower following a warm-up.

Negative Effects of a Warm-up

Despite the many documented benefits of warm-ups there are suggestions that they are not useful, and even that they can harm performance.

Warming up is certainly more important for shorter efforts than it is for longer efforts, so you should take into account the type of race or session you'll be undertaking before planning your warm-up.

Warm-ups for shorter distances will include elements of more-intense work, but a balance is essential to ensure that the warm-up protocol is not too intense and that you have time to recover before your race or session.

Types of Warm-up

It's important to distinguish between active and passive warm-ups. A passive warm-up simply involves elevating the temperature of muscles and/or core temperature using some an external aid, such as a warm bath or a heater. In contrast, active warm-ups require exercise.

While both types have the effect of raising core and muscle temperature, active warm-ups are better for short sprints, and it's also thought that active warm-ups also act as an ergogenic aid. I.e. assist with more efficient production of energy, especially in the early stages of a workout.

Warming up passively can be useful as a supplement to an active warm-up. For example, when the weather is cold or when a race is delayed and further active warm-up would result in excess fatigue.

Components of a Warm-up

For some – especially those partaking in longer distances – a warm-up simple consists of a jog, but there are several components that can be included in a more comprehensive preparation. The following are presented broadly in the order in which it's best to complete them.

Walking

Walking is generally unnecessary before a race but it can be useful in certain circumstance:

• When the warm-up is taking place very early in the morning and you need to gently ease your way into things.
• When you've been sitting for a long time immediately prior to the warm-up (e.g., in a car travelling to the race). Walking for a few minutes can help stretch things out a little before you move on to anything more demanding.
• For longer races, where the running intensity is low, walking can be the sole component of the warm-up.

Jogging/Running

Unless you've included any walking then jogging/running is usually the first thing you should do during your warm-up. And for races of longer duration, jogging may be all that's needed.

A good approach for this phase is to start at a gentle jog and gradually progress to race pace or just below by the end. But do be wary of running too hard or spending too long at close to race-pace during this run. You don't want to end up fatigued.

How long you spend running will vary according to taste, but 10-20 minutes works well for most.

Static Stretches

There is evidence that static stretching can impede performance and there is very little to suggest that it will improve it. For this reason it is generally recommended not to include it as part of your warm-up.

However, there is some evidence that static stretching as part of your warm-up can decrease injury risk, so if you're prone to injuries, it is worth considering. Additionally, you might need to include some if there are specific areas that are particularly tight, or if a coach/physio has advised certain static stretches.

If this is the case then it should be included as early as possible in the warm-up – after a jog so that the muscles are warm – but before any specific drills. Following static stretching with specific drills can help mitigate any negative effects.

Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches are generally used to ensure that a full range of motion has been achieved prior to an activity. It's best to include these after a jog so that the muscles are warm and pliable. Leg swings, arm swings, and a variety of movements that mimic and exaggerate the running motion are all suitable choices.

Drills

The inclusion of running drills in a warm-up routine is more useful for middle distance and sprint events than it is for longer distances.

There is a crossover between certain drills and dynamic stretches. Certainly the majority of running-specific drills will involve similar movements that will be experienced while carrying out the session or race.

One large benefit of including running drills in a warm-up is that they help the athlete to tune in to the various movement patterns that will be employed during a session or race.

The elite runner Chari Hawkins has an excellent YouTube channel that includes detailed demonstrations of pretty much every drill you would ever need as a runner.

Faster Running

Before putting the finishing touches to a warm-up, including 60–90 seconds of moderately hard running (at about 30–40 minute race pace) can help ensure that all the necessary systems and energy pathways are engaged.

Don't include this harder running too close to race start. Roughly 15–20 minutes before is about right and will give you plenty of time to recover.

Strides

Strides are the icing on the cake of any warm-up. They are a must for middle distance runners and are also a great way of making sure everything's moving for those running longer distances. Including three to five, with plenty of recovery between each, will suffice. If your race is delayed and you find yourself hanging around then adding a couple more will help keep you focused, but in this situation keep them shorter (maybe just a few seconds), so that you don't over-exert yourself.

