Warm-up and Cool Down

Warm-up and Cool Down – Two Crucial Details on Race Day

by Timothy . Hale,
- Former Men’s Head Cross Country/Track Coach at Rochester University
- Currently Athletic Director at Greece Arcadia in Rochester, NY

In thirty years of coaching successful distance runners I listened to, read about, or discussed with colleagues the merits and shortcomings of many different types of training programs. Many people, athletes in particular, seemed to spend countless hours discussing the benefits of things like high mileage, intense intervals, and hill training. Everyone was looking for the magic formula that would result in huge improvements and the ability to run at the next level and beyond. I don’t know how many people found that magic formula but my observations have led me to believe that many athletes and coaches spent all that time for nothing because they spent too little time planning two crucial aspects of racing – WARMUP AND COOLDOWN.

Very simply, the human body is not ready to race in its’ normal state. An athlete is very similar to an automobile; they both become more efficient when they have been warmed up. Everyone knows this and is aware of the fact that during the warm-up the respiration rate increases, the heart beats faster and pumps more blood, the muscle temperature and body core temperature increases and the body begins to efficiently process oxygen that is needed to support extreme effort. These and many other things occur to get the body ready to race and once you get the body ready you want to keep it ready until the race begins. Any thing you do to negate the effects of warm-up (like sitting around -too much time between warm-up and race, allowing the body to cool off) will adversely affect the athlete’s performance. Timing is crucial, if you stand around too long after the warm-up you will lose most of the benefits and you will have to warm-up in the first part of the race. By that time the race will be over for you. The second area of concern is how much warm-up is needed. While this will vary according to the length of the race and things like weather conditions it is safe to say that you should feel warmed up. If you have not broken a sweat, if you do not feel the things mentioned above, you might not have warmed up enough. Experimentation will help determine the correct amount of warm-up but as a general guide I would suggest 20-30 minutes of activity with the culmination of activity coming with 10 or fewer minutes remaining before the race. Once the warm-up is finished get racing shoes on, keep moving and be race ready when the gun goes off. If you make an error on timing it is better to finish the warm-up too close to the race than too long before hand.

Think about this point regarding timing. For practice sessions I have observed that most athletes jog a little, stretch, go out for a short distance run and upon returning to the track they change into flats or spikes, do some accelerations and then jump into the meat of the workout. At the conclusion of the workout they change shoes again, go out for an easy distance run, and upon returning they stretch again to complete their workout. There is little time between any of the phases of the routine and most athletes would express that they felt ready to go when the workout began and they felt fairly good the next day. This is the way you should do it -on practice and race days. However, on race day I have observed many athletes abandon this type of routine for a different one, one with less total warm-up time and they often finish the process too long before the race begins. Why? It may be that they are trying to save energy for the race but any energy saved will be useless because the body is not prepared to use it.

At recent High School and NCAA meets I saw exactly what I have discussed here. The first thing I noticed was people warming up way too early. I watched several teams begin their warm-up run as early as 2 hours before the race. While there might be a good reason for this I could find none as I watched these teams. Almost to a team they returned to the start area within fifteen minutes and that was the last significant activity they did. There may have been stretching and some accelerations done (not in every case) but I am confident that these athletes were closer to a resting state than they were to being race ready when the gun went off. The other fault was that they probably did not warm-up up long enough. Fifteen minutes is probably not enough but in this case their timing would have ruined even the best warm-up.

Following the race the next most important thing an athlete will do that day will be the cool down. It is the first and most crucial part of recovery from the race effort and a good thorough cool down will not only help get you ready for upcoming workouts but will help prevent injury. In practice your body learns to handle stress and develops the ability to recover through moderate exercise. You must use this ability to get ready for future workouts and races. It is important that each athlete cool down at a pace that is comfortable for them but it is also important that it not be too brief. A nice easy distance run of approximately the race distance is a reasonable rule of thumb and with some thorough stretching will help the athlete begin the recovery process and get ready for what lies ahead. Athletes who do a complete cool down always feel better the next day than when they do not do one. They are ready to go out and resume training for the next race. Too often I have observed athletes heading for the showers shortly after the race and I know they will not recover as well as the person who cools down properly.

In summary, don’t waste endless hours of planning a training regimen by cutting corners on two crucial race day needs. Warm-up thoroughly and time it so that you are “warmed up” at race time and ready to go. When the race is over begin your recovery with a complete cool down and you will be preparing the body for the challenges ahead.

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Lady Foot Locker

Friday, March 5 – Sunday, March 7, 2010

The road to happily ever after begins with YOU!

ACTION REQUIRED: DOWNLOAD YOUR WAIVER NOW!
Race number pick-up/waiver forms are now ready to be downloaded. It is important that you download this form, print it and bring it with you to Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo. You will need to present this form along with a photo I.D. in order to pick up your race number and timing tag. Packets must be picked up at the Expo! There will be no race-day pick-up for the half marathon.

Download and print your race number pick-up/waiver form now!

PLEASE NOTE: If you registered for more than one race during Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend, then you will need to print each race’s specific waiver and turn in each one to pick up that race’s bib number.