Race Pace

For shorter races (middle distance and shorter) strides will probably serve well to provide the athlete with some race pace preparation. And for races that take up to about an hour to complete then the faster running phase as described can be done at race pace.

For races due to last longer than an hour, then including a few minutes at race pace (keep a close eye on the watch here if you have one to make sure you are actually running at race pace) can be useful. It'll help you tune in to race pace and to avoid going off too quickly (which is very very common with all that adrenaline flowing and dozens of people whizzing around you).

This should be the last thing you include before a race, unless things are delayed, in which case performing a few strides to keep limber is a better option than standing around getting cold and stiffening up.

Factors Affecting Warm-up

The best type of warm-up to do will vary according to factors such as temperature, time of day, your age, how many races you are running on the particular day (it is not uncommon to run two or more races at a track meet), and most importantly the race distance.

Temperature

One of the goals of performing a warm-up is literally to raise body/muscle temperature. Obviously on a hot day, your muscles are much closer to their optimal operating temperature than they will be on a cold day, so less work is needed.

As explained above, there is a distinction between passive and active warm-ups. Wearing extra clothes is a passive way of raising body temperature. The active approach, performing exercises, also achieves the other goals of a warm-up.

Ensure that you only wear only what is necessary. On a cold day you will probably want keep on any extra (non-race) clothing as near as possible to the race start; on a hot day, don't wear extra clothes unnecessarily; there's nothing wrong with warming up in shorts and a singlet if that's what's comfortable.

Time of Day

Athletes tend to perform better later in the day, when the body has naturally become more limber and the mind has become more alert.

Although longer road races tend to be scheduled for the morning, races can take place at any time of day, so it's important to learn how your body reacts at different times of day.

It's likely that you'll need more time to warm up in the morning than later on, and that you'll need to begin a little more gently than usual. Do consider adding some walking and very slow jogging to the start of your warm-up for early starts. And if your goal race is in the morning then it's especially important to practise warming up in the morning and discover exactly what you need to do to get ready.

Age

Older athletes generally find that they need more time than youngsters to prepare for the race. This generally happens gradually over time, so it's not something that you need to to worry about necessarily as long as your warm-up is individualied.

Number of Races

At track meetings it's not uncommon to run twice or more in the same day. Sprinters in particular often double up over either 100m and 200m, or over 200m and 400m, and will usually run again as part of a relay. Middle distance runners often perform an 800m and a 1500m in the same day. At championships, it's not uncommon to have a mix of heats, semi-finals and finals on the same day. And then there's the consideration that athletes often find themselves in unfamiliar races in order to score points for the team.

In the case of several races being performed in the same day, the best strategy is to warm up fully for the first event and then perform an abridged warm-up for each subsequent event.

Of course, the warm-up will vary according to the distance and how hard the athlete plans to run. For example, an athlete planning to perform well in an 800m and a 1500m on the same day, and who is asked to join in with the 400m in between these two races in order to "get a single point" for the team could choose to just run the 400m at a moderate pace. In such a case they would not need anything like the type of warm-up that those racing flat-out would require.

Race Distance

The best type of warm-up will vary wildly depending on which race you're preparing for. Most marathoners will get away with a gentle jog and a few dynamic stretches, or even with no warm-up at all. Marathon pace is not particularly demanding for short distances and it won't be a massive shock to the body to start running at marathon pace without any preparation.

It is race duration, rather than race distance, that is the most important thing to consider when determining how best to warm up. For example, somebody expecting to complete a half marathon in about three hours will warm up quite differently to an elite athlete expecting to run around the hour mark.

As a general rule, the shorter the race distance, the longer you should spend warming up.

Guidelines

Go Solo

Warm-ups should be highly-individualied. It is very unlikely that what is best for another athlete is going to be what is best for you, even if you're the same age, ability and are running in the same race.

It can be very tempting to jog with friends, team-mates and even rivals before a race, especially when they explicitly ask you to. Keep a firm resolve and stick to what works best for you. It's much more fun to chat during the cool down anyway.

Practise

The best way to determine the best warm-up is to try different things and to note what works for you. Luckily you don't need to wait until race day to do this. You can get a very good idea of the effectiveness of a warm-up routine by paying attention to how you feel during sessions following that type of warm-up.

Try varying things such as running speeds, time spent running, time spent on drills and types of drills, time spent stretching and types of stretches, and the overall duration of the warm-up. Get a routine ready so that come race day you can prepare with confidence. Don't be afraid to completely remove components of the warm-up and to judge how you respond.

Adapt

Plan ahead so that you know what the best warm-up will be for for different situations.

Sometimes races are delayed and you may not always have much room to warm up in. This happens quite often at track races. Or in a road race you can get stuck in a pen waiting for things to kick off. Have a few exercises prepared for such situations (e.g., jogging on the spot and running high knees) just to keep things moving until you get going.

Stay Cool

Don't overdo it. Performance will be improved by raising normal body temperature slightly (assuming it's not already a baking hot day), but will be negatively affected by getting too hot. Similarly, your race performance will be impacted if you do too much during a warm-up and end up fatigued as a result.

On hotter days, stay in the shade when possible, and stay hydrated.

Minimie

Do the minimum to achieve your intended goal. The goal is to prepare yourself physically and mentally to perform to the best of your ability. If you spend too long on a warm-up you will not only waste time, but may also upset your performance.

Mental Preparation

So far we've considered only physiological processes and benefits to warming up, but an often-overlooked part of preparing for a race is getting psychologically ready.

Whether this counts as "warming up" is debatable, but since your physical warm-up and the final stages of your mental preparation will be taking place at the same time, you'll need to think about where to fit it into your routine.

Visualisation

This is something you can start doing in the days leading up to the race and keep repeating until you get to the line.

Imagine yourself running the race. For shorter distances it's possible to play out the entire race in your head. For longer distances, perhaps focus on the start, a point during the middle, and the finishing section of the race.

Be positive when visualising. Imagine that you're feeling good, see yourself overtaking rivals, imagine your response to different situations.

Types of Warm-ups

As a general rule, the shorter the race distance, the longer the warm-up should be.

The following are examples of sample warm-ups for a few different events. Used in combination with the guidelines given above they should provide a useful starting point.

Middle Distance (800–3000 s)

Middle distance running is intense and the warm-up should reflect this.

• 20 minutes progressive run starting at a jog and finishing at about one hour race pace
• 5 minutes dynamic stretches including leg swings and split squats (static lunges)
• 10 minutes running-specific drills
• 90 seconds at 15-minute race pace
• 5 × 10-second race-pace strides with walk back recovery

Races Lasting 15–40 Minutes

For most this will involve races from 5–10 km

• 15–20 minute jog
• 5 minutes dynamic stretches
• 5 minutes running drills
• 3 minutes at 1-hour race pace
• 5 × 15 seconds strides at slightly faster than race pace

Races Lasting 40–75 Minutes

This covers races from 8k up to about half marathon for the majority of people. While these races can be intense there is less need to include the more vigorous components of a warm-up since the paces are not particularly demanding early on in the race and will not stress the body significantly.

• 10–20 minutes jog
• 5 minutes dynamic stretches
• 5 × 15 seconds strides at about 10-minute race pace

Races Lasting 75 Minutes to 2 Hours

It is debatable whether or not a warm-up is needed for races at the longer end of this spectrum. On a cold day it is probably worth doing something, if for no other reason than to stay warm while waiting for the race to start. But you need to be wary of doing too much since you are much more likely to get fatigued when racing for longer periods.

• 5–10 minute jog
• 1–2 minutes at race pace
• 2–3 × 15 seconds strides at about 10-minute race pace

Races Lasting 2 Hours Plus

It's unlikely much warming up is needed for these longer races. 2-hour race pace is not particularly demanding, particularly when well-rested and when adrenaline is flowing. On colder days it will pay to do a little jogging and keep moving to stay warm, but be careful not to do so much that you end up fatigued.

Warming Up for Sessions

The guidelines above apply as much to sessions as they do to races.

For interval style sessions, it's best to do the middle-distance warm-up. There are several benefits to be reaped from the warm-up components in addition to warming up. For example, strides provide several benefits, such as fast-twitch muscle stimulus and turnover, dynamic stretches can help flexibility and running drills will help improve running form.

For-less intense sessions, such as fartleks and threshold runs, 10–20 minutes of easy running usually suffices.