Due to the tremendous response we have received to Disney’s Princess Half Marathon, we are expanding the race capacity for 2010 and will accept 2,500 additional entries. Register now to secure your spot in the royal affair! Even with the additional spots, we are at the capacity percentage listed below and will fill up soon!

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend brings women of all ages together to participate in a magical event designed just for them. The Disney Princesses are the inspiration for the weekend’s events and will focus on the attributes every princess possesses: commitment, courage, determination, fantasy, perseverance, and strength. Every woman is a princess, which princess are you?

Weekend events include:

• Disney’s Princess Half Marathon – 97% Full
• Disney’s Royal Family 5K – Full
• Disney’s Royal Family Kids’ Races – Full
• Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo

Running Orthotics

Custom Foot Orthotics For Runners. Now you can have a computer-designed custom running othotics through the web.

Each sport applies intense and abnormal weight and stress to specific areas of the feet and ankles; these parts are not constructed to bear these abnormal forces. The result can be fatigue, pain, loss of efficiency, or all three.

Our Custom Running Orthotics will protect the stressed areas, and re-distribute the abnormal weight to the entire foot. Sports Orthotics can increase efficiency, allowing you to be a better athlete; and reduce fatigue so you can participate in your sport for longer periods of time. More importantly by making  the  correct accommodations for internal foot abnormalities, redirecting weight and stress, and supporting and stabilizing the feet and ankles, your pain will disappear.

As athletes improve performance and maximize efficiency, they rely more and more on sports medicine to surpass their performance threshholds. Sports medicine is focusing on biomechanics, proprioception and kinesthetic awareness to prevent and treat lower extremity injuries.

Custom foot orthoses are increasingly making their way on to professional and recreational playing fields. We should know we treat professional athletes all over the country. See what the Pros have to say about our foot orthotics.

When prescribed by a bio- mechanical specialist, a foot orthosis can enable the foot plane to more efficiently direct and distribute load through the rest of the body. Once an athlete’s entire system is in balance, he or she should notice improved performance and enjoy lower risk of injury.

Don’t Wait, improve your game and reduce the risk of injury today by getting your very own pair of FootcareXpress Custom Sports Orthotics Today!

Running Races

Current racing information for Runners in Florida. Running Florida is proud to be your source of all things running in Florida.

Stay tuned to RunningFlorida.com for race information, race results, running tips and more. See Upcoming Florida Running Races.

Nutrition

Running Florida… Diet and Nutritional information for Runners. As a runner, your diet is important. Not only for maintaining good health, but also to promote peak performance. Proper nutrition and hydration can make or break a workout or race, and also greatly affects how runners feel, work and think.

A balanced diet for healthy runners should include these essentials: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Here are some basic guidelines for a nutritious, healthy balance:

Carbohydrates
As a runner, carbohydrates should make up about 60 – 65% of your total calorie intake. Without a doubt, carbs are the best source of energy for athletes. Research has shown that for both quick and long-lasting energy, our bodies work more efficiently with carbs than they do with proteins or fats. Whole grain pasta, steamed or boiled rice, potatoes, fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grain breads are good carb sources.

Protein
Protein is used for some energy and to repair tissue damaged during training. Protein should make up about 15% – 20% of your daily intake. Runners, especially those running long distances, should consume .5 to .75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Try to concentrate on protein sources that are low in fat and cholesterol such as lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products, poultry, whole grains, and beans.
More: Sports Nutrition Mistake: Not Getting Enough Protein

Fat
A high fat diet can quickly pack on the pounds, so try to make sure that no more than 20 – 25% of your total diet comes from fats. Stick to foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Foods such as nuts, oils, and cold-water fish provide essential fats called omega-3s, which are vital for good health and can help prevent certain diseases. Most experts recommend getting about 3,000 mg of omega-3 fat a day.

Vitamins
Runners don’t get energy from vitamins, but they are still an important part of their diet. Exercise may produce compounds called free radicals, which can damage cells. Vitamins C, E, and A are antioxidants and can neutralize free radicals. Getting your vitamins from whole foods is preferable to supplementation; there’s no strong evidence that taking supplements improves either health or athletic performance.

Minerals
Calcium: A calcium-rich diet is essential for runners to prevent osteoporosis and stress fractures. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, calcium-fortified juices, dark leafy vegetables, beans, and eggs. Your goal should be 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium per day.

Iron: You need this nutrient to deliver oxygen to your cells. If you have an iron-poor diet, you’ll feel weak and fatigued, especially when you run. Men should aim for 8 mg of iron a day, and women need 18 mg. Good natural sources of iron include lean meats, leafy green vegetables, nuts, shrimp, and scallops.

More: Sports Nutrition Mistake: Not Getting Enough Iron

Sodium and other electrolytes: Small amounts of sodium and other electrolytes are lost through sweat during exercise. Usually, electrolytes are replaced if you follow a balanced diet. But if you find yourself craving salty foods, it may be your body’s way of telling you to get more sodium. Try drinking a sports drink or eating some pretzels after exercise.

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